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Ahok attends NU istighosah
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Incumbent Jakarta gubernatorial candidate Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama attends an Islamic prayer event at the Al Huda mosque in Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Sunday. (Tribunnews.com/Wahyu Aji)
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ncumbent gubernatorial candidate Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama attended an istighosah (mass prayer) with dozens of Jakartan nahdliyin (members of the country’s largest Islamic organization Nahdlatul Ulama) at the Al Huda mosque in Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Sunday.
Ahok, a Christian of Chinese descent, was greeted by salawat (Islamic prayers) upon his arrival at the mosque.
“[Ahok] has promised to pay better attention to marbot [mosque caretakers],” former Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Jakarta chairperson Djan Faridz said as quoted by tribunnews.com.
During the event, which was titled “Nationalism Istighosah with Jakartan Nahdliyin,” Djan also called on the participants to use their rights to vote on polling day on Feb. 15.
Ahok was recently in the spotlight following his remarks during his blasphemy trial, which suggested that Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) chairman Ma’ruf Amin had been bias in issuing an edict on the blasphemy allegations leveled against Ahok.
(Read Also: MUI chairman forgives Ahok, calls on NU members to do the same)
Ma’ruf is a Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) patron.
Ahok immediately apologized, saying he did not mean to discredit the cleric.
Last year, two large-scale rallies were staged to demand the prosecution of Ahok for blasphemy over his statement in Thousand Islands in September, which included a reference to a Quranic verse.
Muslims have previously praised Ahok for developing the Fatahillah mosque at City Hall and the Raya Mosque in Daan Mogot in West Jakarta as well as sending marbot on umrah (minor haj). (bbs)
