UNS — Regardless of the medical efforts and health protocols implementation, the Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta initiates a spiritual endeavor in facing the Covid-19 pandemic through an interfaith collaborative prayer, on Tuesday (13/7/2021). The prayer was done virtually using the Zoom Cloud Meeting and a Live broadcast on UNS Youtube Channel. Numerous lecturers, academic support staff, Dharma Wanita Persatuan, students, and alumni of the UNS were attending the event. The prayer also invites all Indonesian citizens to join. Hence, it was dubbed as ‘Interfaith Prayer,’ which corresponds to the UNS spirit as the Pancasila Stronghold that encompasses six religions in Indonesia.
Six religious leaders were attending the event and led the prayer recitation. The invited religious leaders are K.H. M. Dian Nafi’ representing Islam, Pastor Anthon Karundeng, S.Th representing Christian, Father Anthonius Saptana Hadi for the Catholic, Pandhita Mangku Made Murti representing Hinduism, Hasan Sawiji representing Buddhism, and Bunsu Adjie Chandra representing Confucianism.
According to an official statement by Prof. Ahmad Yunus as the UNS Vice-Rector for Academic and Student Affairs, the prayer was initiated by the Rector of UNS Prof. Jamal Wiwoho, and the UNS academic members due to their concerns over the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. “Therefore, the Rector of UNS alongside the UNS academic members invite us to pray together, side by side with the other religions, wishing to The One Almighty God for the Covid-19 to end,” said him while opening the event.
Meanwhile, Prof. Jamal, states that the Interfaith Prayer is a form of spiritual endeavor, to balance the physical effort taken by the government and UNS as policy implementers. “Togetherness, mutual assistance, taking care of each other, neighborhood care and motivation, hard work, and gratefulness are values that can be a remedy for the Covid-19 malignancy,” Prof. Jamal states. He also wishes for the One Almighty God to open human minds and hearts for Indonesia to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Led by Arifuddin, Lc., M.A., a lecturer from Arabic Literature Study Program FIB UNS, the collective prayer recited by the representative from each religion, was done consecutively. Started from K.H. M. Dian Nafi’, Pastor Anthon Karundeng, S.Th., Father Anthonius Saptana Hadi, Pandhita Mangku Made Murti, Hasan Sawiji, and concluded by Bunsu Adjie Chandra.
The Interfaith Prayer is followed by an expression of gratitude delivered by Prof. Nasaruddin Umar. The Great Imam of the Istiqlal Mosque Jakarta, invites all Indonesian citizens to refine their faith in the God Almighty. “If we have a strong faith, suffering and pleasure will be like a coin with two sides,” said Prof. Nasaruddin Umar.
The event continues with teaching from K.H. M. Dian Nafi’ from Pesantren (t/n: Islamic Boarding School) Al-Muayyad Surakarta. Concluding the event, some of the Covid-19 survivors shared their experience with Covid-19. Humas UNS
Reporter: Alinda Hardiantoro
Editor: Dwi Hastuti