Buya Hamka Throws Out Fatwa Haram For Muslims Attend Christmas Worship

The 2019 National Christmas celebration which was attended by President Jokowi at Sentul International Convention Center, Bogor on December 27. (Doc. Ministry of Trade)

JAKARTA - Haji Abdul Malik Karim Amrullah (Hamka) is a famous cleric throughout the country. His knowledge and views regarding Islam have no doubts. The New Order (Orba) was attracted. The New Order (Orba) government then appointed Hamka as the first General Chair of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI).

The man who is familiarly called Buya Hamka is carrying out his position with the mandate. He also often disagrees with the New Order government. Including when he issued a haram fatwa for Muslims to attend Christmas services.

President Suharto understands the great influence of Islam in Indonesia. There is no Islamic power whatsoever. Especially as the majority religion. New Orders cannot continue to distance Muslims from the practice of statehood. He also tried to break down existing standards.

Politics embraced Muslims and then played. All of this was done by Suharto to control Muslims. The establishment of MUI became his teachings. The Smile General also appointed charismatic cleric Buya Hamka as the first General Chair of MUI.

The appointment was not without reason. He saw the great influence of Buya Hamka which was not only able to unite Muslims, but other religious communities. Buya Hamka's election was also greeted with great fanfare by all Indonesian people.

Buya Hamka is hailed can bring progress to Muslims. However, the views of other New Orders themselves. They consider Buya Hamka to be the mouthpiece of the government to perpetuate control of Muslims. New Order hopes are in vain.

Buya Hamka does not want to be regulated by the government, especially Islamic matters. Buya Hamka strongly refused when the New Order wanted to celebrate Eid al-Fitr and Christmas simultaneously. He considered the order while the government considered religion just for fun.

One interesting application of the idea occurred in December 1968, when coincidentally two major days of Islam and Christianity were only five days apart: Eid on December 21 and Christmas on December 25. There was an inspiration (as Hamka Catta and miris) among several heads of prison heads and cabinet ministers of the New Order.

There was a warrant stating that the celebration of Christmas and Eid al-Fitr (especially halal bihalal) was merged into one in government offices led by Christian priests and Muslim clerics. It was Hamka's fight. Only people who don't take religion seriously (people who think religion is just a fad) will accept something like that," explained James R. Rush in the book Adi cerita Hamka (2017).

Buya Hamka also chose to oppose the New Order government. He considered that religion was not a joke. He also issued a haram fatwa which emphasized that Muslims were prohibited from celebrating Christmas together in 1981.

The prohibition is specifically for Buya Hamka to Muslims who attend Christmas rituals. However, Hamka's fatwa is limited to the prohibition on attending Christmas services. While Hamka does not prohibit Muslims from saying Merry Christmas. The New Order, which is campaigning for religious harmony, is not playing with Hamka's decision.

He was asked to revoke the fatwa. However, Hamka's stance on religion cannot be changed. Moreover, the fatwa is entirely an Islamic matter. Instead of being destroyed, Hamka chose to resign from the position of General Chair of the MUI rather than having to revoke the fatwa on May 19, 1981.

When the MUI issued its legal fatwa for Muslims to participate in the Christmas celebration together, the government objected to the fatwa. Because it was against the government, the father then took a firm brush, stating that he had resigned from the position of Chairman of the Central MUI.

After news broke that my father had taken the decision to resign from the General Chairperson of the MUI, many Islamic figures congratulated my father on this firm attitude. including a preacher who always blasphemed my father. While embracing his father, he apologized for his attitude so far, said Buya Hamka's son, Irfan Hamka in his father's book: Buya Hamka's Story (2013).