Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Every Muslim is obliged to pray. As long as a person is still breathing, during that time he is obliged to pray without being able to be delegated. The provision of prayer knowledge for today's Indonesian people is perhaps inseparable from the important role of Drs. Moh. Rifa'i.

Many people don't know who Drs. Moh. Rifa'i, but if you look at his work you can be sure you won't think so. Because Rifa'i is a book writer Complete Minutes of Prayer Requirements which was first published on 10 November 1976 or 19 Dzulhijjah 1396.

Book Complete Minutes of Prayer Requirements of course So one of the legendary Muslim books in Indonesia. If people want to be able to read the Koran, they can buy the Iqro book created by KH As'ad Humam. Then, if you want to have knowledge of prayer, of course books Complete Minutes of Prayer Requirements was the answer.

When it was first published in 1976, the book was not shown to the wider public. In the book's foreword, Rifa'i said that the book was prepared as an additional guide for honorary religious teachers and religious counselors in Central Java.

However, we all know that the book market is more than that. There are already millions of Indonesians, and also abroad, who have read it and used it as a guide. In the 2019 annual “Islamic Book Fair”, it was recorded that the book had sold more than 60 million copies since it was first released in 1976.

Regarding sales, the publisher who has printed Rifa'i's books since 1976, PT Karya Toha Putra, also explained about the sales Complete Minutes of Prayer Requirements. To CNBC Indonesia (20/3/2024), the company explained that on average, approximately 1.2 million copies of Rifa'i's books have been printed in the last 5 years.

If just 1 copy is read by one person, then 1 million people have read it. Of course, if there is more than one reader, then dozens or tens of millions of people have read the book. On this basis, at the 2019 Islamic Book Fair, Drs. Moh. Rifa'i was given the Lifetime Achievement Award as a form of appreciation.

The main reason the book sold millions of copies was purely because it was simple. Without heavy language, the book can guide lay people who want to learn to pray. Even though his book has become a legend, not much is known about Drs. Moh. Rifa'i.

Many sources and media report that Rifa'i was born in Blora and owns the Al-Muhammad Islamic boarding school. However, this fact is wrong. Rifa'i, who has an Islamic boarding school, is different from Rifa'i, the writer Complete Minutes of Prayer Requirements. This fact was confirmed directly by publisher Toha Putra, who has been close to Rifa'i for decades.

“And if you see in the media it is said that he has a cottage, that is wrong,” said Zulbiadi, a representative of Toha Putra, to CNBC Indonesia (20/3/2024).

It turns out that Rifa'i, the author of the book, is not a cleric or kyai. He was just an ordinary employee at the Department of Religion, Semarang who lived near Tugu Hospital, Semarang, and was recorded as having died around 2019-2020, or 3-4 years ago.

Rifa'i is gone, but it's a blessing Complete Minutes of Prayer Requirements he will forever be remembered across generations. Through this legendary book, Rifa'i has become a 'hero' who has enabled millions of Muslims to pray and this is of course an ongoing charity.

[Gambas:Video CNBC]

(mfa/sef)