ID :
22247
Thu, 10/02/2008 - 01:32
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/22247
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THOUSANDS ATTEND IDUL FITRI SERVICE AT ISTIQLAL MOSQUE
Jakarta, Oct 1 (ANTARA) - Thousands of people gathered in Indonesia's largest mosque, Istiqlal, here Wednesday to perform Idul Fitri prayers after one month of fasting.
The mosque was filled to capacity (200,000 people) after people had waited to enter it since 5 am in the morning. Security was tight with police and military keeping watch around the mosque's fences. Everybody intending to enter the mosque had to pass through a metal detector gate.
Near the entrance gate, poor people were in wait for any alms mosque-goers would hand out to them.
At this year's Idul Fitri service at Istiqlal Mosque, the sermon was delivered by Religious Affairs Minister Maftuh Basyuni, while the prayers were led by Khusni Abdillah.
Basyuni in his speech urged Moslems to make the spirit of Ramadhan a motivation to become a more developed nation. The minister also asked people to forgive each other and avoid fighting as fighting would weaken the country and destroy it from within.
"Let us forgive each other and banish any intention to take revenge because revenge will only bring us to destruction," he said.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Vice President Jusuf Kalla and a number of the United Indonesia cabinet members were present at the Idu Fitri service at Istiqlal Mosque.
The mosque was filled to capacity (200,000 people) after people had waited to enter it since 5 am in the morning. Security was tight with police and military keeping watch around the mosque's fences. Everybody intending to enter the mosque had to pass through a metal detector gate.
Near the entrance gate, poor people were in wait for any alms mosque-goers would hand out to them.
At this year's Idul Fitri service at Istiqlal Mosque, the sermon was delivered by Religious Affairs Minister Maftuh Basyuni, while the prayers were led by Khusni Abdillah.
Basyuni in his speech urged Moslems to make the spirit of Ramadhan a motivation to become a more developed nation. The minister also asked people to forgive each other and avoid fighting as fighting would weaken the country and destroy it from within.
"Let us forgive each other and banish any intention to take revenge because revenge will only bring us to destruction," he said.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Vice President Jusuf Kalla and a number of the United Indonesia cabinet members were present at the Idu Fitri service at Istiqlal Mosque.
