Clerics urge state officials to cancel their pilgrimage<\/p>\n
Tarko Sudiarno, The Jakarta Post, Magelang<\/p>\n
Central Java and Yogyakarta ulema urged state officials, both in
\nthe executive and legislative body, not to go on pilgrimage
\nduring the haj season while the majority of the people are
\nsuffering due to nationwide flooding and landslides.<\/p>\n
According to them, it would be unethical for state officials,
\nwhose duty is to serve the public, to go on pilgrimage while the
\npeople are facing an emergency situation.<\/p>\n
The Muslim clerics were responding to the recent natural
\ndisasters and increasing public criticism of the government which
\nhas been accused of being apathetic and slow to respond in
\nhandling the floods and landslides that have claimed scores of
\nlives over the last two weeks.<\/p>\n
The statement was made in a meeting held in an Islamic
\nboarding school in Tegalrejo, Magelang, Central Java on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
Among the influential ulema attending the meeting were
\nAbdurrahman Khudlori, Mahfudz Ridwan, R. Muhaimin, R. Muhaiminan
\nGunarto, Musalim Ridlo, Salimi, Daerobi Hasbullah and Thoifur
\nMawardi.<\/p>\n
The clerics said they were deeply concerned that many
\ngovernment officials, including ministers, had not given serious
\nattention to the people's suffering.<\/p>\n
They called on state officials who were going on pilgrimage to
\nheed the example of Prophet Muhammad who once canceled his
\npilgrimage for the sake of the ummat (people).<\/p>\n
\"This means the prophet placed the people's interests above
\nhis own. It would be prudent for state officials to cancel their
\npilgrimage because the majority of people are facing a national
\ndisaster,\" said the joint statement read by Khudlori.<\/p>\n
Khudlori said it was no exaggeration, as seen from the
\nprophet's point of view, to call the departure of state officials
\nfor pilgrimage in such a critical situation as haram (a religious
\nprohibition).<\/p>\n
\"It would be nobler and more prudent for the state officials
\nto distribute the funds they have allocated for the pilgrimage to
\nthose affected by the disasters,\" he said.<\/p>\n
According to the clerics, the floods and landslides that have
\nclaimed human lives and destroyed thousands of homes were not
\nonly a warning, but a penalty from the Almighty God imposed on
\nthe nation.<\/p>\n
It is wrong, therefore, to blame people living along
\nriverbanks and in slums for the calamities, they said.<\/p>\n
They said they were also concerned that the government,
\npolitical parties and businessmen were blaming one another for
\nthe disasters.<\/p>\n
The appealed to all Islamic boarding schools and their
\nstudents to actively participate in assisting the disasters'
\nvictims.<\/p>",
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