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