MUI Affirms Luxury Grave Business In Today's Memory, February 25, 2014

JAKARTA Memories of today, 11 years ago, February 25, 2014, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) confirmed that the luxury grave business is haram. The narrative was revealed because a luxurious grave is a form of using wealth in vain and excessive action.

Previously, burial grounds were starting to be limited everywhere. This condition in fact raises new business ideas. Many luxury graves have sprung up. This condition led to a new polemic because it was considered a religious business.

No one denies that many big cities have limited public cemeteries (TPU). Local governments continue to strive to present new TPUs. They are busy providing land. They also set the price of levies.

Everything is determined at affordable prices. The narrative is because religion is not a business. Recently, the problem of land constraints has begun to be felt by many people. Entrepreneurs, especially. They seemed to see an abundant gap in profits from the funeral business.

This condition makes the luxury grave business thrive. The luxurious tomb is usually outside Jakarta Karawang, for example. The facilities are piled up. The price he charges is quite expensive. Entrepreneurs have determined who the target market is.

The presence of a luxury tomb did not go smoothly. His presence provoked pros and cons. Those who support it because the availability of tombs is indeed a problem in big cities. Those who counter consider it unfit for burial to be used as a business.

The criticism was conveyed by the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) mass organization. They consider the luxury grave business the same as doing wasteful and useless things. Moreover, the essence of death is a reminder that all humans leave the world without carrying property. However, with a luxurious grave it is a waste and unnecessary.

"The authorities in terms of licensing should prioritize aspects of improving the standard of life for the community, rather than just facilitating the burial of corpses for rich people who have a more redundant impression," said Rais Syuriyah, Head of the NU Branch of Karawang Regency, Hasan Nuri Hidayatullah as quoted on the NU Online page, September 26, 2013.

Criticism related to luxury funerals began to arrive. Some from NU, some from Muhammadiyah. Muhammadiyah itself considers luxury burials to be prohibited. This condition is because luxury cemeteries are already in the category of business of religion.

MUI also did not want to be left behind. MUI immediately issued a fatwa on the illicit luxury grave business on February 25, 2014. MUI forbids it because luxury graves contain elements of tabdzirdanisraf. Tambdziryakni uses assets for something in vain. Israf believes in excessive action.

MUI meminta agar umat Islam tak solu dengan cemeteri mewah. Masyarakat tak perlu diputingkan urusan masur. Sebab, pemerintah sudah menjadikannya, dari menyediakan lahan hingga perawatan. MUI pun meminta pemerintah dan masyarakat segera menjadikan fatwa MUI sebagai panduan.

"Buy and land business for the benefit of luxury graves, which contain elements of the tabdzir and israf's punishment is haram. Muslims are asked not to get involved in tabdzir, israf, and in vain acts by buying a luxury funeral plot."

"The government must prepare and ensure the availability of land for the community and its maintenance, and carry out in accordance with sharia provisions, including not mixing between Muslim cemeteries and non-Muslims. The government, business actors, and the community related to the activity of providing burial land to make this fatwa a guide," said Secretary of the Central MUI Fatwa Commission, Asrorun Niam Sholeh as quoted on the detik.com page, February 25, 2014.