SOUTH SUMATRA — Dompet Dhuafa once again distributed Al-Qur’an alms and Quran recitation tools to help people who have difficulty in accessing mushaf to learn and memorize the Al-Qur’an. In the past week, this national LAZ has distributed hundreds of Al-Qur’an, iqro’ books, and various learning tools to 315 beneficiaries in a number of locations in South Sumatra. The latest distribution was carried out on Thursday (12/09/2024) in Tanjung Mas Village, Rantau Alai District, Ogan Ilir Regency. The beneficiaries, ranging from children to the elderly, seemed enthusiastic about receiving this assistance.
The beneficiaries of this Al-Qur’an alms program include 290 people of various ages, from children, teenagers, to the elderly. In addition, there are 25 children who are still in the stage of recognizing hijaiyah letters. Therefore, what they get is an iqro’ book. Most of them are based in TPA/TPQ, pesantren, mosques/musalas, and recitation places.
In addition to Al-Qur’an and iqro’ books, Dompet Dhuafa also handed over study tables, fans, stationery, and bookcases to support teaching and learning activities at home or their place of study.
“We hope this program can inspire people to get closer to the Qur’an. With more and more young people memorizing the Qur’an, we are optimistic that a generation that is smart, noble, and brings positive changes to society will be born,” said Wahyu Putra, Da’wah and Culture Division of Dompet Dhuafa South Sumatra.
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That cloudy Thursday, the Dompet Dhuafa team began a long journey from Palembang City. The first destination was Ulak Village, a small village in Pemulutan District, Ogan Ilir Regency. The winding roads and fairly steep terrain did not dampen the team’s enthusiasm for spreading anamah from donors. Moments when the car had to adjust to the road with precision also colored this trip. Arriving in the village, 50 santris and Quran teachers warmly welcomed them. The fatigue from the trip was instantly gone.
“There are so many children’s Qur’ans that are shabby, torn, and even some pages are missing. Sometimes they have to take turns borrowing from their friends when reciting the Quran. Of course this will be very helpful in their learning process. Because they are very eager to recite the Quran. They are also very happy to get a new Al-Qur’an,” said Ustaz Muhammad Toriq, the Quranic teacher of TPA Nurus Salam in Ulak Village, with a bright smile.
In the afternoon, after the 50 children had received the Qur’an in their hands, the team then moved to the second location, in Tanjung Temiang Village, Tanjung Raja District, Ogan Ilir Regency. A total of 50 students at an Islamic boarding school were also waiting there.
Later that afternoon, the team headed to the last location, Tanjung Mas Village. This was different from Ulak Village and Tanjung Temiang Village. In Tanjung Mas Village, the beneficiaries were elderly women, who were eager to recite the Qur’an. Their enthusiasm to recite the Qur’an is still so high even though they are already at an advanced age. But what is unfortunate is that the Al-Qur’an copies they have are very shabby and may feel too small. That is the spark for Dompet Dhuafa to replace their Al-Qur’an with a new one, has a bright appearance, and of course large.
“I actually have difficulty reading. Especially when the writing is small. My Qur’an is also old. Forgot who gave it to me. Alhamdulillah, Dompet Dhuafa gave me a new Al-Qur’an. If the Al-Qur’an is like this, it’s also good to read at home,” said Aminah Mulyati (62).
Besides Aminah, nine other elderly women in Tanjung Mas Village have the same problem. Even though they are so enthusiastic every time they attend the recitation. At least once a week, they gather in a recitation forum at the Al Falah Mosque specifically for women in Tanjung Mas Village.
This kindness comes from the support of donors who really care about the generation of the country’s children. By providing Mushaf Al-Qur’an, it is hoped that the needs of the quranic generation in difficult areas can be met. According to data from the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs, in 2021, there were 292,581 mosques, 354,190 musala, and 259,377 Islamic educational institutions in Indonesia. Assuming that each mosque needs 10 copies of the Qur’anic Mushaf, each musala needs 5 copies of the Qur’anic Mushaf, and each Islamic education institution needs 10 copies of the Qur’anic Mushaf. Then the total need for the Qur’anic Mushaf in Indonesia is around 9,290,530 copies per year.
The insufficient availability of Mushaf Al-Qur’an in Indonesia is caused by several factors, such as the high level of Arabic/Hijaiyah illiteracy in Indonesia and the low public interest in reading the Al-Qur’an. This condition may not be felt by people in urban areas, especially in metropolitan cities. However, for people in rural areas and remote villages, the lack of Al-Qur’an copies as the main reading material is very much felt. Donations through the Sedekah Jariyah campaign, Sharing Al-Qur’an to Remote Areas of the Country is an effort by Dompet Dhuafa to increase the procurement of Al-Qur’an Mushaf in locations that are far from reach. (Dompet Dhuafa)
Text and photo: Riza Muthohar
Editor: Dhika Prabowo