Indonesia's top Islamic clerical body has warned the country's 200 million-plus Muslims not to attend Christmas celebrations or even wish Christians a 'merry Christmas', maintaining that to do so remains forbidden under local Islamic law.
Mohabat News --
According to a news report by UCA News, Ma'ruf Amin, head of the Fatwa
Division of the Indonesia Ulema Council (MUI), a government funded
organization, reminded Muslims yesterday of a ban on celebrating
Christmas imposed under a fatwa, or religious edict, in 1981.
"Wishing a 'merry Christmas' is still not right. It would be better if (Muslims) say 'happy new year," he said.
It is sufficient for Muslims to show their tolerance towards Christmas by allowing Christians to celebrate peacefully, he added.
"(Muslims) must maintain tolerance and harmony," he said.
Zuhairi Misrawi, a Muslim leader from
Nahdlatul Ulama, the country's largest Islamic organization which falls
under the umbrella of MUI, said that not all Muslims would accept this
blanket ban on Christmas.
"Islam is like a wide and deep blue sea,
and MUI's religious edict is only a flow of water. There are many other
flows of water," he said.
Theopilus Bela, secretary general of the
Indonesian Committee of Religions for Peace, said that MUI had a
history of issuing fatwas which demonstrate a lack of religious
tolerance.
"I hope Muslims, the majority group, won't be affected by MUI's remarks," he said.
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