Indonesia to ban peaceful Muslim group
Posted on June 10, 2008
Filed Under Islam, News, Politics, Religion
So often, I and many other fellow bloggers who write about political issues and the conflict between the West and Islam, issue a call for the so-called “Muslim silent majority” to start voicing their opinion and deal with the “radicals” who bring destruction first and foremost upon their own nations, and only then on the West. And so often, actually most of the times, this majority remains silent, turning a blind eye on the crimes committed by their crazed and bloodthirsty brethren, and let them tighten the grip on the throats of their societies and stumble and crash every little expression of modernism and a good and honest will of co-existence.
The sad state these societies are in can be seen in the latest ordeal in Indonesia, where the government succumbed to the threats and fanatical rage of terrorists, and moved to banning an Islamic sect - Ahmadyya – a truly rare group calling for peace and non-violence between the people of different religions
Jakarta (AsiaNews) – Indonesia gives in to fundamentalist pressures and bans all activities by Ahmadis across the country. Extremists won their battle against those whom they consider a “heretical sect” and its members’ demand to be recognised as Muslim. Interior Minister Mardiyanto, Attorney General Henderman Supandji and Religious Affairs Minister Maftuh Basyuni approved the joint ministerial decree that forces Ahmadis to halt all their activities.
A heated debate had broken out in recent days. Tensions ran so high that partisans of radical and moderate factions in Indonesian Islam clashed. Today another demonstration by extremists took place with protesters calling for the outright ban of the sect.
According to Muslim extremists, Ahmadis have deviated from mainstream Islam because, even though they consider themselves Muslims, they do not recognise Muhammad as the last prophet. For this reason they are also persecuted in Pakistan and Bangladesh.
“The most important thing is to end this religious campaign to have Ghulam proclaimed as a prophet,” said Religious Affairs Minister Maftuh Basyuni. Such recognition would defile Islam’s purity.
Both he and Attorney General Supandji have denied claims that the measure is intended to wipe out the Ahmadis; the two ministers reject all charges that the ban is a violation of religious freedom.
The government’s decision has provoked criticism from members of the Ahmadi community. Across Indonesia hundreds of them have pledged to continue their campaign, saying that the “state has no right to interfere in matters that touch upon citizens’ faith and beliefs.”
Some hard-line Muslim groups have also attacked the government’s action, calling instead for a presidential decree that would impose a total ban on the sect.
“If President Susilo does not act in this direction, we shall organise new, bigger protests to force him to resign,” threatened the chairman of the Islamic Society Forum.
Sounds like a threat, doesn’t it? A blunt and direct threat by someone who has absolutely no respect for his own people (which makes you wonder, how can you expect him and those like him to respect those who are not “up to his standards”)
And oh, the “protests” this terrorist chairman of the ISF mentions - these included the calls for killing the members of Ahmadyya group.
Silent Muslim majority? It makes me wonder whether there is this majority at all, because the act of silence in the light of the threats made by the “radicals” equals to approving these threats, or to be more exact, silently agreeing with them. I guess this, by itself, cancels the popular politically correct claim “there is only a small radical minority that gives Islam a bad name”.
What gives Islam a bad name is those who do nothing and speak nothing while the “radical minority” has a carte blanche to proceed with their crimes.
