MUI to formulate edicts against 'liberal thoughts'

MUI to formulate edicts against 'liberal thoughts'

Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) will formulate several edicts
to put an end to what it terms "deviant secular and liberal
Islamic thoughts" during its four-day national congress that
opened here on Tuesday.

According to the council's edict committee, the edicts will
represent the MUI's determination to win the "war of ideas
against liberal Islam".

"Secularism and liberalism, two Western-influenced thoughts
that have developed in Indonesia, have brought chaos to the
principles of Islamic teachings," the committee said.

During his opening speech, MUI chairman Sahal Mahfudh said the
council was being tested by the "emergence of creative attitudes
among a handful of worshipers".

"Although the MUI tries to position itself in the middle of
all Muslim groups in Indonesia, the council is also required to
take a firm stance in dealing with religious deviation," he said.

He was referring to certain groups that he alleged deviated
from Islamic teachings.

Some young Muslim scholars here have used the momentum of the
reform movement to campaign for a more liberal interpretation of
Islamic teachings, which they say have been monopolized by
certain institutions.

Some Muslim scholars recently criticized an old edict issued
by MUI banning Ahmadiyah. The MUI labeled the Muslim
congregation, which recognizes its founder Ghulam Mirza Ahmad as
a prophet, as heretical. Mainstream Muslims believe Muhammad is
the last Prophet.

During the congress, the edict committee will recommend that
the MUI reaffirm the 1980 ban on Ahmadiyah's teachings.

The committee also has asked for clarification on which forms
of interfaith prayers are permissible under Islam and for the
reavowing of a 25-year-old ban on interfaith marriages.

In addition, committee members are deliberating possible
edicts on women leading prayers in mosques, intellectual property
rights, television shows that are heavy on mysticism, the
appropriateness of the death sentence and a recent government
decree on the compulsory sale of private land for public use.

Meanwhile, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono urged the MUI to
intensify its campaign against acts of violence that tarnished
the image of Islam.

"There is no violence in Islamic teachings. We are
disappointed with voices that link violence and terrorism with
Islam. Therefore, I urged the MUI to campaign against such acts
and to prevent people from committing such acts," said Susilo in
a speech during the opening of the congress.

Susilo also called on the MUI to issue edicts that would help
the government implement difficult policies.

"The government needs support from the MUI in peacefully
settling the separatist violence in Aceh, as well as help
persuading the public to reduce fuel consumption during our
problems with the fuel supply and fuel subsidy," he said.

The government plans to sign a peace deal with the Free Aceh
Movement (GAM) on Aug. 15 in a bid to end decades of conflict in
the province that has killed more than 15,000 people. But some
elements of the deal, particularly the plan to allow GAM members
to set up political parties as vehicles to contest local
elections, have been opposed by lawmakers.

Sahal acknowledged that ending violence within the Muslim
community and maintaining unity and friendship would be a
challenging task.

"The MUI should be able to act strictly against any violence
and actions that are against the law, as well as eliminating poor
attitudes and ethics within society that eventually could become
the root for corruption," he said. (002)