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Preacher Abdul Somad under fire for 'blasphemous' remarks against Christian cross
Muslim preacher Abdul Somad has recently become embroiled in religious controversy since a video of him calling the Christian cross “an element of the devil” during a sermon went viral on social media.
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Ustadz Abdul Somad (Courtesy of /Instagram @ustadzabdulsomad)
M
uslim preacher Abdul Somad has become embroiled in religious controversy since a video of him calling the Christian cross “an element of the devil” during a sermon went viral on social media.
Abdul’s scathing remarks regarding the crucifix have garnered strong responses from the public, including religious scholars who criticized the sermon for propagating anti-Christian sentiment.
Indonesian Catholic Scholar Association (ISKA) chairman Hargo Mandiraharjo bemoaned Abdul’s now-viral sermon, saying that religious differences shouldn’t be an excuse for condescension and insults against people of different beliefs.
“As a religious figure, [Abdul] was supposed to be a peaceful bridge between different religions,” Hargo said on Saturday as quoted by tempo.co.
He said Abdul’s contentious sermon could potentially hamper efforts at bolstering religious tolerance in the country. He called on every chapter of the ISKA across the country, as well as all Christians to not be provoked by the sermon.
“Keep respecting each other to maintain unity amid diversity,” Hargo added.
The chairman of the Indonesian Christian Intelligence Association (PIKI) Yogyakarta chapter, Bambang Praswanto, also responded to the controversy, saying that Abdul’s sermon had threatened national unity.
“We Christians have forgiven [Abdul] for his ignorance. Christians must not be provoked by his [sermon],” Bambang said on Sunday.
He said that, personally, he expected to see Abdul held legally accountable for his controversial comments.
“We will let the law do its job. We believe the court will do us justice. No religion in this country should be subjected to such comments,” he added.
The priest group Brigade Meo in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) has filed a report against the Muslim preacher to the NTT Police for the “blasphemous” sermon.
The Indonesian Christian Student Movement (GMKI) has also reported Abdul’s sermon to the National Police. GMKI chairman Korneles Jalanjinjinay found the Muslim preacher’s comments regarding the Christian cross to be derogatory.
Meanwhile, Muhammadiyah – one of the country’s largest Muslim organizations – lambasted Abdul’s sermon, calling it serious defamation of a religious symbol.
“I can’t imagine the reaction if it had been another preacher of a different religion insulting an Islamic symbol,” said Muhammadiyah central public policy department secretary Abdul Rohim Ghazali.
“There would have been a tsunami of protests, with the perpetrator severely punished.”
In a video that has been widely circulated on social media, Abdul Somad answered a fellow Muslim’s question about why they felt a chill whenever they saw a crucifix. “[Because of] Satan!” the preacher replied, to a laughing audience."
“There’s an evil jinn in every crucifix that wants to convert people into Christianity,” he said.
Abdul recently clarified that the viral video was of a sermon that he delivered over three years ago. Furthermore, he argued the sermon took place in a Muslim congregation where he knew no Christian would be offended by his remarks.
“I merely responded to a question; I didn’t make any deliberately offensive comment,” he said.
In 2018, Abdul was among several preachers who were not included in the Religious Affairs Ministry’s list of 200 moderate Islamic preachers. (rfa)
