After the crown Prince’s statement about the restoration of the Jakarta Islamic Center, Indonesian officials thanked Saudi Arabia
JAKARTA: Indonesian officials thanked Saudi Arabia for promising to fund the restoration of the Islamic Center in Jakarta.
The announcement, made by Mohammed bin Salman earlier this month, reiterated the close and important relationship between the two countries. A major fire broke out at the JIC in late October, destroying the beautiful mosque of main mosque inside the compound.
The crown prince announced the kingdom’s funding for the center’s restoration earlier this month, and Saudi foreign officials said the proposed restoration “shows its enthusiasm and interest in Islamic institutions throughout the country and friends”.
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Financial aid from Saudi Arabia is expected to help speed up the restoration process, which the center’s management said would take up to five years without aid. Paimun Abdul Karim, a spokesman for JIC officials, told Arab News: “We are very grateful for this assistance from President Mohammed bin Salman.
“We are full of gratitude because it means that the recovery will be faster. “His actions show unity among Muslim nations. Saudi Arabia’s plan to help us shows the good relationship between the Saudi government and Indonesia, it will bring us great benefits. “It’s another way to open JIC diplomacy and Saudi Arabia’s relationship with the Middle East.”
JIC’s mission is focused on promoting Islam that is acceptable and consistent, and the complex houses not only a large mosque but also a place for research studies and a hall that hosts different events and gatherings.
Eko Hartono, the representative of Indonesia’s embassy in Jeddah, told Arab News that the support provided by Saudi Arabia “confirms the friendly relations between Jakarta and Riyadh. He added, “Saudi Arabia’s assistance also shows that the country is ready to support the Muslim world and the glory of Islam in all parts of the world, including Indonesia.”
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Marzuki Abubakar, a researcher, and lecturer at Ar-Raniry State Islamic University in Banda Aceh said that Indonesia, which is the largest Muslim country in the world, has close ties with the kingdom.z
He told Arab News: “Islam in Indonesia really has a unique quality that has attracted the world’s attention, and this has led to a campaign for religious tolerance and moderation, which is also important for Saudi Arabia.
