Congregation's View of the Friday Preachers During Covid-19 Pandemic in Makassar City

Abstract

The aims of the study to describe congregation's view of the Friday preachers during the Covid-19 Pandemic in Makassar City. The emergence of the Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19) pandemic led to variations responses of mosque congregations to restrictions on worship during the Covid-19 pandemic issued by the government as an effort to break the chain of the spread of Covid-19. However, a number of Friday preachers still carry out their sermon duties at a number of mosques in Makassar City. The descriptive study approach with data collection techniques through observation, documentation, and interviews. Meanwhile questionnaires are given to worshipers Friday through google form in Makassar City. Data analysis through data display, data verification and conclusion. There were seven statements submitted to respondents, including the relevance of the theme of the sermon, method and rhetoric of the preacher, support for verses and hadith, relevant insights and examples, fluency in reading verses and hadith, the arrival of the preacher on time and the appearance of the preacher. Furthermore, quantitative data processed and analyzed using percentages. The results of the study showed that during the Covid-19 pandemic, mosque congregations in Makassar stated that 71% considered the themes discussed by Friday preachers very relevant to the situation and condition of the community. This is in line with the views of 68% of respondents who stated the insights of the preachers and the provision of very relevant examples in their sermons. Meanwhile, 74% of respondents who consider the verse and hadith references read by the preacher are very supportive with very good methods and rhetoric (63%). Furthermore, the arrival of the preacher at the mosque was considered on time by 74% of respondents and the appearance of the preacher by 79% was considered very good