Chief Justice Anwar Usman delivering remarks at a halalbihalal event for Eid al-Fitr 1444 AH, Thursday (5/4/2023). Photo by Humas MK/Ilham W.M.

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JAKARTA (MKRI) — The Constitutional Court (MK) held a halalbihalal event on for Eid al-Fitr 1444 AH on Thursday, May 4, 2023 at the Court’s main hall. Chief Justice Anwar Usman, Deputy Chief Justice Saldi Isra, Constitutional Justice Arief Hidayat, Constitutional Justice Enny Nurbaningsih, Constitutional Justice Wahiduddin Adams, Constitutional Justice Suhartoyo, Constitutional Justice Manahan M. P. Sitompul, Constitutional Justice Daniel Yusmic P. Foekh, M. Guntur Hamzah, Acting Secretary-General Heru Setiawan, Chief Registrar Muhidin, first chief justice Jimly Asshiddiqie, fourth chief justice Hamdan Zoelva, former constitutional justice Maria Farida Indrati, former chief registrar Kasianur Sidauruk, and echelon officials were in attendance. Former chairman of the Court’s ethics council Bintan Regen Saragih, former ethics council member Achmad Sodiki, and former constitutional justice I Dewa Gede Palguna attended the event virtually.

In his remarks, Chief Justice Anwar Usman said that all attendants met at the event not by chance, but by fate. “We should be grateful to be able to attend this warm occasion, renew friendship while opening our hearts sincerely to forgive each other’s mistakes and oversights. We all realize that no human is free from mistakes and sins. No human being is perfect. In fact, it has become our nature, sunnatullah, that as human beings we will always commit mistakes and sins,” he said before the Court employees and guests.

However, he added, that did not justify arbitrary actions and pessimism against God’s fate. He urged everyone to understand that God’s graces are vast, surpassing sins and mistakes. In addition, mistakes also beget lessons to those who strive for it.

Aware or not, the chief justice said, everyone could hurt others while interacting. However, it matters that one chooses to improve themselves and repent. He urged the Court’s family to purify their hearts not only on Eid, but also on other days and months.

“Ramadan, essentially, is a lesson for sincerity for achieving God’s graces,” he explained.

Chief Justice Anwar Usman explained that halalbihalal, or,thalabul halal bithariqil halal, means finding halal objects in halal manners. It is also a forum for forgiveness for all. By apologizing to each other, he said, hopefully no sin against one another remains.

Therefore, he urged everyone to preserve the tradition, starting from the smallest scope, i.e. between coworkers. Using the gathering as a momentum to forgive all past mistakes makes it an opportunity for everyone to open a new page of life.

In addition, forgiving each other and renewing friendship is a noble teaching in Islam. In fact, Muslims everywhere should practice this teaching regardless of moment. Such is the importance of maintaining brotherly relations, that Allah and His Messenger emphasized the punishment for breaking friendship. The urgency of maintaining silaturrahmi is associated with the faith of a Muslim.

Meaning of Halalbihalal

Ustadz Wijayanto, who the Court invited to give a sermon, explained the meaning of Eid festivity in the Javanese culture.

“During Eid celebration, there is ketupat, which is short for ngaku lepat lan laku papat. Ngaku lepat means admitting to mistakes, while laku papat means performing four acts: the Eid celebration itself meaning ‘complete,’ luberan meaning ‘overflowing,’ leburan meaning eliminating mistakes and sins through forgiveness, labur to represent limestone as a whitening substance, meaning cleaning one’s heart and performing good deeds and behavior,” he said.

Writer        : Utami Argawati
Editor        : Nur R.
Translator  : Yuniar Widiastuti (NL)

Disclaimer: The original version of the news is in Indonesian. In case of any differences between the English and the Indonesian version, the Indonesian version will prevail.

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