AIDS union acceptable, say ulemas

AIDS union acceptable, say ulemas

JAKARTA (JP): Leading East Java ulemas concluded their two-day
deliberations on contemporary social problems yesterday, agreeing
that marriage to an AIDS patient is religiously valid, Antara
reported yesterday.

They ruled that the marriage is makruh, a technical term in
sharia (Islamic law) which means that a deed is permissible, but
not preferred.

In addition, those who are already married to people with
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome may pursue nullification of
their marriage, spokesman K.H. Sidqi Mudzhar said.

"The ulemas are of the opinion that AIDS sufferers are still
human beings, after all, and that the disease may someday be
cured," Mudzhar said in explaining the grounds for the ulemas'
decision.

The ulemas are members of the East Java chapter of Indonesia's
largest Moslem organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU). Other
contemporary social problems they discussed included marriages
performed through Internet linkups, which they said are not
valid.

"Marriage by proxy is permissible, but if the brides and
grooms or their representatives are not in the same forum, then
the marriage is not valid," the ulemas said.

The meeting, called bahsaul matsail, was opened by the chief
of Brawijaya regional military command, Maj. Gen. Imam Utomo, and
was closed by NU chairman Abdurrahman Wahid.

The ulemas also ruled that wiping oneself with toilet paper
can be considered "clean" and that the person can then be allowed
to pray. Islam teaches its followers to wash themselves with
clean water after they go to the bathroom. (swe)