Mass prayers, religious chanting and ubiquitous Islamic attire gave a religious tint to the campaign rally held by the Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno candidate pair at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on Sunday. It was the largest rally they have held before election day on April 17.

Tens of thousands of people in white shouted Allahu Akbar (God is the greatest) repeatedly during the event that also presented a number of Muslim figures, including a video call from Islam Defenders Front (FPI) leader Rizieq Shihab from Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

The political event started very early at 3 a.m., followed by a mass dawn prayer, zikir (chanting), munajat (whispered prayer) and Quranic tilawah (recital).

A number of political bigwigs attended the rally, including National Mandate Party (PAN) patron Amien Rais and chairman Zulkilfi Hasan, Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) chairman Sohibul Iman and Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan.

In his speech, Prabowo reiterated his commitment to Pancasila as the state ideology and dismissed rumors that he was planning to establish an Islamic caliphate. “Some say that our coalition will change our Pancasila ideology. This is very cruel defamation. But Indonesian people will not be affected by that issue, because our clerics have always taught us that Indonesia’s Islam is rahmatan lil alamin [a blessing for the universe],” Prabowo said.

In his message, Rizieq urged rally attendees to vote for Prabowo and Sandiaga, saying the pair was not a supporter of the now-defunct Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) and liberalism. “Prabowo-Sandiaga won’t back the PKI. They will not support liberalism and extramarital sex and they will not criminalize clerics,” Rizieq said.

Muslim preacher and opposition activist Neno Warisman was also given a stage to pray for the downfall of the current government during the event, referring to the administration of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo as a “dzolim [cruel] regime that should fall”.

Democratic Party patron and former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has questioned the event’s program, calling it “too exclusive”. In a written statement from Singapore made available to the press on Sunday, he warned that from what he had seen of the planned agenda, the campaign event looked too exclusive, while Yudhoyono had expected Prabowo to embrace all groups and that the campaign should stand for “unity in diversity” and “all for all”.

The statement, addressed to his party’s three top officials, including secretary-general Hinca Panjaitan, asked them to give suggestions to Prabowo, including to prevent a “show of force” of certain identities.

“In my view, what [the campaign team] will do during the campaign rally is unusual and doesn’t reflect an inclusive national campaign,” Yudhoyono said, whose party is also part of Prabowo’s coalition.

Prabowo campaign official Andre Rosiade conceded that the event was dominated by religious activities, such as a dawn prayer, Quran recital and mass prayer. However, he also mentioned that a number of non-Muslim figures also attended the campaign, such as Natalius Pigai, a former official with the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), Prabowo’s Christian brother Hashim Djojohadikusumo and several representatives from Roman Catholicism and Buddhism.

“Representatives from all religions attended the rally. This is not exclusive but inclusive. The event was open and addressed to all people regardless of their religion, race and ethnicity,” Andre said after the rally.

Gerindra’s official Twitter account posted pictures of several non-Muslim representatives that had voices on the stage. “Whatever the race, ethnicity and religion, as citizens, all people have the same right and must respect each other,” said the party.

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