Govt studying demands to ban Moslem sect
JAKARTA (JP): The government says it is studying the demands made by a number of Moslem organizations to ban the activities of the Darul Arqam, a flourishing Moslem sect with headquarters in Malaysia.
Attorney General Singgih said on Saturday that the fate of Darul Arqam will be determined at a coordination meeting scheduled for tomorrow involving his office, the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the Armed Forces and the Indonesian Moslem Council (MUI).
The MUI, the influential umbrella organization of a number of Moslem groups, has issued a recommendation that the government ban the sect nationwide. The sect has already been banned in West Sumatra and Aceh but it is flourishing in other parts of Sumatra and Java, particularly among educated youths.
Singgih, responding to the calls for a nationwide ban, said there were a number of procedures which the government would have to take before moving to ban any particular organization.
Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher has also supported the call to ban Darul Arqam, more popularly known in Malaysia as the Al Arqam.
Al Arqam founding leader Ashaari Muhammad, currently living in exile in Thailand, recently announced his intention to return to Malaysia and to challenge the national leadership, promising he will lead the country one day.
His announcement sent ripples as far as Indonesia, where he has thousands of followers and the government has been keeping a close watch on their activities.
Minister Tarmizi has already announced that Ashaari is barred from entering Indonesia for political reasons.
Al Arqam's followers in Indonesia, while revering their leader Ashaari, say that the organization in Indonesia is apolitical, focusing more on promoting the welfare of the Moslem community.
In a recent interview with The Jakarta Post, Ahmadi Rafei, chairman of the group's Java I branch, said he did not see any reason why Ashaari should be barred from entering Indonesia given that he has never aggravated the Indonesian government.
Ahmadi also said that Al Arqam's activities in Indonesia are open for all to see. "The government knows exactly what we're doing here, whether we undermine national stability or not ... And if it happens (the banning), I will let Allah Himself judge us since the truth comes from Allah."
Polygamy
Many ulemas noted that some of the religious practices of Al Arqam followers are in violation of Islamic principles, including their belief that they can communicate with Allah through Ashaari.
They also questioned Al Arqam's policy of encouraging polygamy among its men followers.
One Moslem leader however came in defense of the group, not its belief or practices, but its right to exist.
Nurcholish Madjid said no one, not even the government, had the right to prevent others from embracing a belief.
"It's impossible," he said, stressing that if the government was concerned about the impact of Al Arqam's teachings, then it should deal with the matter properly and not ban the organization outright.
Meanwhile, Deputy Attorney General for Intelligence affairs Hadi Baroto announced on Saturday that the government has banned one of the most widely read books by Al Arqam followers.
The Aurat Muhammadiyah, written by Ashaari and published by Al Arqam's head office in Malaysia, is the source of the sect's teachings and principles. (05/par)