Seeking Lailatul Qadar, Sharing Blessings: The Story of Mat Sellers in Bogor on the 21st Night of Ramadhan

BOGOR — At Kramat An Nur Empang Mosque in Bogor, the 21st night of Ramadhan is more than just an occasion for Muslims to seek Lailatul Qadar (the Night of Power). It is also a blessing for residents earning income by selling prayer mats.

On this night, the number of worshippers increases significantly each year. Congregants who normally fill only the mosque’s interior areas overflow onto Jalan Pahlawan. They arrive not only to perform tarawih prayers but also to make supplications and remembrance of God, hoping to experience Lailatul Qadar.

Prayer mat vendors seize this opportunity to earn money. They target worshippers who lack indoor space or have not brought their own prayer mats.

Uus, 40, from Cianjur, West Java, seeks both sustenance and spiritual reward by selling mats to worshippers on Tuesday (10 March 2026). According to him, besides earning divine blessings by helping worshippers pray, selling mats at Kramat An Nur Empang Mosque helps him meet his family’s needs ahead of Eid al-Fitr.

The prayer mats he sells measure approximately 100x60 centimetres, sufficient for one to two people. The price is affordable at just Rp 5,000 per mat. From 100 mats brought to the mosque, Uus successfully sold 50 to worshippers.

“Sometimes I sell out completely, but this time I didn’t manage to sell all of them, so I’m heading home,” Uus told Kompas.com on Tuesday evening.

“The money goes towards family needs and helps us prepare for Eid celebrations,” he added.

Another vendor, Anah, 26, from Jakarta, arrived at Kramat An Nur Empang Mosque at 5 p.m. She brought 30 mats sized for two to five worshippers, sourced from Karawang.

“Yes, whenever there are events like mawlid or haul commemorations, I trade. But when it’s really crowded, I can sell 100 mats. Sometimes as few as 20,” Anah said.