A chapter of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), the highest Muslim authority, called on all Muslims Monday to not watch 2012, saying that the Hollywood movie was misleading and against Islamic belief.
Mahmud Zubaidi, head of the East Java's Malang regency chapter of MUI, told reporters that the movie was inappropriate, especially for the Muslims, who should believe that no one but Allah knows when doomsday will come. He warned that the film could give people the wrong idea about doomsday.
Produced by Sony Pictures, Roland Emmerich's 2012 is a new movie about the Mayan doomsday starring John Cusack. Mahmud said that Muslims should not believe the ancient Mayan prediction and the description about doomsday in the movie. Since the film was screened in Malang on Friday, it has attracted huge crowds, who braved a long queue for the tickets, according to Nawang Matik from Cinema 21 in Malang Town Square.
Your comments:
I think the MUI has done a good job in warning Muslims about this movie. As a Muslim, you should know that the knowledge of the Hour (doomsday) belongs to Allah. Anyone who claims that he/she knows when the Hour will come, then he/she is already claiming him/herself as God. Not even the Prophet Muhammad nor the Angel Gabriel knows about the Hour. If you think this is just a mere movie and you watch it, your prayers will not be accepted for 40 days. And if you believe what the movie claims, then indeed you are a disbeliever.
Ahm
Australia
Give me a break! The highest religious authorities are always misleading the public for their own perverted agenda.
Surprisingly, these are the ones who pretend to be more knowledgeable than anyone else, and dictate to others what they believe would be immoral or not. It is only Hollywood entertainment, and will leave some things to the public's imagination.
Andrea L.
Pittsburgh, PA
It's a movie! Not real life! I'm a Muslim and I went to watch it, it was awesome!
Mehr
England
This happened because the MUI considered fiction a true story. What a shame, that a council like the MUI always does terrible things in the name of Allah. The Indonesian government should abolish it!
Mada
Jakarta
I get tired of these pathetic bigots in the MUI with all their nonsense. The government should consider abolishing it.
Endo Hanafi
New Zealand
This issue has turned into an excellent, free-of-charge promotion and advertising campaign for this Hollywood work of fiction, thanks to a number of ignorant clerics. Clerics should bear in mind that movies are works of fiction and that is why people go and watch a movie in the first place, to escape from reality for a short while.
Quoting renowned cleric Yusuf Mansur, who stated that those who wish to watch this movie should consider it a work of fiction, he is so right! Many clerics in Indonesia are getting confused; they cannot separate fiction from reality. Are they so ignorant?
It is not the first time Hollywood has produced movies with a "the end of the world" theme. Why did not they ban these earlier works of fiction? Since clerics are getting involved in this movie ban, I am certainly going to see this movie now.
Maybe we should consider this movie as a warning. Stop the destruction of the forests and coral reefs. Stop emitting poisonous gases into the environment.
Lynna
Bogor, West Java
I agree the MUI should warn people (especially Muslims) to believe that only Allah can decide when and how doomsday will happen.
But, we see the movie from a different perspective: "doomsday in the movie" is not same as "doomsday" mentioned in the Koran, just enjoy the movie.
Agus Riyanto
Jakarta
I have seen the movie. It's not about doomsday. It's just like the story of Noah. No one will be alive after doomsday. The movie director has misinterpreted it.
Imam Gem
Jakarta
I'm going to watch 2012 just because MUI said not to watch it. It is because I have no respect for the MUI, their fatwas, and their so-called "authority".
Nohkes
Depok, West Java
It is because they don't have anything more important to do that they issue statements such as this. I am sad, not because of the statements, but because I didn't get tickets for the movie.
If my country is always made a fuss about such things, how we can be a better country?
Japrut
Jakarta
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