Muslim Clerics condemn Suicide Bombing, Targeting Civilians as Violations of Islamic Law
Juan Cole, 05/12/2018
The
Associated Press reports that Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi”
Widodo hosted a conference of 70 prominent Muslim clergymen from Afghanistan,
Pakistan and Indonesia at the presidential palace in Bogor just south of
Jakarta to combat extremism. The clergymen issued a joint fatwa or reasoned
jurisprudential ruling declaring that suicide bombing is contrary to Islamic
law.
Associated Press reports that Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi”
Widodo hosted a conference of 70 prominent Muslim clergymen from Afghanistan,
Pakistan and Indonesia at the presidential palace in Bogor just south of
Jakarta to combat extremism. The clergymen issued a joint fatwa or reasoned
jurisprudential ruling declaring that suicide bombing is contrary to Islamic
law.
We’ve all
heard the charge made, including by appallingly ignorant Secretary of State
Mike Pompeo, that Muslim leaders do not do enough to condemn terrorism
publicly. Even a Middle East expert like Tom Friedman
at one point bought into this meme. It isn’t true. Muslim authorities have gone
blue in the face condemning terrorism. One problem is that most Americans don’t
know who the Muslim authorities are and so don’t hear them when they speak.
Another problem is that no one has collected these fatwas and properly
published them at a major academic or trade press.
heard the charge made, including by appallingly ignorant Secretary of State
Mike Pompeo, that Muslim leaders do not do enough to condemn terrorism
publicly. Even a Middle East expert like Tom Friedman
at one point bought into this meme. It isn’t true. Muslim authorities have gone
blue in the face condemning terrorism. One problem is that most Americans don’t
know who the Muslim authorities are and so don’t hear them when they speak.
Another problem is that no one has collected these fatwas and properly
published them at a major academic or trade press.
It is
likely that this important effort by Jokowi Widodo will pass relatively
unnoticed in the US press, though AP is to be lauded for making an effort to
disseminate this news. Indonesia is almost completely absent from the
consciousness of Americans except maybe vacationers in Bali. Yet it is the
fourth most populous country in the world, at over 260 million, nearly as large
as the United States. It is the world’s 16th largest economy with a GDP
annually of $1 trillion, ranking just below Australia and Spain. And it is
hands down the most populous Muslim country in the world. Of course, American
television news is notoriously parochial and doesn’t even report much on close
US allies like Canada, France, Germany, Spain or Japan. But the news Black Hole
to which Indonesia has been consigned in the US, given its importance on every
measure of global significance, is bizarre.
likely that this important effort by Jokowi Widodo will pass relatively
unnoticed in the US press, though AP is to be lauded for making an effort to
disseminate this news. Indonesia is almost completely absent from the
consciousness of Americans except maybe vacationers in Bali. Yet it is the
fourth most populous country in the world, at over 260 million, nearly as large
as the United States. It is the world’s 16th largest economy with a GDP
annually of $1 trillion, ranking just below Australia and Spain. And it is
hands down the most populous Muslim country in the world. Of course, American
television news is notoriously parochial and doesn’t even report much on close
US allies like Canada, France, Germany, Spain or Japan. But the news Black Hole
to which Indonesia has been consigned in the US, given its importance on every
measure of global significance, is bizarre.
A
majority of Indonesian Muslims is uninterested in political Islam, though that
tendency exists and is significant, especially in some provinces (such as
Aceh). But Indonesian Muslims also often have Sufi tendencies or are
secular-minded, or just traditional rather than political. Indonesia is a
multicultural country, with about 10 percent being Christian but it also has
animists in Papua and West Papua and a big Hindu majority on Bali, and a
Buddhist community (about 1.7 mn). Its constitution enshrines freedom of
religion, though in practice there are six recognized religions to which this
principle mainly applies, and others can be persecuted.
majority of Indonesian Muslims is uninterested in political Islam, though that
tendency exists and is significant, especially in some provinces (such as
Aceh). But Indonesian Muslims also often have Sufi tendencies or are
secular-minded, or just traditional rather than political. Indonesia is a
multicultural country, with about 10 percent being Christian but it also has
animists in Papua and West Papua and a big Hindu majority on Bali, and a
Buddhist community (about 1.7 mn). Its constitution enshrines freedom of
religion, though in practice there are six recognized religions to which this
principle mainly applies, and others can be persecuted.
