MUI Affirms Use Of Mosque Loudspeakers As Needed In Today's Memory, July 22, 2013

The mosque management checked the loudspeakers at the top of the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque tower in Banda Aceh. (ANTARA PHOTO/Ampelsa/Asf/mes/pri)

JAKARTA Memories of today, 11 years ago, July 22, 2013, the Bengkulu Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) emphasized the use of mosque loudspeakers as needed. The appeal was so that loudspeakers did not sound excessive, thus disturbing Muslims and non-Muslims.

Previously, the problem of structuring loudspeakers had often been discussed by the Indonesian Mosque Council (DMI). They assess that the business of using loudspeakers so far has not been equipped with clear rules. Therefore, not infrequently many people feel disturbed.

Recently, people's attention regarding loudspeakers has begun to increase. Loud loudspeakers that do not have clear rules between one mosque and another are the cause. Many people, especially non-Muslims, are often disturbed. This condition became an important focus of DMI.

The chairman of DMI, Jusuf Kalla (JK) promised to hold arrangements for the arrangement of loudspeakers for mosques throughout Indonesia. The goal is that loudspeakers in mosques can be regular. JK admits that so far the issue of loudspeakers has never been equipped with clear rules.

This condition makes the sound that appears often disturbs the surrounding environment, which is resting. Not to mention that the use of loudspeakers is carried out outside the implementation of prayer. The former Vice President of Indonesia often advised that worship is solemn.

If the sound is too big and there is a mosque close together, then the sound seems to compete. Syahdunya will not come out. He also appealed to the mosques to play the initial recitation before praying for only five minutes. Even that doesn't use cassettes.

People who immediately recite so that people can come to the mosque because there is a closeness of sound. Not the uniform sound of cassettes. DMI's wish will soon be voiced to the Ministry of Religion and the Ministry of Education.

Everything so that you can sit down together in making an appropriate regulation for loudspeakers. Alias, so that this common interest can be realized.

Not the kind of sound system that is regulated, but the arrangement of the sound. This is what will be arranged. I ask all mosques to no longer use cassettes to play recitations, but people who immediately recite the Koran. I also ask for the volume to be reduced, the idea is only to reach 40 houses from the mosque," said JK as quoted on the tempo page.co, July 12, 2012.

DMI's wish is also welcome. MUI Bengkulu wants the same thing. MUI Bengkulu invited all administrators of mosques and Indonesian people to use loudspeakers as needed on June 22, 2013.

Use of loudspeakers wisely can trigger kindness, rather than harm. People get annoyed and those who listen to the call to prayer immediately step foot into the mosque. MUI sees those who complain that loudspeakers are excessive not only emerging from non-Muslims, but Muslim citizens themselves.

We have to respect other communities. What we are worried about is not the good that is often caused but the bad effects. Not forbidding using loudspeakers but using it with a volume that is not excessive. Because, something excessive is also not good. Our religion also prohibits excessive actions.

"It's very good if our society is tadarus. It will enliven the holy month of Ramadan. However, if you use loudspeakers, don't keep it until midnight. Because some of our other residents also want to rest. Don't let our non-Muslim citizens end up complaining, even our Muslim citizens also complain. This is not good, "said the chairman of the MUI Bengkulu, Rusydi Syam, in Bengkulu, as quoted on the Republika website, July 22, 2013.