T

he Muslim mass organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) executive board on Sunday rejected a National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) proposal that would require Islamic scholars, or clerics, to be certified as a way of minimalizing the risk of radicalism.

Nahdlatul Ulama chairman Said Aqil Siroj said that being a cleric is a socially recognized distinction given to individuals who display an advanced understanding of Islam, not a government-stamped title.

This is why Said believes that it would be wrong for the government to judge who is or is not worthy of becoming a cleric. “We have to remember that terrorism is not rooted in Islamic culture. If acts of terror still exist, clerics are not to blame,” he added, as Antara News agency quoted.

He pointed out that clerics could actually play a constructive role in deradicalizing individuals, especially those who belonged to organizations that pre-dated Indonesia’s independence, like Muhammadiyah and the NU.

“The government is going too far in handling things like this,” he said.