Because
there have been a few terrorist cells connected to al-Qaeda and a small number
of bombings in the country, Indonesian authorities are worried about the rise
of extremism in the Middle East and South Asia. This attempt to intervene in
Afghanistan may seem to come out of left field, but Indonesia has long been connected
to Indian Ocean Islam (many Yemenis emigrated there) and to South Asia. In
fact, the South Asia ties were strong long before Islam, which is why most
Balinese are Hindu and there are important Buddhist monuments.
there have been a few terrorist cells connected to al-Qaeda and a small number
of bombings in the country, Indonesian authorities are worried about the rise
of extremism in the Middle East and South Asia. This attempt to intervene in
Afghanistan may seem to come out of left field, but Indonesia has long been connected
to Indian Ocean Islam (many Yemenis emigrated there) and to South Asia. In
fact, the South Asia ties were strong long before Islam, which is why most
Balinese are Hindu and there are important Buddhist monuments.
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h/t Wikimedia
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Al Jazeera
reports that President Widodo expressed confidence that although it
would be a difficult road, the Muslim clergy are the key to peace in
Afghanistan, in part because of their pastoral role in inspiring hope for the
future.
reports that President Widodo expressed confidence that although it
would be a difficult road, the Muslim clergy are the key to peace in
Afghanistan, in part because of their pastoral role in inspiring hope for the
future.
The
clergymen themselves expressed appreciation for this gathering and for previous
such colloquies in Pakistan itself and voiced their condemnation of violence
and terrorism, saying that strengthening the influence of the Qur’an and the
example of the Prophet will resolve the conflicts among Muslims. (Outsiders who
haven’t actually read the Qur’an may question this assertion but actually the Qur’an
encourages turning the other cheek and permits only defensive war to
protect innocents from marauders.)
clergymen themselves expressed appreciation for this gathering and for previous
such colloquies in Pakistan itself and voiced their condemnation of violence
and terrorism, saying that strengthening the influence of the Qur’an and the
example of the Prophet will resolve the conflicts among Muslims. (Outsiders who
haven’t actually read the Qur’an may question this assertion but actually the Qur’an
encourages turning the other cheek and permits only defensive war to
protect innocents from marauders.)
They said
in their fatwa that violence and terrorism form no part of any religion and
must not be related to any religion, civilization, people or ethnicity, since
violence, extremism and terrorism in all their forms–including assaults on
civilians and suicide bombings– are contrary to the principles of Islam.
in their fatwa that violence and terrorism form no part of any religion and
must not be related to any religion, civilization, people or ethnicity, since
violence, extremism and terrorism in all their forms–including assaults on
civilians and suicide bombings– are contrary to the principles of Islam.
The
Pakistani press reported that a delegation of Taliban had visited Indonesia as
well, and lobbied for the statement at the conference not to condemn the
Taliban by name or to slam what the Taliban view as a holy war against the
US-backed Afghan national government. The clergymen’s fatwa, however, does
condemn violence and suicide bombing, taking no strong stand on Afghanistan
internal politics but putting certain violent tactics (to which the Taliban have
frequently resorted) off limits.
Pakistani press reported that a delegation of Taliban had visited Indonesia as
well, and lobbied for the statement at the conference not to condemn the
Taliban by name or to slam what the Taliban view as a holy war against the
US-backed Afghan national government. The clergymen’s fatwa, however, does
condemn violence and suicide bombing, taking no strong stand on Afghanistan
internal politics but putting certain violent tactics (to which the Taliban have
frequently resorted) off limits.
Afghan
clergy are not very powerful, and the Taliban may militarily control or be
highly influential in a third of the country. The conference, however, has to
be seen as a net loss for the Taliban.
clergy are not very powerful, and the Taliban may militarily control or be
highly influential in a third of the country. The conference, however, has to
be seen as a net loss for the Taliban.
