Jakarta. The Religious Affairs Ministry has issued a recommendation for television stations to broadcast the evening call to prayer (adhan) as a running text while Pope Francis leads a mass at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta on Thursday.

According to a letter from the Director General of Catholic Community Guidance and the Director General of Islamic Community Guidance, sent to the Communication and Informatics Ministry, the broadcast of Pope Francis' mass should be continuous on national television.

The Religious Affairs Ministry's letter, dated Sept. 1, advises that the mass, which will take place from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Jakarta time, be shown uninterrupted on all national TV channels. It also requests that the evening adhan, which may coincide with the mass, be displayed as running text to avoid disrupting the live broadcast. The recommendation followed a request from the papal visit committee.

Prof. Asrorun Niam Sholeh, Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Fatwa Division, said that from an Islamic legal perspective, broadcasting the adhan as a running text does not violate any rules. He emphasized that the adjustment is made to accommodate the live broadcast of Pope Francis' mass, which overlaps with Maghrib prayer time.

Cholil Nafis, Chairman of MUI's Da'wah and Brotherhood Division, assured that the actual adhan from mosques would continue as usual, and the running text is only for TV broadcasts. He expressed support for the running text as a gesture of respect for the Christian mass.

Sholahuddin Al Aiyub, Chairman of MUI's Halal and Sharia Economy Division, also supported the decision, stating that replacing the adhan on TV with running text does not diminish its significance. He emphasized that the adhan's primary function is to call people to prayer and remains effective when broadcast from mosques.