MUI denies playing politics

MUI denies playing politics

JAKARTA: Chairman of the Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI) KH Nazri Adlani denied here on Saturday that it had played practical politics with its recent call for a jihad.

He said the call was made upon the spirit that Muslims should not stand idle upon seeing the U.S. plan to attack an Islamic country.

"The call was made to open a world discourse. We cannot and will not stay idle while the U.S. plans to attack Afghanistan indiscriminately," he told the media at the Istiqlal Grand Mosque.

Adlani, who is also a deputy chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), which is the country's highest legislative body, made the statement following religious affairs minister Said Aqil Munawar's accusation that MUI had played practical politics.

Munawar said a jihad did not necessarily mean the taking up of arms and mass mobilization.

"It should be seen as a protest against the cruel treatment of Moslems, in favor of goodness, justice and truth," Adlani was quoted by Antara as saying. -- Antara