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PBNU: People wait for govt's decision on Ahmadiyah

NU Online  ·  Senin, 12 Mei 2008 | 05:08 WIB

Magelang, NU Online
General Chairman of the Central Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) KH Hasyim Muzadi called on people to wait for the government's decision dealing with the case of Ahmadiyah.

"Ahmadiyah has been settled by the government, please wait," Hasyim said before closing a conference held by NU of Magelang, Central Java on Sunday (11/5).<>

He asserted, the Joint Decree Letter (SKB) issued by three ministers on Ahmadiyah was the right of government. He also said that so far he had yet to know the content of the SKB so the he could not "yes or no" over the SKB.

"What the SKB looks like, we have yet to know so far," the caretaker of the Malang's Al Hikam Islamic Boarding School said.

He said the main task of Muslims and NU was how to call on the Ahmadiyah's followers to back to the straight path through preachings.

Hasyim recently said that in accordance with Islamic line of thoughts the Ahmadiyah sect was deviant.

"In Islam, Ahmadiyah is deviant. It is government's domain to outlaw it or not for stability reasons."

While the government of Indonesia is preparing a joint decree to outlaw "heretical" Islamic sect Jamaah Ahmadiyah, following a recommendation by a government board.

The recommendation was discussed Thursday (17/4) at a meeting led by Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Widodo Adi Sucipto.

Widodo said the decree would be drafted by the Religious Affairs Ministry, the Home Ministry and the Attorney General's Office.

"The government will formulate the joint decree based on the 1965 law on the prevention of misuse and disgrace of religion," Widodo said after the meeting at his office.

Attorney General Hendarman Supandji, Justice and Human Rights Minister Andi Mattalata, Indonesian Military chief Gen. Djoko Santoso and National Police chief Gen. Sutanto attended the meeting.

The Coordinating Board for Monitoring Mystical Beliefs in Society (Bakor Pakem) recommended on Wednesday the government ban Ahmadiyah for failing to commit to the 12-point declaration it signed in January.

The declaration acknowledged mainstream Islamic teachings and abandoned the sect's "deviant" beliefs. This included recognizing Muhammad, not Mirza Gulam Ahmad, as the last prophet. (man/rif)