Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s sixth president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) joined the nation in mourning the death of Syekh Ali Jaber on Thursday and said the preachings of the charismatic ulema always made him feel tranquil at heart.
SBY then recalled one of the sermons Syekh Ali Jaber delivered when meeting his wife, Kristiani Herrawati (Ani Yudhoyono), while she was hospitalized in Singapore in 2019.
Yudhoyono’s wife was hospitalized at Singapore's National University Hospital on February 2, 2019, and died on June 1, 2019.
On the day he visited his wife, Syekh Ali Jaber reminded Yudhoyono to be strong, resilient, and patient.
"At that time, I listened to his 'tausiyah' (sermon) suggesting that I should remain strong, resilient, and patient to accept the trials from Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala," he posted on his official Twitter account @SBYudhoyono on Thursday.
Syekh Ali Jaber's sermons were definitely free from hatred and hostility, SBY remarked.
"Listening to his preaches always make my heart tranquil, peaceful, and thankful because that's the true teaching of Islam," he said while sincerely praying for "husnul khotimah" (good ending) for Syekh Ali Jaber.
Syekh Ali Jaber's passing at Jakarta's Yarsi Hospital at 8:30 a.m. local time on Thursday was officially announced by Syekh Ali Jaber Foundation chairman Habib Abdurrahman Alhabsyi on the foundation's official Instagram account.
According to Alhabsyi, Syekh Ali Jaber had tested negative for COVID-19 prior to his death. He had been hospitalized since December 29, 2020.
"We sincerely pray to let him return to his Rabb (Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala)," he said while urging Muslim communities to pray for him and forgive any faults.
Ali Jaber's demise was widely reported by several news media outlets in Indonesia.
Several prominent Indonesian figures offered their condolences on the charismatic ulema's death. Among them were Vice President Ma'ruf Amin, East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa, and TV presenter and YouTuber Deddy Corbuzier.
Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa said the charismatic Saudi-born ulema cared deeply for the disabled and made efforts to facilitate their digital access to the Quran.
To this end, Ali Jaber tirelessly urged Muslim communities to donate a small portion of their wealth for preparing the digital Quran for the disabled, particularly for those who had lost their eyesight, Parawansa said.
Before being admitted to the hospital with symptoms of the novel coronavirus disease, Ali Jaber had made a round trip to East Java on a noble mission to enlighten and empower Muslims in the province, she stated.
Born in Medina, Saudi Arabia, on February 3, 1976, Syekh Ali Jaber, whose full name is Ali Saleh Mohammed Ali Jaber, is a widely known Muslim preacher and ulema.
Ali Jaber held Indonesian citizenship and was popular among Indonesian Muslims as a juror of Quran memorization contests on the country's TV stations. (INE)
Related news: Sheikh Ali Jaber significantly contributed to "dakwah": minister
Related news: Sheikh Ali Jaber was a kind-hearted and noble figure: MUI
EDITED BY INE
