MUI to formulate edicts against 'liberal thoughts'<\/p>\n
Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) will formulate several edicts
\nto put an end to what it terms "deviant secular and liberal
\nIslamic thoughts" during its four-day national congress that
\nopened here on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
According to the council's edict committee, the edicts will
\nrepresent the MUI's determination to win the "war of ideas
\nagainst liberal Islam".<\/p>\n
"Secularism and liberalism, two Western-influenced thoughts
\nthat have developed in Indonesia, have brought chaos to the
\nprinciples of Islamic teachings," the committee said.<\/p>\n
During his opening speech, MUI chairman Sahal Mahfudh said the
\ncouncil was being tested by the "emergence of creative attitudes
\namong a handful of worshipers".<\/p>\n
"Although the MUI tries to position itself in the middle of
\nall Muslim groups in Indonesia, the council is also required to
\ntake a firm stance in dealing with religious deviation," he said.<\/p>\n
He was referring to certain groups that he alleged deviated
\nfrom Islamic teachings.<\/p>\n
Some young Muslim scholars here have used the momentum of the
\nreform movement to campaign for a more liberal interpretation of
\nIslamic teachings, which they say have been monopolized by
\ncertain institutions.<\/p>\n
Some Muslim scholars recently criticized an old edict issued
\nby MUI banning Ahmadiyah. The MUI labeled the Muslim
\ncongregation, which recognizes its founder Ghulam Mirza Ahmad as
\na prophet, as heretical. Mainstream Muslims believe Muhammad is
\nthe last Prophet.<\/p>\n
During the congress, the edict committee will recommend that
\nthe MUI reaffirm the 1980 ban on Ahmadiyah's teachings.<\/p>\n
The committee also has asked for clarification on which forms
\nof interfaith prayers are permissible under Islam and for the
\nreavowing of a 25-year-old ban on interfaith marriages.<\/p>\n
In addition, committee members are deliberating possible
\nedicts on women leading prayers in mosques, intellectual property
\nrights, television shows that are heavy on mysticism, the
\nappropriateness of the death sentence and a recent government
\ndecree on the compulsory sale of private land for public use.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono urged the MUI to
\nintensify its campaign against acts of violence that tarnished
\nthe image of Islam.<\/p>\n
"There is no violence in Islamic teachings. We are
\ndisappointed with voices that link violence and terrorism with
\nIslam. Therefore, I urged the MUI to campaign against such acts
\nand to prevent people from committing such acts," said Susilo in
\na speech during the opening of the congress.<\/p>\n
Susilo also called on the MUI to issue edicts that would help
\nthe government implement difficult policies.<\/p>\n
"The government needs support from the MUI in peacefully
\nsettling the separatist violence in Aceh, as well as help
\npersuading the public to reduce fuel consumption during our
\nproblems with the fuel supply and fuel subsidy," he said.<\/p>\n
The government plans to sign a peace deal with the Free Aceh
\nMovement (GAM) on Aug. 15 in a bid to end decades of conflict in
\nthe province that has killed more than 15,000 people. But some
\nelements of the deal, particularly the plan to allow GAM members
\nto set up political parties as vehicles to contest local
\nelections, have been opposed by lawmakers.<\/p>\n
Sahal acknowledged that ending violence within the Muslim
\ncommunity and maintaining unity and friendship would be a
\nchallenging task.<\/p>\n
"The MUI should be able to act strictly against any violence
\nand actions that are against the law, as well as eliminating poor
\nattitudes and ethics within society that eventually could become
\nthe root for corruption," he said. (002)<\/p>",
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