Jakarta's Al-Azhar Mosque Holds Istisqa Prayer Amid Drought

Amid a severe drought hitting Indonesia's capital, Jakarta, the Al-Azhar Mosque held the 'Salat Istisqa' prayer, a religious ritual seeking divine intervention for rain. This prayer is a practice for Muslims to implore Allah (God) for mercy and beneficial rain when facing extreme dryness and water scarcity. Based on Islamic teachings, it is an act of seeking salvation from difficult situations by the entire community humbly praying to God. Indonesia, geographically located on the equator and influenced by a tropical monsoon climate, typically experiences distinct rainy and dry seasons. However, in recent years, the dry season has tended to lengthen, and rainfall has decreased extremely due to the effects of climate change, such as the El Niño phenomenon. This has led to a wide range of impacts on people's lives and economic activities, including shortages of agricultural water, difficulties in securing drinking water, and increased risk of forest fires. In large cities like Jakarta, high population density and the burden on infrastructure make water scarcity an urgent issue directly affecting citizens' lives. In urban areas highly dependent on public water supply systems, prolonged drought can also lead to concerns about water cutoffs. The implementation of Salat Istisqa at Al-Azhar Mosque is not just a religious ceremony but can be seen as a reflection of the community's response to natural disasters faced by the nation and the growing awareness of people towards the modern challenge of climate change.