MUI Denies Relations with Ijtima Ulama III

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has asserted it was bereft of any relations with Ijtima Ulama III, thus it had no direct nor indirect responsibilities for the meeting’s process and results.

“Many have questioned MUI on the relations between Ijtima Ulama III and MUI. We would like to stress that MUI has no relations with Ijtima Ulama III,” said MUI'sdeputy head Zainut Tauhid Sa’adi in a written statement, Friday, May 3.

Ijtima Ulama III was held at Lorin Hotel, Sentul, Bogor, West Java on Wednesday, May 1. This meeting of ulemas concluded five main points, including urging the Prabowo-Sandiaga campaign team to file an objection via legal procedural mechanism against electoral fraud. 

Zainut added the attendance any MUI officials at the meeting should be regarded as representing individuals as opposed to MUI as an institution. 

Read: Ijtima Ulama Meet Is a Reckless Political Maneuver: Jokowi Camp

He explained that MUI had the triennial Ijtima Ulama forum, otherwise known as the Ijtima’ Ulama of MUI Edict Commission, which was attended by the leaders of MUI's edict commissions nationwide, national Islamic organizations, Islamic boarding schools or pesantren, Islamic institutions, and representatives from Islamic universities. Thus, Ijtima Ulama of MUI Edict Commission had a high level of representation and position.

The MUI Ijtima Ulama discussed and applied various religious and national issues. Edicts or MUI’s religious opinions included daily issues (waqi’iyah), thematic religious issues (maudhu’iyah), legal issues (qanuniyah), as well as national strategic issues. Zainut underlined that MUI’s Ijtima Ulama did not touch on practical politics.

Zainut went on to say that MUI appealed to all parties that elections were a national agenda that must be guarded made a success. The council also reminded all communities to abide by the national consensus and let state institutions authorized by the law settle any electoral dispute and alleged frauds.

“We have to ensure all process of the elections run democratically, fairly, honestly, and accordingly to the law mechanism,” he concluded.

FIKRI ARIGI