Jusuf Kalla Asks Mosques Not To Build Business Units, Suggests Lecturers To Discuss People's Economy

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Indonesian Mosque Council (DMI) Jusuf Kalla (JK) appealed to all mosque administrators in the regions not to build business units or cooperatives because they have the potential to cause losses.

"I always say mosques don't trade or do business. I emphasize that mosques don't trade, but their congregations do business," said JK at the MoU signing ceremony between Bank Syariah Indonesia (BSI) and DMI in Jakarta, Wednesday, October 29.

The appeal came from Jusuf Kalla's personal experience when he was chairman of a mosque in Makassar, South Sulawesi. At that time, he made the mosque operate in the field of business units and cooperatives, but the business failed and lost money.

"My experience as chairman of a mosque in Makassar, twice I created business units such as cooperatives and mosque-owned businesses. Everything is a loss and I have to take responsibility because I am the chairman," he said.

Therefore, he encouraged the preachers at the mosque to emphasize the importance of aqidah and muamalah, as well as discussing economics so that the economy of Muslims could rise.

"I always teach in the content of lectures at mosques or recitations, 60 percent of the portion discusses aqidah, muamalah and so on, the rest we discuss about the economy, whether it's trade, fisheries or agriculture, adapted to each region," he explained.

Regarding the Muslim economy, the 10th and 12th Indonesian Vice Presidents said the potential for developing the people's economy through mosques was quite large. He calculated that if every Friday there are at least 100 people worshiping in the mosque, then all mosques in Indonesia become a promising market potential.

Therefore, JK encourages BSI to expand cooperation with mosque administrators with Muslims as a fairly high market share.

"Maybe after every Friday prayer, call BSI people to talk about how to get capital or cooperate with BSI. So BSI should not target the mosque, but the congregation of the mosque," he said.