1000 Non-Muslims Expected to Attend Zakir Naik`s Sermon in Bekasi

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Some 1,000 non-Muslims are expected to attend Zakir Naik’s sermon in Bekasi, said Arif Fatwaddin, a member of the event organizer of Zakir Naik Indonesia Visit 2017.

“It’s his request and is in line with the theme to be adopted in Bekasi [sermon],” Arif Fatwaddin told Tempo on Monday, April 3, 2017.

Arif said that the sermon in Bekasi will adopt the theme ‘Similarity between Islam and Christianity’.

“We will look for similarities, not differences.”

Arief said that the organizer has invited several state officials to attend the event. “We have invited parliamentary leader and diplomats.”

Also invited are leaders of Bekasi city administration, mass organizations, and religious organizations. Non-Muslims will be the special guests at the event. The rest are pre-registered attendees.

Arief revealed that Bekasi Mayor has asked the organizer to invite as many non-Muslims as possible. He said that the request has been made considering Bekasi’s religious diversity.

Zakir Naik’s sermon in Bekasi is scheduled for April 8 at the Patriot Stadium, starting from 7:30 p.m. to 12 p.m. The event organizers confirmed that Dr. Zakir will not attend any other activities in the city.

He earlier gave a sermon in Bandung on Sunday and today is slated to give one at Muhammadiyah University in Yogyakarta that will adopt the theme ‘Religion as an Agent of Mercy and Peace’.

Zakir Naik will also give a sermon at Gontor Darussalam University in East Java tomorrow, before heading to Bekasi.

DIKO OKTARA