Indonesian Muslims Hold Rain Prayer Amid Wildfires

In Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesian Muslims gathered to pray for rain as wildfires ravaged peatlands across Sumatra and Kalimantan islands. The spiritual initiative aimed to combat the severe fires fueled by dry conditions.

South Sumatra, the province with the highest number of wildfire hot spots, saw significant areas of forests and peatland engulfed in flames. The resulting haze affected various cities in Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation.

According to the Environment Ministry, South Sumatra had 1,429 hot spots, surpassing West Kalimantan’s 1,226 and Central Kalimantan’s 811. Forestry Ministry data showed approximately 940 square kilometers burned in July, with over 20 square kilometers affected in South Sumatra alone.

About 3,000 people in Palembang gathered for ‘salat istisqa,’ a special prayer for rain. Participants filled the courtyard of the governor’s office, surrounded by thick smoke that reduced visibility and caused motorists to drive with headlights on even during the day.

Governor Herman Deru expressed the need for divine intervention alongside other measures. ‘We have done everything we can and worked closely with all relevant parties,’ he stated. The public prayer aimed at uniting residents against the environmental challenges faced by the province.

Efforts to combat the fires included intensified weather-modification operations, with 52 aircraft deployed for cloud-seeding and water-bombing over affected areas in Kalimantan and Sumatra. These efforts were part of Indonesia’s response to an intensifying El Nino pattern and extended dry season, which had led to smoke crossing into Malaysia and Brunei.

Indonesian authorities arrested 72 people suspected of starting the fires, while four companies faced investigations for allegedly using fire as a cheap land-clearing method. Fires are a recurring issue during Indonesia’s dry seasons, often causing hazardous haze that disrupts transportation and threatens public health.