Muslim forum undecided on teachings of new sect

Muslim forum undecided on teachings of new sect

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Muslim Ummat Forum (FUI) in West Kalimantan is still
evaluating whether the teachings of a new Muslim sect which has
raised confusion among locals, promotes heresy or not.

Sect leader Muslim cleric Abdul Madjid has been arrested by
the local police on the grounds that he has indirectly encouraged
his students and followers to commit crimes.

"So far, FUI has yet to draw any conclusions because it has
gained information from only one source -- the police. We need an
explanation from the cleric and his students, too," FUI
secretary-general Haitami Salim said after a meeting with the
local police here on Tuesday.

A number of FUI executives and lecturers of the Islamic
Teaching Institute (STAIN) in the city met with the local police
chief to offer themselves as mediators in handling the alleged
dissemination of new misleading teachings in the province.

"If the cleric's disciples give a similar explanation to that
of the police, we must conclude that what Abdul Madjid has taught
is heresy and, thereby, we condemn it as blasphemous," Antara
quoted Haitami as saying.

During the meeting, local police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Affan
Riswanto explained that the police had found an evidence that the
cleric had encouraged his students to commit crimes.

Affan also said that according to the detainee, giving
financial contributions to the leader was mandatory for the
students.

Haitami said he could do nothing more because the police had
evidence of crimes committed "and therefore we cannot force the
police to accept our offer (to mediate)."

Abdul Madjid was arrested after police received a complaint
from four disciples who said they have been forced to cut their
relations with their families to become a follower of the cleric.

Haitami further said that the police had the authority "to
judge" whether a religious teaching encouraged people to commit
crimes, or caused conflict, problems, or confusion among the
people.

Such a case also occurred in Indramayu, West Java, last year,
when locals were confused by the mission of Al-Zaytun Islamic
Boarding School which allegedly supported the idea of an Islamic
Indonesian State (NII).

Haitami said that according to the police's explanation, Abdul
Madjid has won many supporters in the province and had
disseminated his teachings without textbooks, guidelines or
support from FUI.