MUI clarifies statement on jihad<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nin Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) clarified on Wednesday its
\ncall for a jihad, stressing that it did not mean that the
\norganization was urging Muslims to take part in a war against the
\nUnited States.<\/p>\n
"Jihad fii sabiilillah means fighting in the path of Allah in
\na very broad sense ... not in the form of a war or physical
\ncontact," MUI Secretary-General Din Syamsuddin told the media
\nhere.<\/p>\n
"We used the term 'jihad' in the statement because we also
\nwanted to correct the misperception in various circles of our
\nsociety that jihad always connotates physical war," he said.<\/p>\n
Separately, Muslim scholar Azyumardi Azra criticized the
\ncouncil on Wednesday for making the jihad call.<\/p>\n
Azyumardi, rector of the Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic
\nTeaching Institute, said the council must clarify its jihad call
\nbecause people might interpret it the wrong way.<\/p>\n
"I think the MUI need to clarify it. It won't be enough if
\nthey say they are urging a jihad in the general sense, because
\nwhat the public perceives is the waging of a war literally,"
\nAzyumardi told The Jakarta Post during a workshop on ethno-
\nreligious conflict in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
He said that before issuing such a statement, MUI should have
\nfirst studied the matter more thoroughly.<\/p>\n
"They should first consider very carefully whether they need
\nto issue it or not. Because it will only foment further emotional
\nagitation among certain Muslim groups in the country," Azyumardi
\nsaid, referring to several hard-line groups which have already
\nlaunched hunts for Americans residing or traveling in the
\ncountry, saying that they would be expelled.<\/p>\n
The top Islamic authority, after a meeting with the executives
\nof 32 Islamic organizations on Tuesday, condemned the terrorist
\nattacks on the U.S. and called on Muslims to prepare for a jihad
\nshould the U.S. and its allies attack Afghanistan to pursue Saudi
\ndissident Osama bin Laden, a prime suspect in the Sept. 11
\ntragedy that claimed over 6,000 lives.<\/p>\n
Din further said jihad fii sabillilah in the context of the
\nMUI statement meant all efforts by Muslims in various aspects of
\nlife for the glory of Islam.<\/p>\n
Din, who is also an executive of the second largest Islamic
\norganization Muhammadiyah, said that if the U.S. attacked
\nAfghanistan, the Islamic world should unite.<\/p>\n
"They should undertake various efforts to improve
\ninfrastructure -- social, economic, education, and also
\ninformation. Such efforts are also part of fighting in the path
\nof Allah," he said.<\/p>\n
According to him, the statement was issued because the MUI and
\nthe other Islamic organizations who supported the statement
\nbelieved that if the U.S. attacked Afghanistan, it would elicit a
\nstrong reaction from Muslim countries.<\/p>\n
"It would cause a widened conflict both regionally and
\nglobally. We would be worried if this came to pass," he added.<\/p>\n
The MUI, Azyumardi said, should have explained the stages
\ninvolved in a jihad. According to him, jihad with the meaning of
\nwaging a war to defend the faith should be considered the last
\nstage.<\/p>\n
"As an example, in Islam studying is an obligation that is
\ncategorized as a kind of worship. If someone dies on his way to
\nschool, it can be categorized as dying while performing a jihad.
\nHe will go to heaven," Azra analogized.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, legislator Aisyah Amini was quoted by Antara as
\nsaying that Indonesian Muslims were obliged to wage a jihad if
\nthe U.S. went ahead with its planned aggression against
\nAfghanistan, "but its realization should not involve the waging
\nof war in that country."<\/p>\n
"Jihad here", she said, "means that we oppose the wrong
\nsteps."<\/p>\n
"Why should we go there?" she said, while explaining that
\nIndonesian Muslims' wishes for a jihad to defend truth, justice
\nand humanity was enough and had been heard by the international
\ncommunity.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mui-clarifies-statement-on-jihad-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}