Page 433 - INDONESIA ISLAMIC CULTURE

programs. New Order regime had always process, the MUI has not always been Furthermore, the MUI declared that a at a later stage. Initially, on these issues
funded the despite the fact the MUI had in favor of the government interests or Muslim should not blur his own worship the MUI tended to remain quiet. 53
failed to give the maximum services in its decisions. Several prominent MUI and theological beliefs with those of This reticence of the MUI showed its
recent years. members remain independent and put other religions. For this it used QS weakness and that of the Indonesian
more priority on the people’s demands al-Kafirun/106: 1-6 and al-Baqarah/2:
The above conditions, coupled with the rather than on government interests. 42. To deny the Christian concept of Muslims before the New Order regime.
50
fatwas it produced and the personal and The MUI does not always support the God, it quoted various Qur’anic verses Some examples that can be put forward
institutional closeness of MUI figures government. In his research, Atho about Jesus and Mary to finally declare in this context are that the MUI remained
and government leaders, many people Mudzhar proved that from the 22 fatwa that Christmas celebrations cannot be silent in the case of the government
concluded that the MUI could not be the MUI issued from 1975 to 1988, only seen in isolation of Jesus’ divine status, sponsored football tournaments lottery
fully independent or free from the ruling eight can be classified as supporting which is contrary to the Qur’an. Thus, (Porkas) and the tragedy of the killings
regime’s interests. According to them, government policies, three actually the participation of Muslims in Christmas in Tanjung Priok in 1984 in which the
the MUI was an organization created to contravened the government, while the celebrations could lead to a syncretic state apparatus was involved. In the first
neutralize Islamic political forces, which remaining 11 were neutral. The three attitude and thus may pollute the case, the MUI did not whole heartedly
51
often were at odds with Soeharto’s fatwas that contravened the government Muslim’s monotheistic beliefs. welcome the Muslim majority’s protest
regime. It was created to break as well as included a fatwa related to the prohibition against the lawful status of the Porkas
to neutralize Islam as one of the biggest of abortion, the unlawfulness of the use Finally, the MUI quoted a Prophetic lottery as voiced by the NU and the
political forces in Indonesia, to regulate of vasectomy and in vitro fertilazation Hadith that suggests avoiding something Muhammadiyah. Instead, the chairman
54
public life and to convince the people in family planning programs, and the unclear (shubhat) to justify that the of the fatwa commission at that time,
to vote for the Golkar in the general fatwa on the prohibition for Muslims to participation of Muslims in Christmas Ibrahim Hosen, argued that the kind of
elections. Moreover, it was seen to congratulate Christians at Christmas and celebrations should be seen as meddling gambling that has a negative impact
47
be no more than the most palpable to attend Christmas celebrations. with unclear matter. The fatwa was and which Islam disallows differed
embodiment of the bureaucratization of reinforced with the rules of Islamic law from the Porkas lottery, which helped
Islam and only meant to support the The fatwa that banned Muslims to “to escape from a danger is preferred the government to execute beneficial
48
state’s interests, although in the end it participate in Christmas celebrations was to trying to take advantage.” The MUI activities in the form of sports and youth
49
did not perform this role optimally. the first controversial fatwa issued by MUI. thus finally concluded that it is unlawful programs. Hence, Porkas was allowed.
It was issued on 7 March 1981. The MUI and therefore forbidden for Muslims to
In any case, the MUI is not a state bases its fatwa on Islamic teachings derived participate in Christmas celebrations. In this case, it was clear that MUI
agency whose formation is founded from the Koran and the Prophetic Hadith. During the authoritarian New Order opted to comply with the authoritarian
on a specific legal source. It remains a First of all it underlined that relationships regime, the MUI also tended to issue government rather than to pay heed to
non-governmental organization whose between Muslims and Christians are only fatwas related to Islamic jurisprudence the people’s conscience.
leadership is elected by its members on allowed with respect to worldly affairs for and social issues. It appears that it hardly In addition to MUI fatwas’ legal and social
52
a regular basis. Although the government which it cited three verses of the Koran (QS ever issued fatwas with a political content propensity, during the New Order the
had a very large share in its formation 49: 13; 31:15; and 60: 8). or on the state’s practices as it would do MUI founded several agencies that later

424 Indonesian Islamic Culture in Historical Perspectives Indonesian Islamic Culture in Historical Perspectives 425