Mosques are not campaign arenas

Mosques are not campaign arenas

From Merdeka

The dawn of the reform era, brought about by former president Soeharto's resignation from office, has enabled the establishment of new political parties. Many Moslem political figures have also enthusiastically established their own parties.

As a Moslem, I hope that as more and more Islam-based parties are set up, democratization will gain improve in Indonesia, especially if the leaders of these parties can act maturely and wisely and can also apply Islamic policies in accordance with the teaching of the Koran and the Prophet's Sunnah.

Unfortunately, what has happened is the reverse. Many in Islamic congregations have complained because a preacher in a Friday sermon tried to promote the political party he belongs to by means of disparaging leaders of other political parties (including those based on Islam).

As a member of a Moslem congregation, I call on all Islamic teachers, Moslem leaders and Moslem scholars not to use mosques as campaign arenas for political parties, especially if such campaigns are conducted by disparaging other Islamic parties or other Moslem figures.

If these cheap campaigns continue to be conducted, unity among fellow Moslems will never be achieved and Moslems themselves will be split. It is highly unlikely that in one mosque members of the congregation would be supporters of one political party only.

I'm convinced that the congregation in one mosque may comprise supporters of various political parties such as the Crescent Star Party, the People's Awakening Party, the Indonesian Moslem Party, the Justice Party, Megawati-led Indonesian Democratic Party, the National Mandate Party, the Functional Group (Golkar), New Masyumi, etc.

Therefore, leaders of political parties must brief their members to act and behave in an Islamic manner. There are signs that members of a mosque congregation are now divided.

DARDIRI DAHLAN

Bekasi, West Java