Minister Of Religion Defends General Dudung About Prayer In Indonesian

Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas. (ANTARA/HO-Kemenag)

JAKARTA - Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas defended the statement by the Army Chief of Staff (KSAD) General Dudung Abdurachman about praying in Indonesian. The reason is that this is his choice and asks the public not to argue about it.

"That is very clear if we understand General Dudung's statement in its entirety. This statement is also an affirmation that God is not a creature, but as the Creator (the Creator). Never mind, there is nothing to fuss about with that statement," said the Minister of Religion in a written statement quoted Between, Monday, February 7th.

Yaqut's statement was in response to a report against General Dudung by the Coalition of Ulemas and Lawyers Against Blasphemy. In his report, General Dudung was judged to have committed blasphemy against the statement "Our God is not an Arab", in one of the podcasts.

Yaqut said Muslims are allowed to use any language, including Indonesian when praying after prayers. General Dudung's statement, said Yaqut, is in the context of a choice and a way of communicating with God and is not meant to position God as a creature.

Meanwhile, regarding the statement "Because our God is not an Arab", it does not stand alone, but means an affirmation after the sentence 'Just use Indonesian'.

The Minister of Religion invites all parties to prioritize the clarification process (tabayyun) when looking at issues that are considered ambiguous (double meaning). He considered that, as a high-ranking TNI officer, General Dudung was definitely equipped with depth of knowledge and maturity in how to communicate to the public.

“Including religion, General Dudung has paid great attention to efforts to maintain religious harmony in Indonesia. Let's have a clear view of every problem," he said.

If there is a group of people who do not accept the statement, the Minister of Religion asks that it should be resolved by meeting or direct discussion. This method, according to Yaqut, will be more elegant and less energy draining.