Hundreds of Thousands Filled Istiqlal Mosque for Idul Fitri Mass Prayer

TheIndonesia.id - Hundreds of thousands of Muslims packed the Istiqlal Mosque in Central Jakarta in the morning of Monday, May 2, for Idul Fitri congregational prayer after one of the world’s largest mosques closed its doors for the big occasion in the past two years due to COVID-19 pandemic.

As reported by Antara, members of the public started filling up the place at 4.00 a.m., and among them was Indonesian Vice President Ma’ruf Amin.

And for this reason, public had to undergo a thorough checking by the presidential security forces, or Paspampres, and it caused the queue of people to keep getting longer.

“It’s true [that the Vice President will join the congregational prayer] in Istiqlal,” the mosque’s spokesperson Abu Hurairah said on Monday.

A number of internal personnel were also assigned at the outside areas of the mosque to organize the masses as well as to remind them to keep wearing facemasks inside the mosque.

Management of Istiqlal Mosque has previously predicted about 150,000 of Muslims to join the Idul Fitri congregational prayer, or 75 percent of the mosque’s total capacity.

The Grand Imam of Istiqlal Mosque Nasaruddin Umar also asked members of public to bring their own equipment and to make sure that they’re vaccinated and healthy prior to coming to the place of worship.

While inside the area, everyone is also urged to strictly implement health protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19 that continues to be a global terror.

A Jakartan who came to Istiqlal Mosque this morning said he was grateful to be able to join the Idul Fitri congregational prayer at the largest mosque in Southeast Asia after two years.

“My longing of Istiqlal has been paid off. Alhamdulillah, we can hold the Idul Fitri prayer,” he said.