Three‑Hour Meeting Between Prabowo and Islamic Scholars and Leaders of Islamic Organisations at Istana Merdeka

President Prabowo Subianto invited several Islamic scholars and leaders of Islamic organisations to an iftar event at the Istana Merdeka, Jakarta. The closed gathering lasted three hours.

‘Sir, from 8:00 p.m., what time is it now? 11:00 p.m.—three hours,’ said the Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan after the event at Istana Merdeka, Jakarta, Thursday night (5 March 2026).

Nusron Wahid, Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning and a Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) figure, said that 158 leaders of Islamic organisations attended the invitation. They represented 86 Islamic organisations.

‘With 158 leaders of Islamic organisations from across Indonesia, there are 86 organisation leaders. Added to this are Islamic figures and leaders of pesantren (Islamic boarding schools),’ Nusron said.

Nusron disclosed that Habib Rizieq Shihab was also invited to the gathering with Prabowo. However, Habib Rizieq was unavailable and was represented.

‘In fact, we invited Habib Rizieq Shihab as well. But he was not able to attend and delegated to his two sons-in-law, Habib Hanif Al-Attas and Habib Muhammad, his sons-in-law,’ he said.

During the meeting, Prabowo and the leaders of the organisations discussed a number of issues, including global geopolitics and geo-economics. They talked about the potential impacts of these global developments on Indonesia.

‘From the discussion, the essence is that the President explained two things. First, global geopolitics and geo-economics. In particular, matters relating to the crisis in the Middle East, including Gaza and Palestine, and the current situation regarding how Israel and the United States’ strikes against Iran, and the possible impacts on Indonesia,’ he said.

The meeting also addressed various current issues in Indonesia, primarily in the economic and social sectors.

‘Secondly, he explained the current economic and social conditions in Indonesia,’ Nusron added.

Nusron said that the group of ulama and leaders of Islamic organisations agreed to understand the stance taken by Prabowo in facing global dynamics. They are expected to stand in unison with the government.

‘Driven by the meeting, the ulama and leaders of Islamic organisations agreed to foster intensive communication and to understand the positions taken by the Indonesian government, by the President. They concluded that they should stand together with the President in one front,’ he said.

Present at the event were MPR Speaker Ahmad Muzani, the Secretary to the State Secretariat Prasetyo Hadi, the Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan, the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Muhaimin Iskandar (Cak Imin), Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia, and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.

Among the visiting ulama were the heads of MUI Anwar Iskandar, Rais Aam PBNU Miftachul Akhyar, PBNU chairman Yahya Cholil Staquf, Muhammadiyah chairman Haedar Nashir, the custodian of Tebuireng Islamic boarding school in Jombang Kikin Abdul Hakim, leader of the Modern Gontor Islamic boarding school Hasan Abdullah Sahal, and the leader of Lirboyo pesantren Kafabihi Ali Mahrus.