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'Muhammadiyah rejects National Santri Day
Haedar Nashir (center)
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Haedar Nashir (center)(Kompas.com/Indra Akuntono) (center)(Kompas.com/Indra Akuntono)
Haedar Nashir (center). (Kompas.com/Indra Akuntono)
Indonesia's second largest Islamic organization, Muhammadiyah, has rejected the government's plan to declare Oct. 22 as National Santri (Islamic boarding school students') Day, arguing that such a declaration could spark controversy among Indonesia's Muslims.
The rejection was stipulated in a letter to President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo dated Oct. 19 signed by Muhammadiyah chairman Haedar Nashir.
Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin is scheduled to attend the event at Istiqlal Mosque. The reason for selecting Oct. 22 as the National Santri Day was based on a fatwa made by Nahdlatul Ulama founder Hasyim Asyari on Oct. 22, 1945, that defending the nation was an obligation for each Muslim. The fatwa was made when Indonesia struggled to defend its independence from the Dutch colonists.
Haedar said he could understand that President Jokowi wanted to fulfill his campaign promise and to recognize the role of Muslims during the independence struggle. 'But declaring a National Santri Day could spark sectarian groups in our society, weaken national integration and revive old religious sentiments,' Haedar said in his letter.
He said that Islamic communities, including Muhammadiyah, have tried to minimize and even eliminate sectarian groups that were counterproductive to the efforts to strengthen national unity.
'The decision to select Oct. 22 [as a national holiday] could spark controversy because it would belittle the role of other Islamic communities, who did not take part in the event related to Oct. 22,' he added.
Religious Affairs Ministry's education directorate general Komaruddin Amin said that his office had received a copy of Muhammadiyah's letter.
He said the government would go ahead with the plan, saying that such a rejection was only due to a different point of view.
'Pak Haedar Nasir may have a different socio-analysis from the President about the matter,' Komaruddin said. (bbn)(++++)
