Fasting and Shalat Istisqa begging for rain

LHOKSUKON, ACEH- Entering the second month in 2018, the rain has not yet dropped after the flood disaster in early January 2018. There is no other way than praying and fasting done by the community, especially in Matang Keh Village, Piru Timu District, North Aceh Regency, on Wednesday (14/02).

In the dry rice fields and the land begins to crack, residents prepare to perform Istisqa prayers to beg for rain to rain down the area. Shaf's line looks neat, the Imam, Tgk Abu Bakar began the first takbir takaat followed by the Jama'ah.

Under the scorching sun without tents, the Jama'ahs opened their hands as they prayed to the creator for rain to descend on their settlements, especially for their rice plants, which are now in danger of dying.

The atmosphere of emotion took place some time when the Imam led the prayers after the prayer. Muspika Pirak Timu consisting of Camat, Ismuhar S.STP, Danramil Captain Chb Edi Wijaya together with the local Geuchik, Ismail, took the row of shaf to join the congregation in the Istisqa prayer.

"The people of Pirak Timu are very hopeful that the rain will come down, especially to save thousands of hectares of their rice crops whose fate is now threatened by crop failure. So for today is performed Istisqa prayer after previously undergoing fasting for three days, "said Tgk Abu Bakar who is also Imam Masjid Alue Mudem, District Lhoksukon.

On that occasion, a group of Provincial Agriculture Offices of Aceh and North Aceh District reviewed the drought-worst points of rain-fed rice fields in the area. One of them in the rice field area of ​​Ara Ton-Ton and Muenje Tujoh villages with the local Muspika.

In the case of the review, the Provincial Agriculture Office of Aceh said it would assist the pompanisasi and in the near future to apply for a pompanisasi to the Minister of Agriculture in Jakarta. As for the area that already has a pompanisasi like in Muenje Tujoh Village, will be added so that water supply to the rice paddy runs stable.

The review was followed by Head of Agriculture of Aceh Province, Drs. Hasanuddin Darjo MM, accompanied by Head of Agriculture of North Aceh, Ir. Syarifuddin and Head of Food Crops, Abdul Zalil SP. Msi, Camapi Pirak Timu, and Danramil Pirak Timu.

On Friday (09/02), the same activity was carried out by residents in Muenje Tujoh Village, District of Pirak Timu. They really hope their prayers in Istisqa prayer soon come true for the rain to come down, the prayer goes under the hot sun without a tent.

Meanwhile, the head of Pirak Timu sub-district, Ismuhar S.STP, said based on data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) in 2016 recorded 1,600 hectares of paddy field is rainfed. However, there are some farmers who move gotongroyong to drain water by way of pompanisasi system, but the result is not satisfactory. (chai)

TRANSLATE ---> INDONESIA :

LHOKSUKON, ACEH- Memasuki bulan kedua di tahun 2018, hujan belum juga turun pasca dilanda bencana banjir pada awal Januari 2018. Tak ada cara lain selain berdoa dan berpuasa yang dilakukan masyarakat khususnya di Desa Matang Keh, Kecamatan Pirak Timu, Kabupaten Aceh Utara, Rabu (14/02).

Di areal persawahan yang kering total dan tanahnya mulai retak, warga bersiap untuk melaksanakan shalat Istisqa untuk memohon agar hujan segera turun membasahi kawasan tersebut. Barisan Shaf terlihat rapi, sang Imam, Tgk Abu Bakar mulai mengawali takbir rakaat pertama yang diikuti para Jama’ah.

Dibawah teriknya matahari tanpa dialaskan tenda, para Jama’ah membuka lebar tangannya seraya berdoa memohon kepada sang pencipta agar hujan segera turun membasahi pemukiman mereka terutama bagi tanaman padi mereka yang kini nasibnya terancam ‘mati’.

Suasana haru turut berlangsung beberapa saat ketika sang Imam memimpin doa usai shalat tersebut. Muspika Pirak Timu yang terdiri dari Camat, Ismuhar S.STP, Danramil Kapten Chb Edi Wijaya bersama Geuchik setempat, Ismail, turut mengambil barisan shaf untuk ikut berjama’ah dalam shalat Istisqa tersebut.

“Masyarakat Pirak Timu sangat berharap hujan segera turun terutama demi menyelamatkan ribuan hektare tanaman padi mereka yang nasibnya kini terancam gagal panen. Maka untuk hari ini dilakukanlah shalat Istisqa setelah sebelumnya menjalani puasa selama tiga hari,” ujar Tgk Abu Bakar yang juga Imam Masjid Alue Mudem, Kecamatan Lhoksukon.

Dalam kesempatan itu, rombongan Dinas Pertanian Provinsi Aceh dan Kabupaten Aceh Utara meninjau titik-titik kekeringan terparah sawah tadah hujan di kawasan tersebut. Salah satunya di areal persawahan kawasan Desa Ara Ton-Ton dan Muenje Tujoh dengan didamping Muspika setempat.

Dalam hal peninjauan itu Dinas Pertanian Provinsi Aceh menyatakan akan membantu pompanisasi dan dalam waktu dekat mengajukan permohonan pompanisasi ke Menteri Pertanian di Jakarta. Sementara bagi kawasan yang sudah memiliki pompanisasi seperti di Desa Muenje Tujoh, akan ditambah agar air penyuplaian air ke sawah berjalan dengan stabil.

Adapun peninjauan ini diikuti oleh Kadis Pertanian Provinsi Aceh, Drs. Hasanuddin Darjo MM, didampingi Kadis Pertanian Aceh Utara, Ir. Syarifuddin dan Kabid Tanaman Pangan, Abdul Zalil SP. Msi, Camapi Pirak Timu, dan Danramil Pirak Timu.

Pada Jum’at (09/02), kegiatan yang sama turut dilakukan warga di Desa Muenje Tujoh, Kecamatan Pirak Timu. Mereka sangat berharap doa mereka dalam shalat Istisqa segera terkabul untuk agar hujan segera turun, shalat itupun berlangsung dibawah teriknya matahari tanpa tenda.

Sementara itu Camat Pirak Timu, Ismuhar S.STP, mengatakan berdasarkan data dari Badan Pusat Statistik (BPS) tahun 2016 tercatat sejumlah 1.600 hektare sawah adalah tadah hujan. Namun, ada beberapa petani yang menggerakkan gotongroyong mengalirkan air dengan cara sistem pompanisasi, akan tetapi hasilnya belum memuaskan. (chai)