Finally there is also a concrete action from the Government of President Jokowi to the commotion that occurred in the community due to MUI fatwa related to the ban on the use of non-Muslim attributes. The government, through the Coordinating Minister of Politic, Law and Security, Wiranto, stated that the MUI should coordinate with Religion Ministry and Police before issuing a fatwa. Coordination between the Government and the MUI should be done "so that the fatwa issued can produce good and not cause unrest in the community."
The emergence of this Government attitude is of course related to sweeping actions in public places such as malls or shops whose employees use attributes or decorations associated with the Christmas. The National Police Chief has taken disciplinary steps to several Chief of the Police who participated in disseminating the MUI fatwa. In addition, the Chief of Police also ordered all of his staff to crack down on every sweeping agent against the Christmas attribute.
The government's action to request a coordinated MUI is a step forward, although it should be seen to see if after this MUI fatwa production will still create such chaos and restlessness. Police, who have firmly argued that the MUI fatwa is not a positive law, is also a progress. And it would be even better if the MUI fatwas were no longer used as the only source of religious fatwas (Islam) by government apparatuses both at the central and regional levels. For if the MUI still has such a monopolistic claim, it would undoubtedly be the recurrence of a divisive fatwa as related to the non-Muslim attribute, to be open.
The more important thing is to place the case of MUI status in the constellation of state relations and civil society. MUI is not a state or quasi-state institution, even though it gets a budget from APBN / APBD. Therefore, many people immediately assume that MUI is a party that represents the authority of the state in religious affairs, and sometimes even Religion Ministry not very clear attitude when faced with this one organization. Though compared with the mass Islamic organizations like NU, Muhammadiyah, exactly, Al-Washliyah, or even with LDII though, MUI has no mass base.
But because of the legacy of the power of the New Order regime that continues until the post-Reform Administration, the MUI seems to be a kind of state institution. Even while the MUI figures consider MUI as the representative of the Islamic ummah and Ulama's highest institution in Indonesia!. Yet the capacity of keulamaan within the MUI structure itself is now often in doubt, following the frequent emergence of controversial fatwas and their association with political interest groups.
MUI does not need to be dissolved, but this organization needs to be totally reformed so that the impression that is in the public sphere, as if representing the aspirations of all Islamic ummah and ulama, as well as the sole institution of the fatwa, no longer exists. Even if MUI makes a fatwa, it is fine, but it also should not be used as the sole source of consideration or recommendation in Islamic matters, including the law.
Let the existing Islamic mass organizations in the country also contribute to religious discourse and gait. Ministry of Religious Affairs remains a state institution that coordinates relations between them and the Government / State.
Equally important in MUI reform is its financial accountability, which has been a public question, must be opened, both the Central MUI and the Regional MUI.
Only with such total reform would MUI be an integral, productive and independent part of the effort to empower Indonesian Muslims in the framework of nationality and NKRI. However, the word "Indonesia" in the abbreviation MUI is a signifier (signifier) the most important. Whatever the MUI does, it must remain grounded and oriented to the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.
*) Muhammad A S Hikam, lecturer at President University, Sesko TNI and Defense University.
COPYRIGHT © ANTARA News Megapolitan 2017
The emergence of this Government attitude is of course related to sweeping actions in public places such as malls or shops whose employees use attributes or decorations associated with the Christmas. The National Police Chief has taken disciplinary steps to several Chief of the Police who participated in disseminating the MUI fatwa. In addition, the Chief of Police also ordered all of his staff to crack down on every sweeping agent against the Christmas attribute.
The government's action to request a coordinated MUI is a step forward, although it should be seen to see if after this MUI fatwa production will still create such chaos and restlessness. Police, who have firmly argued that the MUI fatwa is not a positive law, is also a progress. And it would be even better if the MUI fatwas were no longer used as the only source of religious fatwas (Islam) by government apparatuses both at the central and regional levels. For if the MUI still has such a monopolistic claim, it would undoubtedly be the recurrence of a divisive fatwa as related to the non-Muslim attribute, to be open.
The more important thing is to place the case of MUI status in the constellation of state relations and civil society. MUI is not a state or quasi-state institution, even though it gets a budget from APBN / APBD. Therefore, many people immediately assume that MUI is a party that represents the authority of the state in religious affairs, and sometimes even Religion Ministry not very clear attitude when faced with this one organization. Though compared with the mass Islamic organizations like NU, Muhammadiyah, exactly, Al-Washliyah, or even with LDII though, MUI has no mass base.
But because of the legacy of the power of the New Order regime that continues until the post-Reform Administration, the MUI seems to be a kind of state institution. Even while the MUI figures consider MUI as the representative of the Islamic ummah and Ulama's highest institution in Indonesia!. Yet the capacity of keulamaan within the MUI structure itself is now often in doubt, following the frequent emergence of controversial fatwas and their association with political interest groups.
MUI does not need to be dissolved, but this organization needs to be totally reformed so that the impression that is in the public sphere, as if representing the aspirations of all Islamic ummah and ulama, as well as the sole institution of the fatwa, no longer exists. Even if MUI makes a fatwa, it is fine, but it also should not be used as the sole source of consideration or recommendation in Islamic matters, including the law.
Let the existing Islamic mass organizations in the country also contribute to religious discourse and gait. Ministry of Religious Affairs remains a state institution that coordinates relations between them and the Government / State.
Equally important in MUI reform is its financial accountability, which has been a public question, must be opened, both the Central MUI and the Regional MUI.
Only with such total reform would MUI be an integral, productive and independent part of the effort to empower Indonesian Muslims in the framework of nationality and NKRI. However, the word "Indonesia" in the abbreviation MUI is a signifier (signifier) the most important. Whatever the MUI does, it must remain grounded and oriented to the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.
*) Muhammad A S Hikam, lecturer at President University, Sesko TNI and Defense University.
Editor : M. Tohamaksun
COPYRIGHT © ANTARA News Megapolitan 2017