Govt still mulling possible ban of the Al Arqam sect
Govt still mulling possible ban of the Al Arqam sect
JAKARTA (JP): The government has deferred its decision on
whether or not to ban Darul Arqam, an Islamic sect with
headquarters in Malaysia, as the Moslem community now appeared to
be divided on the issue.
Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher yesterday said
that a decision is expected in August.
The decision was originally expected yesterday as the issue
was discussed at a meeting involving staff of the Attorney
General's office, the Armed Forces and the influential Indonesian
Ulema Council (MUI), which has been calling for a nationwide ban
against Darul Arqam.
The MUI said Darul Arqam, or more popularly known as Al Arqam
in Malaysia, says the movement's teachings have deviated from
Islamic principles and therefore should be banned.
On the eve of yesterday's meeting, however, Moslem leaders
including Nurcholish Madjid, Emha Ainun Najib, Jalaludin Rachmat,
and Abdurrahman Wahid, spoke against the ban, or at least to
treat the issue with more caution.
Abdurrahman, chairman of Nahdhatul Ulama (NU), said his
organization has not decided on where it stands on the Al Arqam
issue. "I don't yet know the path of thareqat (Sufism) it
follows, which is said to be wrong. What I know is that its main
teachings are just the same as with other Moslem groups'," he was
quoted by the Antara news agency as saying.
Nurcholis, Emha and Jalaludin defended Al Arqam's right to
exist here, saying the government had no right to prevent others
from embracing a belief.
Commenting on the critics, Tarmizi said yesterday the
government has its own reasons to consider the denomination as a
possible threat to harmonious religious life among Moslems here.
"Well, that's the way scholars think. But we are bureaucrats,
and we think differently. That's the difference," Tarmizi told
The Jakarta Post yesterday.
He said such scholars usually assume that people could accept
things as they do. On the other hand, the government considers
them as those who need protection from any deviant sects,
including Al Arqam. "It's the government's responsibility."
Concerning the denomination's exclusive dressing, Tarmizi said
he had no objection at all. "It's their right. Even those in
Middle East wear the same dressing. Nothing special, go ahead."
Al Arqam's female followers are exclusive for their cloaks and
veils which cover all parts of their bodies but eyes. Male
followers wear robes and turbans which are typical for the
denomination.
Political
The minister said what matters for the government is actually
about its political moves, here or in neighboring countries.
The sect's founding leader Ashaari Muhammad, currently living
in exile in Thailand, has turned his economic-oriented
denomination into a political movement as he allegedly built
training camps for his followers. He even once declared that he
would be the next Malaysian prime minister, substituting Mahathir
Mohamad.
Tarmizi noted that the Indonesian government does not want any
of its territories to be used by the group leader as his stepping
stone to reach his goals as his organization had been banned in
Malaysia since 1991.
He pointed out that the motives behind Ashaari's move of
putting the pictures of President Soeharto and a number of
cabinet ministers in his book President Soeharto Ikut Jadual
Allah is strongly political.
"It's politically motivated. And I've said to them, don't play
politics here as we have enjoyed brotherhood among Moslems in
Southeast Asia. Please, don't disturb it," he said.
He rejected the assumption that what Indonesia has done
towards Al Arqam is its reward to Malaysia for its soft stance on
the East Timor issue, saying that Indonesia is truly independent
in handling the matter. (pet/11)