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Reformation, it reversed this reticent destinations, cafes, hotels and foreign Terrorism Agency (Badan Nasional paid attention to purely legal and
attitude. In the case of the fatwa on embassies were among the targets Penanggulangan Terorisme, BNPT) as common social issues. A clear example
corruption, the MUI felt the urge to of suicide bombings ranging from the a follow up of the MUI’s 2004 fatwa to of this are several fatwas on cases such
present itself as an organization that bombings in Kuta and Legian, Bali, to the make a series of discourse programs as lawful food, and the provision of
took part in the passionate changes bomb attacks on the Australian embassy (halaqah) on counter-terrorism in a halal certificates for food and cosmetic
that were taking place by responding to and the J.W. Marriot Hotel in Jakarta. number of cities in the country. Some products. The most famous case and
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the people’s demands to end massive The MUI responded to these incidents Islamic fundamentalist organizations one that received much public attention
corruption, bribery and gratifications fairly slowly and only issued a fatwa in such as Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) was the MUI’s fatwa on Ajinomoto, the
within the government. 68 2004. The fatwa on terrorism essentially were against the program since it was food seasoning product from Japan.

Quoting some Qur’anic verses in addition aimed at distinguishing terrorism from thought to be an attempt to distort and After having had a halal certificate
from LP POM MUI from June 1999
to the opinions of various influential Muslim holy war (jihad) and to the public the manipulate Islam by way of utilizing until November 2000, Ajinomoto had
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scholars, the MUI declared that both MUI underlined its decision that terrorism Muslim scholars. started to use bacto soytone containing
giving and receiving bribes and committing was forbidden, especially the suicide HTI objected to the conclusion of many pig enzymes to replace poly-peptone
corruption were unlawful. Whether offering bombings that occurred in Muslim people who equalized terrorism with the enzymes derived from nuts as one of the
gratifications to government officials majority countries like Indonesia. Islamists’ vision on the establishment ingredients used in its food seasonings
is unlawful or not depended on the Like the fatwa on corruption, the one of the Shari‘a and the Caliphate in product. As a result of this finding, on 16
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context and its possible consequences on terrorism also did not receive much Indonesia. Nevertheless, the chaotic December 2000, the MUI issued a fatwa
(MUI 2002). The issuance of this fatwa public or mass media attention. The relations between HTI and the MUI declaring that Ajinomoto products were
did not seem to have any significant reason was that the people probably did not last long but were the cause declared “unlawful” (haram) and that the
consequences on both society and the realized that the fatwa on terrorism had of a series of heated debates. Both Muslim community in Indonesia was not
governmentsince widespread corruption not been issued whole heartedly, not seemed to have understood each allowed to consume it.
remained ever-present. Moreover, the only because of the MUI’s incredibly slow other, and even started to resume their
fatwa failed to attract public attention and response, but also because the MUI’s cooperation to release decisions in line Gus Dur as the President of Indonesia
was barely discussed in the mass media or membership was dominated by Islamist with the interests of Islamic orthodoxy at the time responded to the MUI’s
in the anti-corruption movement. groups that adhered to fundamentalist in Indonesia, as later will be seen in declaration on the unlawfulness of
ideologies which in some cases even MUI fatwas related to the religiously Ajinomoto products. According to him, the
After the 2001 World Trade Center MUI had been mistaken to issue a fatwa
bombing in the United States, rampant overlapped with those of radical Islamist awkward status of the Ahmadiyah, the on this food seasoning product and the
acts of terrorism committed by radical groups. Moreover, the MUI itself did not unlawfulness of secularism, liberalism Muslim community could safely consume
Islamic groups that targeted the Western- have a program on its agenda to follow- and pluralism, etc. the Ajinomoto product. However, his
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Pagan symbols in Indonesia drew much up the fatwa. Although the MUI seemed to be more criticism had no effect on the fatwa. On
public attention, both nationally and In 2010, the MUI was invited to welcoming and sensitive to political the contrary, Gus Dur’s opinion was
internationally. In those years, tourist cooperate with the National Counter issues in this period, the council also considered more politically-inspired than

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