'Dewa wants to show they are proud to be Muslims'

'Dewa wants to show they are proud to be Muslims'

Popular local rock group Dewa was reported to the police on
Monday by a number of extremist Muslim groups, led by the Islam
Defenders Front (FPI), for using the word "Allah" in Arabic
script on the cover of its album Laskar Cinta (Soldier of Love).
The extremists accuse Dewa of blasphemy and have demanded a
public apology. The Jakarta Post interviewed residents here on
Monday for their take on the issue.

Lucy Andriana, 28, is a housewife living in the Pantai Indah
Kapuk housing estate in North Jakarta.

I don't think that Dewa has committed blasphemy against God by
putting the Arabic (Islamic) script on its record. As a fan of
Dewa, I know that they are not against God, I actually think that
some of their songs are pretty encouraging.

I guess perhaps Dewa was trying to praise God for making it
possible for them to produce their album, which is a positive
act. I see it as an act of praise and gratitude instead of
blasphemy.

If they intended to do it (blasphemy) then they would have
modified the signs, for example by burning it or writing songs
that showed no respect to God.

It is a positive act and it is not against the religious law
to write the name of Allah.

Mila Irawan, 25, is an administrative clerk at an
international company in South Jakarta. She lives in Kelapa
Gading, North Jakarta.

What is the all the fuss about? It only shows FPI and others
are treating Dewa as if they have done something bad. I think
what they have done is okay because they did not humiliate or
offend God or Islam in any way.

The symbol was not modified in any way. What's important is
not the display of the image but the purpose behind it and I
don't think that Dewa intended any blasphemy against God in any
way by doing it.

I think that it is part of freedom of speech. We are a Muslim
country and should be proud of it because it is a part of Dewa's
religion and it is not destructive.

I think that Dewa was actually trying to show that they are
proud to be Muslims and the album was there because of God.

--The Jakarta Post