On ban on Ahmadiyah<\/p>\n
I read the article Govt mulls ban on Ahmadiyah due to 'permit
\nviolation' in your online edition of July 22.<\/p>\n
Reading the statement of Attorney General Abdul Rachman Saleh
\ntook me back centuries to the age of the Holy Prophet Muhammad.<\/p>\n
The excuse the attorney general is using is the exact same
\nexcuse the Meccans used to justify their opposition and
\npersecution of the innocent, peace-loving and law-abiding
\nMuslims. All the time they were heard saying Muhammad is hurting
\nour feelings and causing disorder and so on and so forth, exactly
\nas the attorney general sounds today!<\/p>\n
There are only two possibilities. Either the attorney general,
\nand those who think like him, believe that Ahmadiyah is founded
\non truth or they believe it to be false. But in either case there
\nis no justification for the banning and persecution of this law-
\nabiding and peace-loving community.<\/p>\n
If the Ahmadis are true in their beliefs -- then no ban will
\nyield results. The fate of those who opposed the Prophet Muhammad
\nwill be meted out again to the attorney general and all those who
\nsupport him -- or whose support the attorney general is hoping to
\ngain by this totally unjustifiable step he is proposing.<\/p>\n
And if the Ahmadis are false in their teachings then it is
\nclear that the attorney general does not have confidence in the
\nintelligence of the people of Indonesia? He thinks them unfit to
\ndistinguish the truth from falsehood.<\/p>\n
Assuming, for argument's sake, that the attorney general
\nshould have the discretion to ban preaching he deems subversive,
\nother concerns remain, the foremost being: Where will this
\nprocess end? Let us not worry about all the followers of the many
\nreligions in Indonesia, let us just confine ourselves first to
\nthe Muslims of Indonesia. Of the numerous Muslim sects, how many
\nwill he decide to ban? Because once this process starts in any
\nplace the end never comes in sight until the whole society is
\ndestroyed by sectarian violence.<\/p>\n
I humbly ask the attorney general to study the case of the
\nIslamic Republic of Pakistan. They have walked the road on which
\nhe is now proposing to take Indonesia. Look where they are today
\nand see if he wishes to take Indonesia there or not. My advice to
\nhim is to not take the route that Pakistan has taken.<\/p>\n
I hope and pray that justice and peace shall prevail in
\nIndonesia and God will grant her leaders the insight and
\nfortitude necessary to act equitably toward everyone living in
\nIndonesia regardless of their color, creed, religion or race; and
\nto grant everyone the same human rights -- this alone is the way
\nof peace.<\/p>\n
ARSHAD M. FAROOQ
\nPomona, CA<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/on-ban-on-ahmadiyah-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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