Jakarta, November 26, 2024 – The Europe Today: Indonesia’s Minister of Religious Affairs, Nasaruddin Umar, has formally requested Saudi Arabian Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Tawfiq F. Al Rabiah, to consider building a hadith museum at Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, similar to the one located in Medina.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Minister Umar shared that during his meeting with Minister Al Rabiah in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the discussion focused on preparations for the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage. Minister Umar proposed the establishment of a hadith museum at Istiqlal Mosque, emphasizing the potential to enrich Islamic heritage in Indonesia.
“Minister Al Rabiah asked if there is space to build it. I said, ‘Of course, there is,'” Umar remarked, highlighting the possibility of integrating such an initiative at one of Indonesia’s most significant religious landmarks.
Umar expressed his hope for continued collaboration between the two nations, noting that both ministers share a vision to enhance the dignity of Muslims globally, not only in Indonesia and Saudi Arabia but across the Islamic world. “In the near future, God willing, he will make more approaches, possibly for us to open a hadith museum in Istiqlal,” he stated.
In addition to his visit to Mecca, Minister Umar will also travel to Medina as part of his ongoing working visit to Saudi Arabia. He arrived in Jeddah on November 23, 2024, where he led a coordination meeting with the Hajj Affairs Office to discuss the logistics and preparations for the upcoming 2025 Hajj pilgrimage.
Furthermore, Minister Umar visited a newly-renovated guest house facility, which is scheduled to be completed by the end of December 2024, signaling ongoing improvements to the infrastructure supporting the pilgrimage.
The proposal for the hadith museum reflects Indonesia’s commitment to preserving and promoting Islamic culture, enhancing the experience for pilgrims and visitors to Istiqlal Mosque, and fostering deeper religious connections between the two nations.
