Surakarta - For several Muslims the holy month of Ramadan is the time to perform khataman, a full recitation the 30 juz (sections) of the Koran as a sunnah or noncompulsory but meritorious deed, as a complement to fasting throughout the month.
Khataman has become a time-honored tradition practiced in pesantren (Islamic boarding schools), mosques and gathering places. This tradition is said to have been initiated by the Wali Sanga, the nine pious propagators who spread Islam thoughout Java.
In Surakarta (also known as Solo), Central Java, the khataman takes place in such historic buildings as the Grand Mosque (built in 1763) of Surakarta Palace, Al Wustho Mosque (1855) of Mangkunegara Palace and Surakarta`s oldest mosque, Laweyan Mosque (1546).
This event has always been lively, with a number of Central Java Islamic boarding schools maintaining the custom, including Almuayat in Solo, and Almukmin, Assalaam (a modern Islamic school) and Condrodimuko (a traditional school), all in Sukoharjo.
During Ramadan, the overwhelming public interest in joining these recitations is evident in the large crowds of Muslims around old mosques and Islamic schools, where they begin with breaking the fast, dusk and evening prayers, followed by tarawih, an extra prayer service held in the holy month. The centuries-old practice still draws crowds of voluntary followers from Surakarta`s nearby regencies: Karanganyar, Sragen, Sukoharjo, Wonogiri, Klaten and Boyolali.
In the Grand Mosque of Surakarta Palace, khataman runs from the first fasting day until the night of takbiran (the eve of Idul Fitri) or the 29th fasting day. The recitations are started after tarawih at around 9 pm. Sitting on the floor of the mosque`s open hall and room, worshippers are led by an imam.
As the Koran reading commences, they recite holy verses together. Although their chants are not in unison -- with fluent senior readers in the room and stammering novices on terraces -- they share the same high spirits.
"The fasting month should be filled with good deeds so the benefit we gain outweighs the hunger and thirst we endure. It`s the right time to read the Koran a lot more," said Rofiq Hassan, who came to Solo from Wonogiri for this purpose.
It is something to see at Mangkunegara`s Al Wustho Mosque, on the western side of the palace, where khataman starts before breaking the fast and carries on after tarawih. This mosque also has a weekly Koran recitation schedule, while several small groups join tadarus (reading the holy book by turns) until around midnight.
"They are practicing semakan, in which one group pays attention to another before continuing. A group finishes at least four juz daily so that 30 sections can be completed in a week," said Muhammad Toha Mustafa, chairman of the Al Wustho management board.
The Koran is composed of 30 sections, 114 surat (chapters) and 6,666 verses.
When tadarus is over, some group members choose to remain in the mosque until sahur or the time of the pre-dawn meal.
"As this is an old mosque, many people from other regions also spend the night here, particularly from the 21st day until the end of Ramadan as a retreat or i`tikaf to get away from all worldly matters and be engaged in praising Allah.
"They leave for their daily activities in the morning and return here in the afternoon," he said.
Condrodimuko, the traditional pesantren in Mojolaban village, Sukoharjo, has its own way of preserving this tradition during Ramadan. By the light of oil lamps, the boarding school`s 144 students recite from the Koran throughout the fasting month. Despite the dim light, the predominantly poor santri do their reading solemnly in a traditional atmosphere.
"Reading the Koran is not easy but it`s not difficult either. Any mispronunciation will have a different meaning," said Condrodimuko principal Syuhada.
"That`s the advantage of tadarus, which enables mutual correction. Such recitation groups should have at least one highly skilled instructor at the Koran reading."
Ahmad Faisal, a santri, claims he feels peaceful as he reads the verses. By the seventh fasting day, all students have already finished a full recitation. The reading begins at 9 p.m. following tarawih and continues until midnight. They resume the activity after dawn prayers at about 4.30 a.m. until 6.00 a.m. The reading continues from 10.30 a.m. until noon prayers, at 2.30 p.m. until afternoon prayers and again 30 minutes before breaking the fast.
Why odd numbers?
After the 10th fasting day, especially on odd-number nights, the intensity of khataman increases. On the 13th night in Surakarta`s Grand Mosque, Mangkunegara`s Al Wustho and Laweyan, Koran readings are major occasions. In Laweyan, members of Java`s royal families will join the rituals because the tomb of Ki Ageng Henis, an ancestor of the Islamic Mataram dynasty, is at the rear of the mosque and that of Surakarta King Paku Buwono II is within its compound.
Why are odd-number nights in Ramadan more special? It`s because on such nights Lailatul Qadar (revelation of the Koran to the Prophet Muhammad) took place over 22 years, 2 months and 22 days.
According to a prophetic account, the night was on the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th day of the month, the last night of Ramadan. As indicated by Imam Syafi`i, "To my knowledge, and God knows the truth, the Prophet answered the question when he was asked, `Shall we seek the night?` He replied, `Seek on the nights.`" (as quoted by al Baghawi in Syarhus Sunnah (6/388).
The most solid view is that the Lailatul Qadar were on the last night of Ramadan, based on the hadith (prophetic sayings and deeds) of `Aisyah R.A., who said, "The Prophet had an i`tikaf in the last 10 days of Ramadan and he said, `Seek the (odd-number) Lailatul Qadar night in the last 10 days of Ramadan.`" (HR Bukhari 4/255 and Muslim 1169)
Therefore, Muslims who solemnly perform their worship on the odd-number nights of Ramadan reap rewards worth more than 1,000 months.
As contained in the chapter of Al-Qadr (Power) verses 1-5: "We revealed it (the Koran) on the night of power. What will convey unto thee what the night of power is? The night of power is better than a thousand months. The angels and Spirit descend therein, by the permission of the Lord, with all decrees. That night is peace until the rising of the dawn." (Q.S. Al-Qadr:1-5)
On such odd-number nights, thousands of Muslims flock to mosques and Islamic schools to perform tadarus and khataman, making the yards of these buildings overcrowded, yet creating a livelier atmosphere amid the chants of the holy verses. Reciting the Koran during Ramadan is of prime importance to Muslims and this situation is typical of the holy month.
Allah indeed makes the nights during the month of Ramadan special occasions for qiyam, which is to liven up the nighttime throughout the holy month. The Koran reading tradition keeps going in older mosques and pesantren until the end of Ramadan. Sadly, though, as soon as Ramadan is over, all these places are again lonesome. It`s like a fireworks display, which is soon finished. Ganug Nugroho Adi
Source: http://old.thejakartapost.com (September 22, 2008)