Bahtsul Masail Discusses Labour Bill and Neuralink Chip
The Bahtsul Masail forum has commenced as part of the 35th Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Congress held at the Bahrul Ulum Islamic Boarding School in Tambakberas, Jombang, East Java.
The forum will discuss a number of current issues, ranging from the commercialisation of genetic data, the use of Neuralink chips in the human brain, the legal status of Bitcoin or cryptocurrency, to the draft labour and national education bills.
Bahtsul Masail is a scholarly forum or tradition within the pesantren and NU community for discussing and seeking legal certainty on religious, social, or societal matters.
The forum is being held in the hall of the KH Jamaluddin Ahmad Center Building at Madrasah Fattah Hasyim, which is still within the Bahrul Ulum Islamic Boarding School area.
Deputy Chair of the Organisational Commission of the 35th NU Congress, Asrorun Niam Sholeh, said that the discussion material in Bahtsul Masail is divided into three commissions, namely Waqi’iyyah, Maudhu’iyyah, and Qanuniyyah.
“Masail Qanuniyyah concerns matters related to statutory provisions, especially contemporary issues, including the Asset Forfeiture Bill and so on,” said Niam on Saturday (30/8).
“Masail Waqi’iyyah discusses contemporary and contextual issues related to religious matters. Masail Maudhu’iyyah addresses thematic issues that serve as the basis for organisational activities and religious methodology,” he added.
Secretary of the Steering Committee of the 35th NU Congress, Prof Mohammad Nuh, said that Bahtsul Masail represents an intellectual debate among NU kiai.
“Later you will be able to see how the intellectual religious debate unfolds among senior kiai, young kiai, and so on, including not only from a religious perspective but also incorporating modern sciences,” said Nuh.
Nuh said that from contemporary issues to public policy, Bahtsul Masail is NU’s way of formulating religious views that are relevant to the times.
Based on a post on NU’s official website, a number of current and strategic issues are being discussed in several commissions, ranging from technology and finance to public policy and labour. The following issues are being discussed:
Waqi’iyyah Commission
Commercialisation of Genetic Data (DNA)
Use of Neuralink Chips in the Human Brain
Bitcoin Law
Standardisation of Gold Purity for the Nisab of Zakat Mal
Maudhu’iyyah Commission
State Fiscal Policy from an Islamic Perspective
The Concept of l’adatunnazhor on NU Religious Decisions
The Concept of Ulama Values
Qanuniyah Commission
National Education System Bill
Labour Bill: Restrictions on Outsourcing, Fixed-Term Employment Contracts, Wages, and Termination of Employment
Aceh Qanun No. 6 of 2014 on Islamic Criminal Law