ICMI seeking scientific interpretation of Koran

JAKARTA (JP): The Association of Moslem Intellectuals (ICMI) plans to establish an institute to interpret the Koran's verses on science and technology, it was announced here yesterday.

This was one of the decisions reached at the end of a recent national congress on the Koran, the first of its kind held in Indonesia, in Pekanbaru, Riau, last week.

The meeting reviewed the relationship between Islam and science and found no inconsistencies between the two, according to a statement issued by ICMI yesterday.

It said that teaching on religious subjects at schools through universities should stress the point that science is consistent with religion.

Some 500 people attended the three-day meeting in Pekanbaru, representing ICMI, various Moslem organizations and the government. Coordinating Minister of People's Welfare Azwar Anas gave a keynote address as did Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro and Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher.

Two names had been proposed for the new institute, either Mudzakarah Al-quran or Tadabbur Al-quran, and its task will include organizing a similar congress every four year.

The meeting's participants agreed that the Moslem's holy book should become the source of all science and technology, which in turn should be developed for the benefit of mankind.

The statement added that science and technology should not enslave people.

They proposed establishing a team of experts from various branches of science to give their interpretations based on the Koran.

Given rapid developments in biotechnology, biomedicine and genetic engineering, Indonesia should establish a code of ethics for science which is consistent with Islamic teaching, it said.

All university lecturers who are Moslems are also encouraged to combine the discipline of their science with religion.

It also called for a nation-wide movement to eliminate Koran illiteracy.

The meeting also reviewed Islam's position on such topical issues as human rights, environmental protection and work ethics and found that the Koran's concepts on all these issues are far more encompassing that the current widely accepted notions.

The meeting appointed a working group, chaired by Achmad Baiquni, to work out the details of the proposed new institution. (emb)