VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesia's charismatic Muslim preacher Sheikh Ali Jaber passed away at Jakarta's Yarsi Hospital on Thursday at 8:30 a.m. local time.

Syekh Ali Jaber Foundation Chairman Habib Abdurrahman Alhabsyi announced the demise of this popular Muslim preacher and ulema on the foundation's official Instagram account that ANTARA quoted here on Thursday.

Alhabsyi revealed that Sheikh Ali Jaber had tested negative for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) prior to his death. He was hospitalized since December 29, 2020.

"We sincerely pray for him to return to his Rabb (Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala)," he remarked while urging Muslim communities to prayer for him and forgive the faults he might have ever committed.

Indonesia's several news media outlets widely reported Ali Jaber's demise.

Born in Medina, Saudi Arabia, on Feb 3, 1976, Sheikh Ali Jaber, whose full name is Ali Saleh Mohammed Ali Jaber, was widely known as a Muslim preacher and ulema.

Ali Jaber holds an Indonesian citizenship. He is popular among Indonesian Muslims as a juror of Quran memorization contests on the country's TV stations.

In September last year, this popular Muslim cleric attracted the attention of the Indonesian public and media as well as foreign media outlets after a young man assaulted him at Falahudin Mosque in Bandar Lampung City.

Sheikh Ali Jaber survived the knife attack that occurred while he was attending an Islamic mass gathering at the mosque in the Suka Jawa neighborhood of Tanjung Karang Barat Sub-district, Bandar Lampung City, Lampung, on September 13, 2020.

However, this popular ulema suffered a minor injury to his right arm in the sudden attack launched by Alfin Andrian, 24, while he was conversing onstage with two of the event's participants.

According to a video of the incident circulated on a YouTube channel, Andrian, who reportedly resides in proximity to the mosque, was caught by several participants of the event shortly after attacking Ali Jaber.

Tanjung Karang Barat Police Chief Adjunct Commissioner David Sianipar stated that Sheikh Ali Jaber was admitted to the Gedong Air Public Health Center for administering medical treatment for the wound he incurred during the stabbing incident while the attacker was detained. (antaranews)