News

Islamic organization to hold underwater prayer service

Rab, 1 Februari 2012 | 12:17 WIB

Ternate, NU Online
The North Maluku Islamic organization Al Munawar Mosque Welfare Agency is cooperating with the Indonesian Navy and diving community to hold an underwater noon prayer service on February 5, 2012.

The agency's leader Muksin Saleh said here on Wednesday the "Dzuhur" (noon) underwater prayer service will be held in waters behind the Al-Munawar mosque led by (Imam) Dr Wahda.

"The underwater prayer service will be just the same as ordinary prayer services the only difference being that people must wear diving gear," he said as quoted by Antara news agency.

Muksin said that before the underwater prayer service, the participants would clean up the sea and plant coral reefs for tourists to watch.

"The event will be documented for the mosque`s official history because it has never been done before in Indonesia," said Muksin.

The underwater prayer service is to be held on the sidelines of the Al-Munawar mosque festival which began last January 28 and will run until February 8, 2012 in conjunction of the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, Peace be Upon Him, (Maulid) in 2012.

Muksin said the festival was also being enlivened with various other Islamic activities such as Samra and Asrakal (Islamic musical show) competition, junior revival mullah contest, Adzan contest (the call to prayer) and Hajj for kindergarten rituals, which will be done in the courtyard of the Al-Munawar moque.

Besides, the festival would be enlivened by some Islamic (Sharia)products expo as an effort to encourage the development of Islamic businesses in the area.

Earlier, Ternate`s mayor Burhan Abdurrahman said while opening the festival, the festival will be proposed as an annual agenda in Ternate as part of efforts to support religious tourism development in Ternate. (dar)