Al-Zaytun Islamic Boarding School in Indramayu Came Under Scrutiny During The Eid Prayer

Recently, Indonesia was shocked by the Instagram account @kepanitiaanalzaytun which uploaded various activities and events at Ma'had Al-Zaytun Indonesia, one of which was a photo of the Eid prayer on Saturday (April 22, 2023) which caused controversy.

In the sensational video upload, the Eid prayer congregation is seen far apart and a woman is seen praying first among the male congregation. The uploaded photo shows the Eid celebration at the Rahmatan Lil Alamin Al-Zaytun Mosque in Indonesia. In another uploaded photo, the founder of Ma'had Al-Zaytun, Professor Abdussalam Rasyidi, also known as Panji Gumilang, is seen giving a lecture on Eid al-Fitr 1444 H.

The president of the Indonesian Ulama of Indramayu, KH Satori, admitted that he did not understand the worship procedures carried out at the Al-Zaytun Indramayu Islamic Boarding School, including during the Eid al-Fitr 1444 Hijr prayer. "They are both Muslims, but exclusive and closed. We Indramayu scholars do not understand their way of thinking, we do not know what their school of thought is." Satori told tvOnenews.com. "Yes, I don't know about the practice. There is a woman in front, so legally it is not illegal and not invalid, but the procedure is not in accordance with the procedure outlined. advocating proper prayer, so the woman is at the back, not at the front," KH Satori said.

Satori also admitted that he could not say whether Al-Zaytun was right or wrong, heretical or not. Because that would lead to endless debate. 

"They will testify before the almighty," he said. 

When the pandemic ended, there was no longer any distance between prayer rows. "Yes, it is still far away, especially at the district level, currently there are no rules to limit the distance and so on, there is also no pandemic, I don't know who took the initiative or if there are rules. ." he said. "By law, people who pray are close together, the rows are straight," she continued.

The document about the Eid prayer is reinforced by a video uploaded by Al-Zaytun's official YouTube account with the title (AL-ZAYTUN) KHUTBAH IED AL-FITHRI 1444 H. In the video, the woman is seen sitting in front of male worshipers, the video lasting more than an hour was uploaded on Saturday (April 22, 2023).