February 19, 2026 | 01:51 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Grand Imam of Istiqlal Mosque, Nasaruddin Umar, said the mosque will continue its tradition of large-scale iftar (breaking the fast) events during Ramadan, serving thousands of boxed meals daily.
"On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, we provide between 7,000 and 10,000 boxed meals," he said during a press conference at Istiqlal Mosque on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. On regular weekdays, the mosque distributes around 4,000 to 7,000 boxed meals each day.
For ngabuburit, the period spent waiting for iftar, the mosque offers a variety of educational and cultural activities.
"Istiqlal continues to run free education programs, such as courses in English, Mandarin, Arabic, Persian, French, and Indonesian for foreign speakers," Nasaruddin said. The mosque also provides classes in Hebrew and Aramaic, with instructors brought directly from the countries where these languages originate.
During tarawih prayers, Istiqlal Mosque hosts international Quran reciters who rotate daily throughout Ramadan.
"After that, the mosque’s management will invite sermon speakers, including prominent religious scholars and respected public figures known for their religiosity," he added.
Istiqlal Mosque is also preparing for the commemoration of Nuzulul Quran, which will involve member countries of MABIMS — Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, and Singapore.
Nasaruddin noted that the Eid al-Fitr takbir (ritual proclamation of Allah’s greatness) will be conducted simultaneously and in coordination with the grand mosques in Southeast Asian capitals.
Read: Don't Suddenly Stop Drinking Coffee During Ramadan, Experts Warn
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