MUI attacks progressive Islamic movement<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
In what was widely seen as an apparent campaign against freedom
\nof thought and religion, the state-sanctioned Indonesian Ulema
\nCouncil (MUI) issued on Thursday a fatwa outlawing liberal
\nIslamic thoughts.<\/p>\n
Apart from liberalism, the council also declared secularism
\nand pluralism forbidden under Islam, through one of the 11
\ndecrees it issued during its four-day national congress that will
\nofficially end on Friday.<\/p>\n
With such an unpopular fatwa, the MUI could be headed for a
\nshowdown with progressive Islamic movements that have been
\ngrowing in the predominantly Muslim nation.<\/p>\n
Fatwa Commission chairman Ma'ruf Amin said that although the
\nedict did not specify any organization by name, it was issued
\napparently in reaction to the activities of two progressive
\ngroups -- the Liberal Islam Network (JIL) and the Muhammadiyah
\nYouth Intellectuals Network (JIMM).<\/p>\n
\"All of their teachings are deviant ... No one should adhere
\nto their beliefs,\" Ma'ruf told The Jakarta Post. \"Their
\nprinciples are dangerous and misleading, because they believe in
\nonly what they think is right and use pure rationale as
\njustification.\"<\/p>\n
Proponents of liberal Islam use rational interpretations of
\nIslamic texts as opposed to literal meanings, view religious
\ntruth as a relative concept and believe in the separation of
\nreligion and state.<\/p>\n
MUI deputy chairman Umar Shihab said that in the council's
\nview, both the Western-influenced JIL and JIMM have strayed from
\nthe Indonesian brand of Islam.<\/p>\n
\"The views that are developing in Europe and America are
\nheretical and not allowed here,\" he said. \"However, we must not
\ncounter them with violence, but with logical arguments.\"<\/p>\n
The fatwa, which was read out on the third day of the
\ncongress without any resistance from over 300 participants,
\nstated that Islamic interpretations based on liberalism,
\nsecularism and pluralism \"contradict Islamic teachings\".<\/p>\n
The fatwa defines liberal Islam as interpreting Islamic texts
\nusing pure rationale to selectively accept only certain religious
\ndoctrines.<\/p>\n
\"For example, they (liberals) say that a man cannot have more
\nthan one wife because it is gender bias, when in fact polygamy is
\nallowed by Islam, as long as the husband can be fair,\" said
\nMa'ruf.<\/p>\n
Secularism by definition, according to the edict, is the
\nbelief that the role of religion should be limited to an
\nindividual's relationship with God and that society should be
\nguided by social conventions.<\/p>\n
The fatwa outlaws pluralism that views all religions as being
\nequally valid and having relative truths.<\/p>\n
\"Pluralism in that sense is haram (forbidden under Islamic
\nlaw), because it justifies other religions,\" Maruf said, adding
\nthat people should be allowed to claim that their religion is the
\ntrue one and that other faiths are wrong.<\/p>\n
However, he stressed that the council accepted the fact that
\nIndonesia was home to different religions and that their
\nfollowers could live side by side.<\/p>\n
\"Plurality in the sense that people believe in different
\nreligions is allowed,\" Ma'ruf explained. \"As such, we have to
\nrespect each other and coexist peacefully.\"<\/p>\n
The MUI also renewed its 1980 fatwa against Ahmadiyah, an
\nIslamic group that does not share the mainstream Muslim belief
\nthat Muhammad was the last prophet.<\/p>\n
The new fatwa contained stronger language than the previous
\none, calling for the government to ban and dismantle the
\norganization as well as freeze all of its activities.<\/p>\n
The council also issued a fatwa, reaffirming its 1980 ban on
\nmarriages between people of different faiths.<\/p>\n
The MUI also banned interfaith prayers, unless they are led by
\na Muslim. Other edicts issued included those forbidding women
\nfrom leading prayers when men are in attendance.<\/p>\n
Commenting on the fatwas, particularly the one against liberal
\nIslam, prominent Muslim scholar Azyumardi Azra dismissed it as
\n\"ineffective and even counterproductive\".<\/p>\n
\"I don't agree with such a fatwa. The state cannot enforce it
\nfor Muslims as it's not legally binding. Muslims can or will
\nignore it.\"<\/p>\n
He said the ban on liberal thoughts reflected the intolerance
\nbeing promoted by the MUI and indicated that it was trying to
\ncurb freedom of thought. (002)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mui-attacks-progressive-islamic-movement-1447893297",
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