Viral Qur'an Memorisation Challenge with Alcohol Prize Sparks MUI Condemnation

A viral video has emerged showing a promotion for alcoholic beverages that challenged festival-goers to recite a surah from the Qur’an. In the footage, a booth for an alcoholic drink brand at a music festival is seen holding a memorisation challenge for Surah Ad-Dhuha. Visitors who could recite the surah were reportedly offered a prize believed to be alcohol. The recording shows a visitor reciting the verses of Surah Ad-Dhuha in front of other attendees, followed by applause from the crowd around the booth upon completion.

The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has strongly condemned the act. MUI Fatwa Division Head, Prof KH Asrorun Niam Sholeh, stated that the marketing gimmick combining holy verses with alcoholic beverages contradicts religious values, ethics, and the law. ‘Such an action cannot be justified, whether from a religious, moral, ethical, or legal standpoint. The perpetrators must be held accountable for their actions,’ Niam said, as quoted on the MUI Digital page. The Professor of Islamic Jurisprudence at UIN Jakarta explained that the Qur’an is the highly sacred Kalamullah (Word of God) and reciting it is a form of high-value worship. Conversely, alcoholic drinks are explicitly forbidden in the Qur’an. According to Niam, creating a gimmick of reading the Qur’an with the lure of an alcohol prize is a form of demeaning the sanctity of the Qur’an.

The event organiser, The Sounds Project, has also spoken out regarding the incident, joining in the condemnation. ‘We as the event organiser are also angry, disappointed, and condemn this behaviour. We have never and will never condone behaviour that makes religion a subject for challenges or product promotion in any form,’ The Sounds Project stated via its official Instagram account. The organiser confirmed the incident was not in accordance with their direction or approval. They have reprimanded the sponsor and demanded a thorough resolution of the case. The organiser also stated it will oversee the resolution process and identify the individuals directly involved so they can be held accountable. An evaluation of the event’s execution will also be conducted to prevent similar incidents in the future.