REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MEDAN -- Thousands of residents of the provincial capital of Medan City, North Sumatra, flocked to Merdeka Square for prayers to welcome the Muharram 1, Islamic New Year 1436 Hegira.
During the commemoration, the government of Medan organized a joint grand prayer and dzikr rituals that were attended by thousands of Muslims from different sub-districts of the province.
The congregations from the sub-districts were directly led by the Mayor of Medan City, Dzulmi Eldin, and preachers Tuah Sirait and Ahmad Wijayanto. In his sermons, preacher Sirait appealed to the Muslims to submit to God.
"Let's observe a moment (of silence) and ask God to pardon our sins and the mistakes we have made. May God pardon our sins," he said, Saturday (25/10).
He also asked the people to always seek pardon and enlightenment from God so that they are blessed with good luck.
"We have to constantly move our tongues while reading dzikr and asking for forgiveness. Let's leave behind our worldly lives for a moment and seek God's blessings," the religious propagator said.
Earlier, Mayor Eldin noted that besides enlivening the Islamic New Year celebrations, the mass prayers were also held to seek God's blessing for Medan City so that God always protects it and ensures comfortable lives for its residents.