Jakarta Formulating Rules on Ramadan Prayers during Pandemic

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Jakarta government will make more detailed regulations on the guidelines for practicing Ramadan religious activities during the Covid-19 pandemic. "We will discuss the detailed rules. Especially the implementation of the tarawih prayer," Jakarta's Education and Mental Spiritual Bureau chief, Muhammad Zen, told Tempo on Tuesday, April 6.

He said that, in principle, the government allows all worship activities to be held at mosques and prayer rooms during Ramadan, provided they adhere to strict health protocols.

The Religious Affairs Ministry has issued a regulation allowing tarawih prayer. Meanwhile, the regulation issued by the Home Affairs Ministry do not include considerations for outbreak zones.

The Jakarta government, Zen said, would discuss more detailed rules by integrating the policies of both ministries. "In principle, [tarawih prayer] is allowed. But we will integrate regulations that would take into account the zoning of Covid-19 spread."

For green and orange zones, he said, all houses of worship are allowed to carry out Ramadan worship activities under health protocols, limited to 50 percent capacity. "We hope that mosques and prayer rooms' management can supervise health protocols during worship," he said.

Read: Jakarta Highlights 10 Ramadan Activities Potentially Cause Crowds

IMAM HAMDI