Referring To The 1981 MUI Fatwa Regarding The Prohibition Of Merry Christmas, Ade Armando 'Shows The Nose' Maratua Simanjuntak: Total Lie!

JAKARTA - University of Indonesia lecturer Ade Armando 'points to the nose' Chairman of the North Sumatra (North Sumatra) Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) H Maratua Simanjuntak after issuing a ban on Christmas greetings for Christians.

The prohibition on Christmas greetings is contained in Circular Number 039/DP-PII/XII/2021 signed by Maratua Simanjuntak and Secretary of the North Sumatran MUI, Asmuni. The Circular refers to the MUI fatwa Number 5 of 1981 concerning the Joint Christmas Celebration that it is unlawful to participate in the Joint Christmas ceremony for Muslims.

For Ade, Maratua had committed a total lie when he said that the 1981 MUI Fatwa forbade Christmas greetings to Christians. "Maratua lied, he said the ban referred to the 1981 MUI Fatwa. The central MUI never once issued a ban on Christmas greetings, a complete lie," said Ade quoted from the CokroTV Youtube channel, Wednesday, December 15.

Ade explained that the 1981 MUI Fatwa never once issued a ban on Christmas greetings, but rather a ban on Muslims attending Christmas ceremonies in which there are Christian worship activities or services.

According to Ade, Buya Hamka as chairman of the MUI at that time even issued an explanation letter to avoid misunderstanding the MUI fatwa. Buya Hamka, said Ade, explaining that what is prohibited is participating in worship activities, such as mass services and the like.

"Buya Hamka also stated that for a Muslim there is no prohibition against attending Christmas celebrations in ceremonies that are ceremonial, not ritualistic (Masses, services, etc.). So clearly there is no MUI Fatwa that states Muslims are prohibited from wishing me a Merry Christmas," said Ade.

According to Ade, the son of Buya Hamka, Irfan Hamka, denied that his father forbade Christmas greetings. According to Irfan, Buya Hamka once wished his neighbors a Merry Christmas while living in Kebayoran Baru.

Apart from the MUI Fatwa, Ade Armando is also firm that Christmas greetings are never prohibited in the Qur'an or Hadith. When referring to the verse of the Qur'an Al-Mai'dah Verse 2 which reads 'Please help you in doing good and piety and do not help each other in committing sins and transgressions.'

Or in the Hadith narrated by Abi Dawud, 'Whoever imitates a people, he is one of them.

"I think that is also used by Maratua but if you look again what is the relationship between the hadith and the verse with Christmas? In Al-Mai'dah Verse 2 what is forbidden is to help in committing sins and transgressions, so what does this have to do with Christmas? Christmas is a sin and a transgression? Likewise, the hadith that is used to say Merry Christmas is considered an act that resembles a people? Where is the logic here!"

"Where did this mother-in-law study Islam? The Koran never says anything about Christmas," closed Ade Armando.

The Circular issued by the North Sumatran MUI also stipulates that Muslims are also not allowed to say Merry Christmas because it is against the Shari'a.

"In line with that, Muslims are not justified in wishing me a Merry Christmas because the Christmas commemoration as stated in the MUI fatwa cannot be separated from the nuances of aqidah which are not in accordance with Islamic religious law," the circular said.

In addition, the North Sumatran MUI also prohibits Muslims from wearing Christmas attributes, as stated in the MUI fatwa number 57 of 2016 concerning the use of non-Muslim religious attributes which are haraam.