Indonesian Devotees Pray for Better Nation at Mass Gathering

An estimated hundred thousand people, including many selawat nariyah devotees, gathered in Situbondo, East Java, for the Haul Masyayikh event. Participants engaged in collective prayers, seeking blessings for deceased scholars and community leaders, and praying for a better future for Indonesia. The event also served as an occasion to emulate the struggles of past generations. The Bupati of Situbondo, Yusuf Rio Wahyu Prayogo, who also chaired the organizing committee, stated the primary hope was for blessings upon the scholars and community figures, alongside prayers for the nation's improvement. The prayers were led by KHR Moh Kholil As'ad Syamsul Arifin, the leader of Pondok Pesantren Wali Songo. The gathering saw attendance from leaders of Islamic boarding schools across East Java and selawat nariyah groups from various regions, including Jakarta and Kalimantan. Young cleric KH Muhammad Abdur Rahman Al Kautsar, known as Gus Kautsar, urged attendees to consistently practice selawat nariyah, believing it would facilitate their desires and protect them from poverty and weakness. He explained that the practice, when performed 11 times daily, could lead to swift divine acceptance of prayers and ensure prosperity. Gus Kautsar emphasized that the ultimate wish for Muslims is salvation in this world and the hereafter, and that consistent prayer offers forgiveness for past wrongdoings.