UNDIP, Semarang (March 27) – In the spirit of enlivening the holy month of Ramadan 1446 H, the Mosque Council of Universitas Diponegoro (UNDIP) held a joint Tarawih prayers event together with the UNDIP academic community. The event took place at Horison Inn Antarwirya, UNDIP Tembalang Campus, on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, with PT UNDIP MAJU serving as the shohibul bait (host).
In this final round of the joint Tarawih prayers series, Prof. Drs. H. Mohamad Nasir, Ak., M.Si., Ph.D., Chairman of the UNDIP Board of Trustees, expressed his appreciation for the event as a means of strengthening ties within the UNDIP academic community.
“Through this activity, we hope the values of togetherness and spirituality will grow stronger among us, especially as we welcome the day of victory,” said Prof. Nasir.
The event featured Dr. Ahmad Hasan As’ari Ulama’i, M.Ag., Deputy Chairman of Muhammadiyah Regional Board of Jawa Tengah, as both the imam and the preacher. In his sermon titled “Preparing Ourselves for the Day of Victory,” he emphasized the importance of enhancing the quality of worship, strengthening Islamic brotherhood (ukhuwah Islamiyah), and making Ramadan a moment of introspection and self-improvement.
“The final part of Ramadan is the phase of liberation from the fire of hell. Therefore, we must prepare ourselves to be more confident as people who are set free,” explained Dr. Ahmad.
He quoted a hadith from Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, narrated by the companion Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud, which conveys the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) words regarding four types of people who will not be touched by hellfire:
- Those who are humble (tawadhu’) or not arrogant.
- Those who have gentle hearts (layyin) and are full of compassion.
- Those who are helpful are always willing to lend a hand.
- Those who maintain good relationships with others, sharing knowledge and sustenance.
According to Dr. Ahmad, Ramadan should serve as a time to build character, not merely a time to abstain from food and drink. The Prophet (peace be upon him) taught that fasting also includes guarding one’s tongue from idle talk and avoiding unbeneficial actions.
“The ultimate goal of fasting is to make us people of taqwa (God-consciousness). The indicators of taqwa are not only diligence in worship but also having good character—being forgiving, not quick to anger, generous, and charitable,” he added.
At the end of his sermon, Dr. Ahmad advised Muslims to prepare for Eid al-Fitr with pure hearts—through humility, helpfulness, gentleness, and closeness to others.
In addition to the joint tarawih prayers and sermons, the event also served as a platform for deepening Islamic understanding and sharing inspiration among the congregation. Universitas Diponegoro hopes that the joint prayers event will continue as a meaningful Ramadan tradition. (DHW)
