Over One Hundred Thousand Nariyah Prayer Devotees Pray for the Nation in Situbondo
Situbondo (ANTARA) - Hundreds of thousands of residents and selawat nariyah congregants from various regions recited selawat together and prayed for a better nation during the Haul Masyayikh event at Situbondo Regency Square, East Java, on Sunday.
Situbondo Regent and chairman of the Haul Masyayikh organising committee, Yusuf Rio Wahyu Prayogo, said the event not only offered prayers for deceased ulama, community figures and kiai from across the archipelago, but also honoured the struggles of their predecessors.
“Of course, the first hope in this Haul Masyayikh is to pray that the masyayikh and community figures from across the archipelago receive blessings. Beyond that, we also pray for a better Indonesia,” he told journalists in Situbondo.
The prayers for the kiai, teachers and predecessors, Rio continued, were led directly by the head of the Wali Songo Islamic Boarding School in Situbondo, KHR Moh Kholil As’ad Syamsul Arifin.
According to him, the Haul Masyayikh was attended by heads of Islamic boarding schools across East Java and selawat nariyah congregants from across the archipelago, including from Jakarta, Kalimantan and various other regions of Indonesia.
“This event did not use funds from the regional budget (APBD), but rather came from contributions by all the selawat nariyah congregants,” he said.
Meanwhile, the charismatic young ulama KH Muhammad Abdur Rahman Al Kautsar, familiarly known as Gus Kautsar, who attended the Haul Masyayikh, urged all congregants to consistently practise the selawat nariyah.
“How wise our teachers are — of the many selawat, the one recommended for regular practice is selawat nariyah,” he said in his sermon.
By consistently practising selawat nariyah, Gus Kautsar continued, Allah will grant ease in whatever one desires or aspires to, and keep one away from hardship and weakness.
“It is called nariyah because all our requests will be swiftly granted by Allah SWT. No need for many repetitions — just eleven times a day, and God willing, our provisions will never run out,” said the son of the head of the Al Falah Ploso Islamic Boarding School in Kediri, East Java.
Gus Kautsar added that all Muslims share the same desire, namely salvation in this world and the hereafter, and therefore practising selawat nariyah will bring forgiveness from Allah SWT for one’s wrongdoings.
“We are people who wish for salvation in this world and the hereafter. We commit many wrongs, are easily tempted and neglectful, but if we recite selawat abundantly, God willing, we will be saved and forgiven by Allah SWT,” he said.
As observed, the Haul Masyayikh was also attended by heads of Islamic boarding schools in East Java, including the head of the Nurul Jadid Islamic Boarding School in Paiton, Probolinggo, KH Moh Zuhri Zaini, former Minister of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Abdullah Azwar Anas, Bondowoso Regent KH Abd Hamid Wahid, Banyuwangi Regent Ipuk Fiestiandani and other prominent figures.