MUI Allows Mosques To Be Reception And Meeting Rooms In Today's Memory, August 3, 2013

A wedding ceremony was held at the Istiqlal Mosque, Jakarta. (Bridestory/Askar Photography)

JAKARTA Memories of today, 11 years ago, August 3, 2013, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) issued a fatwa that allowed mosques to be places for receptions, children's playrooms, and meeting rooms. This provision is allowed as long as it does not interfere with prayer and maintain the honor of the mosque.

Previously, mosques were increasingly being used for economic purposes. Usually, a two-story mosque uses its upper floor for worship and other lower floors for wedding receptions. The polemic may or may not be used for economic purposes as a wild ball.

Mosques have always been used for activities of Muslim interest. Mosques are not only used as places of worship, sometimes mosques become places of meeting. However, lately many mosques have become increasingly used for economic purposes.

Take for example a two-story mosque. top level for worship. The lower floor is used for wedding receptions and other activities. Some Muslims think the activity is fine. Some others consider it a problem.

Activities other than worship can disturb those who really want to make the mosque a reward field. Their worship has been disrupted. Not to mention that this activity is considered an effort to commercialize the mosque.

Another consideration of mosques is a holy area. It cannot be simply entered by those who are not holy: menstruated and so on. Mosques are considered to be allowed to be used for social activities. However, outside of that it is considered that there is no urgency.

This view raises a polemic. One by one the rebuttal appears. The arguments presented in various ways. Some have quoted hadith. There are also those who take the opinion of the ulama. This condition made the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) intervene.

They do not want this problem to continue to drag on. The MUI fatwa Commission is trying to formulate whether or not the mosque may be used for business activities, apart from worship. As a result, MUI issued a fatwa that allowed the masjid to be used for economic activities on August 3, 2013.

"Utilizing part of the mosque area for economic purposes, such as renting out a hall for the legal wedding reception as long as it is aimed at the benefit of the mosque's prosperity and maintaining the honor of the mosque," said Secretary of the MUI Fatwa Commission Asrorun Niam as quoted on the second.com page, August 3, 2013.

This means that the mosque area can be used for the benefit of muamalah. Mosques may be used for children's games, education, and meeting rooms. However, there are conditions. These activities are not religiously prohibited.

Anyone who carries out activities at the mosque must maintain the honor of the mosque. Also, the benefits of activities are required to prosper the mosque by ensuring the provision of the best facilities and infrastructure for worship activities and muamalah.

"This activity is not strictly prohibited, always maintains the honor of the mosque, does not interfere with the implementation of worship, uses part of the mosque area for economic purposes, such as renting out a hall for a legal wedding reception as long as it is intended for the benefit of the mosque's prosperity and maintaining the honor of the mosque."

"And it is not difficult for people to enter the mosque to worship, it does not interfere with the implementation of worship in the mosque, it does not conflict with the glory of the mosque, among others by closing the aurat," explained Niam.