COVID-19, Anies Calls on Muslims in Jakarta to Pray at Home During Ramadan

It will be different. For so many of us, including myself and my staffs

After he extended the PSSB period by 28 days ahead, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has issued prayer and worship guidelines for Ramadan, asking people not to hold gatherings and adhere to the physical distancing policy to curb the spread of COVID-19.

"It will be different. For so many of us, including myself and my staffs. This year's Ramadan is traditionally including gatherings, such as breaking-of-the-fast dinners and tarawih (Ramadan night prayers), usually done at mosques. But this time it will be different as we will all do these activities at home," he expressed, at the City Hall's pavilion, as quoted by Jakarta PPID's press release, Wednesday (4/22).

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He continued this condition was reminiscent of the Prophet's Ramadan. At that time, everything was not done in the mosque. Had tarawih at the mosque, but then did it at home, including breaking the fast.

"This time, we get that chance to enter the holy month of Ramadan. This is our chance," he explained.

Despite it was done at home, he encouraged the citizens to remain motivated to increase piety while fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Let's perform worship in the holy month of Ramadan by also protecting and preventing transmission of COVID-19. And this is really an opportunity to measure our ability to control our passions, our ability to increase worship," he continued.

So, hopefully, it could run well and could teach the public about the value of new piety.

"Surely this moment is an event as an opportunity to strengthen in increasing piety in the family. Because everything is done together. The father leads tarawih. Tadarus with our dad and mom. This is a very different atmosphere. Hopefully it will become Ramadan that really increases worship activities at the family level properly," he closed.