More Than Two Million Recite Prayers for Indonesia as Religious Movement Surpasses Target

More than two million people across Indonesia took part in a national recitation of Dala’il al-Khayrat, exceeding the government's target for the religious movement.

The National Echo of Salawat Movement 2026 recorded 2,041,377 participants at 23,688 locations across 35 provinces. That represented 115 percent of the target of 1,781,945 people. The campaign culminated on September 7 with a national completion ceremony and the granting of Ijazah Kubra at Bina Insan Mulia Islamic Boarding School in Cirebon, West Java.

Muchlis M Hanafi, director of Islamic Religious Information at the Religious Affairs Ministry, said the turnout reflected Indonesian Muslims' strong love for the Prophet Muhammad. He also described the recitation as a way to maintain togetherness while the country faces various difficulties.

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Praise be to God, public participation reached more than 2.04 million people, or 115 percent of the target. This figure is not merely a quantitative achievement, but reflects the community's strong love for the Prophet Muhammad and its great spirit of maintaining togetherness through the echo of salawat.

"Praise be to God, public participation reached more than 2.04 million people, or 115 percent of the target. This figure is not merely a quantitative achievement, but reflects the community's strong love for the Prophet Muhammad and its great spirit of maintaining togetherness through the echo of salawat," Muchlis said.

The movement formed part of the national Maulid Nabi Muhammad celebrations for 1448 Hijri. The religious affairs minister launched it on August 26 under the theme "Reciting Salawat for the Nation, Following the Prophet's Life Story." Participants began reading Dala’il al-Khayrat nationally on August 31 and completed it simultaneously on September 7.

For the ministry, salawat represents more than a sequence of religious readings. It is also an inner effort to strengthen spiritual resilience as Indonesia faces economic and social problems, natural disasters and other pressures. Prayers were offered for communities facing volcanic eruptions, forest and land fires, earthquakes and other calamities. "This nation needs both outward and inward efforts. The two complement each other, rather than replace each other," Muchlis said.

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This nation needs both outward and inward efforts. The two complement each other, rather than replace each other.