Bride and groom in Indonesia donate all the money they received at their wedding to Rohingya refugee charity

Newlyweds Fudhla Zahida and Miqdad Robbani donating all the money they received at their wedding to charity organization Laznas LMI. Photo: Laznas LMI via Kumparan
Newlyweds Fudhla Zahida and Miqdad Robbani donating all the money they received at their wedding to charity organization Laznas LMI. Photo: Laznas LMI via Kumparan

The recent violence against the Rohingya Muslim community in Myanmar has sparked enormous outrage in Muslim-majority Indonesia, where large-scale protests against the Burmese government have taken place and infamous Islamic hardliner group the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) have said that they are going to send thousands of volunteers on Jihad to fight for Rohingya in Myanmar. But some Indonesians are trying to help the Rohingya in their own non-violent ways.

A couple in Kediri, East Java, Fudhla Zahida and Miqdad Robbani, tied the knot last Sunday. Instead of keeping the money they received at their wedding (in Indonesia it is tradition to give brides and grooms money rather than gifts) they have decided to donate it all to help aid the Rohingya through a local charity organization called Laznas LMI in East Java.

“We actually planned to donate our wedding money before we got married. (We were going to donate to) Palestine at first, but now the Rohingya are in the spotlight so we donated to Rohingya,” said Nonot Suhartono, the bride’s father, as quoted by Kumparan on Monday.

Their donation caught the attention of netizens in Indonesia, who have praised the family for their charitable spirit.

“The families have agreed on (donating the money). I didn’t think this would cause such a reaction on social media,” Nonot said.

Nonot added that they are still counting the money so they don’t know yet exactly how much is going to be donated to the Rohingya.

Laznas LMI, who were at the wedding to symbolically receive the donation from Fudhla and Miqdad, also praised the couple’s selfless attitude.

“This is something anti-mainstream. Usually newlyweds (accept the money) for their needs. This is unique in that they showed great caring to donate for humanitarian (aid) to Rohingya,” said Laznas LMI East Java Manager Agus.



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