For Indonesian Muslims, Islam must not lead to war
Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Indonesia’s largest moderate group, has condemned the recent attacks in the month of Ramadan. Yesterday, a suicide bomber blew himself up in President Joko Widodo’s hometown. For NU president, Islamic leaders and ulama from around the world have a duty to work together to fight radicalism.
Jakarta (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Every terrorist attack "carried out as the result of a violent preaching does not reflect Islam, which is asrahmatan lil alamin (a blessing for the universe), said Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) in an official statement.
NU is Indonesia's largest moderate Islamic organisation. Its pronouncement follows recent attacks carried out during the month of Ramadan, especially the one on Monday (4 July) in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, and the suicide attack that wounded a policeman yesterday in Surakarta (Central Java).
Yesterday’s attack was carried out by a man who was able to enter police headquarters on a motorcycle and blew himself up after he was stopped by officers. Other than the attacker who died, only one police officer was wounded.
Surakarta was getting ready to celebrate Eid al-Fitr (the end of the Muslim fasting) and welcome Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who had decided to spend the holiday in his hometown.
NU central committee president Said Aqil Siradj slammed the attacks in the holy month of Ramadan, stating that they are contrary to the true teachings of Islam, which promote peace.
He added that Islamic leaders and ulema from around the world have a duty to work together to fight radicalism, which cannot be defeated by single individuals.
Nu has been working for years to spread a moderate Islam open to religious tolerance, and counter the infiltration by Daesh (Islamic State) propaganda in Indonesia.
On 17 January, NU organised an interfaith meeting to say "no to extremism", attended by representatives of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Indonesia (Konferensi Waligereja Indonesia, KWI) Protestant churches, and the Supreme Council for the Confucian Religion in Indonesia (Majelis Tinggi Agama Konghucu Indonesia, MATAKIN.
The grand imam of Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta echoed NU’s statement. In his view, suicide bombing does not belong to Islam.
Mohammed, Nasaruddin Umar said, never forgave such actions. "Attacks in Madinah, Turkey, Afghanistan and Surakarta are a shortcut and are not justified by the sharia".
“Islam,” he noted, "never teaches his followers to wage war on civilians. War must only be made by armies."
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