Indonesia Prays for Palestinian Freedom at Saudi Ramadan Gathering

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesian Minister of Religious Affairs, Nasaruddin Umar, offered prayers for the freedom of the Palestinian people and the resilience for Indonesians affected by recent natural disasters.

Speaking at a Ramadan iftar hosted by the Saudi Embassy at Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta on Thursday, February 19, 2026, Nasaruddin urged worshippers to pray for Palestinians in need of support.

“In this fasting month, our prayers are answered by Allah SWT. Let us pray for our brothers and sisters in Palestine, who urgently need divine help. May they soon achieve independence and find a permanent solution,” he said, as quoted by Antara.

The minister also extended prayers to communities in Aceh, Central Sumatra, West Sumatra, West Java, and Central Java, who have been hit by floods and landslides. He expressed hope that those affected would be granted strength and patience during Ramadan.

“Every trial is a test, and behind each test lies the promise of elevation. Do not fear challenges, for they bring opportunities to rise,” he added.

Nasaruddin congratulated worshippers at Istiqlal Mosque for observing the fast and encouraged them to enrich their devotion with additional acts of worship.

“Show gratitude to Allah not only through obligatory prayers, but also tarawih and other Ramadan practices. It is best to combine breaking the fast with tarawih prayers at Istiqlal,” he said.

The iftar and date distribution at Istiqlal Mosque formed part of the “Buka Puasa dan Hadiah Kurma” program initiated by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi Embassy in Jakarta, in collaboration with the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs, distributed 2,000 iftar packages and dates, which had earlier been channeled through the ministry. ***