MUI Encourages Anti-Islamophobia Law

Illustration of protests against the burning of the Qur'an. (Wikimedia Commons/Tasnim News Agency/Mighdad Madadi)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) for Foreign Relations and International Cooperation, Sudarnoto Abdul Hakim, encourages the anti-Islamophobia law (UU) throughout the country, especially in Southeast Asia, as an effort to have strong tolerance.

"Relations between religions are good, people are not chaotic, harmony and peace can be built," he said in an international discussion Meranting Islamophobia and Building Peace in ASEAN which took place in a hybrid manner, reported by ANTARA, Monday, August 7.

Sudarnoto said MUI was called by verses from the Al Quran related to humanity, religious freedom, and respected differences in fighting Islamophobia. This is because there are still many cases of Islamophobia in several countries.

"The MUI sees that Islamic beliefs promote peace, must not insult other religions, there must be an appreciation for other religions," he said.

According to him, Islamophobia is a complex problem because the cause is not only hatred of Islam, but is closely related in terms of politics and freedom of expression.

Sudarnoto explained that victims from Islamophobia do not only involve Muslims. More than that, he said, Islamophobia also damages the values and rights of humanity, democracy, and sovereignty of the state and religion.

Therefore, Sudarnoto said MUI, as the umbrella for Islamic organizations representing the largest Muslim country in the world, encourages the anti-Islamophobia law.

He said the United Nations (UN) had declared March 15 an anti-Islamophobia day. He advised that the declaration be moved internationally, so that the declaration is not limited to documents.

"Because of this declaration from the United Nations, all countries without exception as long as they are members of the United Nations must commit to safeguarding this, so that there is no anti-Islam, religion, and differences," he said.

The discussion departed from the rampant cases of Islamophobia circulating on social media. One of them, is the burning of the Quran which is a holy book of Muslims.

Responding to the rise of Islamophobia in several countries, MUI Secretary General Buya Amirsyah asked Muslims to unite to formulate appropriate strategies and solutions.

"One strategy we can do is invite scientists around the world to think rationally and reject various worries, fears, so that we can live together safely and peacefully," he said.

According to him, Islamophobia is a form of hatred or illogical fear of Islam that can cause a commotion in the public sphere, to fall into the category of blasphemy or blasphemy of religion.

"In Islamic thought, phobia can be interpreted as an unnatural 'takuman' to Muslims. So Islamophobia can only be an excessive fear of Islam," said the Secretary General of MUI.