Head Of MUI Bogor Regrets The Minister Of Religion's Speech Regarding Mosque Loudspeakers

Chairman of the MUI Bogor Regency, KH Ahmad Mukri Aji at his office, Cibinong, Bogor Regency, West Java. (ANTARA/M Fikri Setiawan)

BOGOR - General Chairperson of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Bogor Regency, West Java, KH Ahmad Mukri Aji regretted the words of the Minister of Religion, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas who made an analogy for mosque loudspeakers with barking dogs.

"Supposedly, the Minister of Religion used other dictions that are more acceptable to the public so as not to generate polemics in the community," he said at his office, Cibinong, Bogor, as reported by Antara, Friday, February 25.

The reason is, this moment is vulnerable to being used as material by irresponsible people to divide religious people, especially Muslims.

"We should not be provoked, there are many groups who want us to be divided. Don't be easily provoked," he said.

However, KH Mukri invited the public to be more responsive to the substance of the rules regarding mosque loudspeakers, rather than the polemic of the analogy of barking dogs.

"There is something more important that should be considered regarding the implementation of the Circular Letter of the Minister of Religion Number 5 of 2022 concerning guidelines for using loudspeakers in mosques and prayer rooms," said KH Mukri.

He noted that in the implementation of this Circular, the Minister of Religion should consider social aspects.

"You have to consider the social aspect, because after all the rules made by the government must be based on the needs and desires of the community. If in the local area it is agreed that the use of mosque loudspeakers by all elements of society is legal," he explained.

KH Mukri said, in addition to social aspects, the application of the SE must also consider the geographical aspects of the local area. Because according to him, in villages whose houses are far apart, a lot of people rely on the sound from the mosque,

"They instead rely on the sound from the mosque, the farmers in the fields also use the sound from the mosque as a reference when they have to rest and go home. It's different in urban areas where heterogeneous people live," said KH Mukri.

He hopes that the circular on the use of mosque loudspeakers will serve as a reference for the community to respect each other's rights and obligations.

He also said that the guidelines for the use of loudspeakers were also the result of the seventh ijtima ulema of the Central MUI Fatwa Commission in 2021.

Previously, Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas issued Circular Letter (SE) Number 5 of 2022 regarding guidelines for using loudspeakers in mosques and prayer rooms.

The letter regulates the use of time and power from loudspeakers in mosques and prayer rooms, one of which aims to make relations between religious communities more harmonious.

"We know it's a symbol of the Islamic religion, please use a toa, but of course it must be regulated. It is regulated how the volume can't be loud, a maximum of 100 decibels," he said in Pekanbaru, Wednesday, February 23.

According to him, the guidelines also aim to increase benefits and reduce things that are not useful, because in Muslim-majority areas in Indonesia, almost every 100-200 meters there is a mosque or prayer room.

"Let's imagine, I'm Muslim, I live in a non-Muslim environment, then their house of worship rings the prayer loudly five times a day simultaneously, how does that feel?" he said.

"Another example, for example, is that our neighbors, both front and back, keep all dogs, for example, barking at the same time, aren't we disturbed? This means that we must regulate all sounds so they don't become a nuisance," he said.

The statement then ignited the pros and cons of the community.

The Acting Head of the Public Relations, Data and Information Bureau of the Ministry of Religion, Thobib Al Asyhar, explained that Yaqut's statement did not compare the sound of the call to prayer with the sound of a dog.

"The Minister of Religion does not at all compare the sound of the adhan to the sound of a dog, but the Minister of Religion is giving an example of the importance of regulating loudspeaker noise," said Thobib in a written statement in Jakarta, Thursday, February 24.