JAKARTA — UIN Sunan Kalijaga Rector Noorhaidi Hasan delivered the Eid al-Fitr sermon at Jakarta’s Istiqlal Mosque on March 21, 2026, urging Muslims to translate the spiritual discipline of Ramadan into ethical conduct, social responsibility, and global peace.

Speaking before state officials, foreign diplomats, and thousands of worshippers at Southeast Asia’s largest mosque, Noorhaidi framed Ramadan as a process of moral and spiritual formation rooted in the Qur’an.

“Fasting is not merely abstaining from food and drink, but cultivating inner awareness of God that shapes integrity and accountability in public life,” he said.

He emphasized that Ramadan serves as a period of self-purification, encouraging believers to overcome negative impulses, build discipline, and develop compassion and justice in everyday life.

According to Noorhaidi, the ultimate goal of fasting is to nurture taqwa—a living spiritual consciousness that underpins ethical leadership and social harmony.

He also highlighted environmental responsibility as part of the Eid message, warning that ecological damage reflects a broader moral crisis. “When forests are destroyed and rivers polluted, it is not only nature that suffers, but our humanity,” he said.

Positioning Indonesia within a global context, Noorhaidi said the country’s experience in managing diversity offers a model for peace-building.

“Eid teaches that true victory lies in creating lasting peace. Indonesia, with its tradition of unity in diversity, can contribute to global harmony,” he added.

The sermon underscored Eid al-Fitr not only as a religious celebration but as a call to sustain the values of compassion, justice, and coexistence beyond Ramadan.