Judged Not In Accordance With Local Wisdom In Aceh, Minister Of Religion Yaqut Asked To Revoke SE Loudspeakers In Mosques

Illustration - loudspeaker installation (ANTARA)

ACEH - Chairman of the Banda Aceh City People's Representative Council (DPRK) Farid Nyak Umar asked the Minister of Religion (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas to revoke Circular (SE) Number 5 of 2022 concerning guidelines for using loudspeakers in mosques and prayer rooms.

"We received a lot of input from scholars, community leaders, and mass organizations who urged that SE Menag Number 5 of 2022 be revoked, because it could cause chaos among the people," said Farid Nyak Umar, in Banda Aceh, as reported by Antara, Thursday, February 24.

According to Farid, the circular is not in accordance with local wisdom or local wisdom in several regions in Indonesia, especially for the Aceh region and Banda Aceh City which apply Islamic law.

"Moreover, in Banda Aceh, tolerance between religious communities is going very well and there has never been a religious conflict," he said.

Farid said, Aceh through Law Number 11 of 2006 concerning the Government of Aceh (UUPA) has a specificity in the implementation of Islamic law, including the matter of loudspeakers to announce the call to prayer and others which are part of the symbols of Islam.

As an element of forkopimda, said Farid, he has communicated with the Religious Harmony Forum (FKUB), and all of them are very tolerant. Then, so far there has never been a non-Muslim citizen who complained about the sound of the call to prayer.

"So in Aceh no one feels disturbed or disturbed because of the loudspeakers in the mosque," said Farid. 2022 on the guidelines for the use of loudspeakers.

"The guidelines are issued as an effort to increase peace, order and harmony among members of the community," said Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas in a written statement received in Jakarta.

Yaqut said the use of loudspeakers in mosques and prayer rooms is a necessity for Muslims as one of the media to spread Islam in the community.

But on the other hand, the Indonesian people are also diverse, in terms of religion, belief, background, and others, so efforts are needed to maintain brotherhood and social harmony.