Amid the prolonged COVID-19 epidemic, Indonesia’s second-largest Muslim organization Muhammadiyah has decided to have a virtual ceremony to celebrate its 108th anniversary, which falls on Wednesday.
“This is what makes the celebration this year different from the previous ones,” Muhammadiyah chairman Haedar Nashir told a virtual press conference on Monday.
Taking “Strengthening Religious Movements in Facing the Pandemic and State Problems” as its theme, Wednesday’s celebration is set to be held from 11: 45 a.m. to 14: 30 p.m. on Zoom and is to be aired through the organization’s television channels and social media networks.
Haedar said that the theme was chosen to emphasize Muhammadiyah’s movement, stances and policies toward growing and developing diversity while at the same time offering solutions to state problems including the current pandemic.
“Since the beginning of the pandemic, Muhammadiyah has been doing its utmost [to offer solutions],” said Haedar.
He added that what Muhammadiyah had been doing through its education, health, social institutions and economic entities was aimed at creating a better life, or what the organization refers to as “a progressive life”.
“That is not easy,” said Haedar.
He therefore invited all parts of the nation, including the government, as well as political and state institutions, to solve the complex problems in the spirit of unity.
He added that Muhammadiyah realized the complexity of the state’s problems, which he believed were an accumulation of previous unsolved problems, so that they could not be solved by just one party.
He also said at the age of 108 years, Muhammadiyah would continue to confront problems.
“Yet, with its firm religious view, strong system, capable human resources, and cooperation with all parties, Muhammadiyah is capable and will contribute to facing the pandemic and solving the state problems with the spirit of dakwah and tajdid [Islamic preaching and thoughts],” Haedar said.
Meanwhile, the organization’s secretary Agung Danarto said the virtual celebration would be an important milestone as Muhammadiyah had also postponed its national congress to 2021 due to the pandemic. The congress was initially scheduled to be held in July.
“We need a new encouragement for the betterment of the organization. This is among the ways,” said Agung, adding that the 4,000 slots on Zoom offered for the virtual celebration were all booked.
In regard to helping the country in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, Muslim organizations, including Muhammadiyah, had previously delivered their suggestions on various matters.
Muhammadiyah COVID-19 command center deputy secretary Deni Wahyudi Kurniawan said local public figures should set an example by adhering to health protocols strictly, such as consistently wearing face masks in public places.
Meanwhile, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah had also urged the government to consider delaying the upcoming regional elections amid heightened concerns over the COVID-19 crisis.
“Regarding the 2020 elections, the central board of Muhammadiyah calls on the KPU [General Election Commission] to specifically reconsider […] the elections and campaign rules that entail the gathering of many people,” Muhammadiyah said in a statement in September. (swa)
Editor’s note: This article is part of a public campaign by the COVID-19 task force to raise people’s awareness about the pandemic.
