MUI Clarifies Report on Netflix Fatwa

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The secretary of Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) fatwa commission, Asrorun Ni’am Sholeh, said that the council never discussed the readiness to issue a haram fatwa for Netflix. 

“[It is] impossible to issue a fatwa on a platform,” said Asrorun to Tempo on Thursday, January 23. 

According to him, MUI only discussed and issued a fatwa on social issues, technological development, and contents. “Platforms can be used for good purposes. Any platforms that [show] contents forbidden by the religion will not be justified,” he added.

Asrorun Niam said that he was unaware of the statement that was issued by MUI fatwa commission chairman Hasanuddin in regards to the council’s fatwa-issuance preparation on Netflix. “What’s sure is that the fatwa commission has never discussed it,” he maintained.

Previously, citing Bisnis.com, MUI fatwa commission chairman Hasanuddin said that social media and digital platforms in this day and age are susceptible to be infiltrated by negative contents that are not aligned with religious and Indonesian norms. 

Hasanuddin called for every stakeholder to collectively filter contents that are shown by Netflix in Indonesia. He also called on the government’s presence to protect members of the public from negative content by blocking services that continue to show such contents. 

“Including Netflix [if it is proven so],” he remarked on Wednesday, January 22.

MUI has not yet received public reports regarding inappropriate content on the internet entertainment service. In fact, he added, fatwa on deviant sexual behavior, pornography, terrorism, and violence have been overseen by their own fatwas and suggested that MUI can only wait for the public to file a report.

Tempo.co

Editorial Note: This article has been edited to add the rebuttal from MUI. The initial news report comes from Tempo's partnership with Bisnis.com (MUI to Issue Haram Fatwa if Negative Content Found on Netflix).

Tempo has double-checked and rectified the information.