Govt bans draft revision of sharia

Govt bans draft revision of sharia

JAKARTA: At the end of his tenure as minister of religious
affairs, Said Agil Al Munawwar sparked controversy on Tuesday by
banning any discussion of a draft revision of the Body of Islamic
Law that was produced by a team under his ministry.

"I declare any discussion, seminar or anything involving the
draft revision banned," he said on Tuesday. Said Agil, whose term
finished on Wednesday, added that he had ordered the confiscation
of the original draft revision.

The minister delivered a keynote speech during the
introduction of the draft here on Oct. 4.

However, he denied any connection between his ministry and the
draft, which offers a new perspective on sharia, including a ban
on polygamy, saying he had never issued a letter setting up the
team responsible for the draft.

Last week, the Indonesian Ulemas Council wrote a letter to the
ministry complaining that the draft violated sharia. -- JP