In an apparent ploy to use places of worship as a medium to express political leanings, four mosques in Jakarta have been putting up posters to discourage their congregations from voting for embattled Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama ahead of the gubernatorial election’s runoff.

Some of the posters threaten to not perform prayer on deceased congregation members found to have supported Ahok, who is currently being brought to justice for alleged blasphemy following his remarks on Surah Al-Maidah 51 during a work visit to Thousand Islands regency in September last year.

Several Muslim residents and scholars, however, slammed these threatening posters as they said it was not in line with any Islamic teachings.

Annisa, 28, said Islam was supposed to be full of peace and tolerance. Therefore, she added, every deceased Muslim should be buried according to Islamic teachings, regardless of their political preferences.

“I completely disagree with the posters, especially if they were from the mosque’s caretakers. I have no respect for them putting those posters up. It is not the right thing to do,” Annisa said.

Echoing Annisa’s sentiment, Arya, 40, said the posters should not have been put up as it would only create clashes between fellow Muslims, which was not the point of Islam.

“Look, a terrorist could’ve killed a lot of people but still be prayed for. Why is it in this case that they [who supported a non-Muslim candidate] shouldn’t?” Arya said, adding that these were improper practices of the religion.

Muslim scholars commented that the caretakers should not have put the posters up as it was a display of religious teachings being misused for political purposes.

Ahmad Ishomuddin from the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) said the posters were intimidation acts for people with different choices and beliefs in the gubernatorial election despite the Constitution guaranteeing every citizen’s electoral freedom.

“The practice is not right since they are using Quranic verses in an incorrect context. They only use the verses for their own aims, not based on their meanings interpreted by experts on tafsir [Quranic interpretation],” Ahmad said

The caretakers claimed that the posters’ statement was justified by the Quranic verse Surah At Taubah 84, which said “And do not pray [the funeral prayer, O Muhammad], over any of them who have died — ever — or stand at his grave. Indeed, they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger and died while they were defiantly disobedient.”

Ahmad added that this ploy was an example of religion being used as a political tool to intimidate a group to vote for a particular candidate.

Ahmad’s arguments were echoed by another scholar, Robby Habiba Abror, who said local religious leaders should watch their language in giving such religious propagation.

“Political choice is a personal matter. Therefore, the leaders should be able to differentiate between warning a congregation in a religious context and attempting to sway public opinion in a political context,” said Robby from Yogyakarta Islamic State University.

Al Jihad Mosque in Setiabudi, South Jakarta put up posters reading “Masjid ini tidak mensholatkan jenazah pendukung dan pembela penista agama” (This mosque will not perform prayer on the deceased who supported and defended a blasphemer) and “Penghina Al-Qur’an perusak persatuan bangsa” (A blasphemer of the Quran is the destroyer of national unity). The posters have become viral on social media.

The mosque’s caretakers, however, denied that the posters were related to the election.

“They have nothing to do with politics. We are only telling Muslims to follow God’s orders in the Quran,” said Yayat, a caretaker of the mosque. (kkk)

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