Ulema Council (MUI)
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| Ulema Council (MUI) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Ulema Council (MUI) |
| Native name | Majelis Ulama Indonesia |
| Formation | 1975 |
| Headquarters | Jakarta |
| Region served | Indonesia |
| Leader title | Chairman |
Ulema Council (MUI) is an Islamic clerical body in Indonesia established in 1975 that issues religious opinions, coordinates with religious organizations, and advises state institutions. It interacts with religious figures, political parties, mass organizations, and state ministries while engaging in interfaith dialogues and social programs. The council's activities have attracted attention from scholars, activists, and international observers due to its role in shaping religious norms and public policy.
History
The origins trace to initiatives involving figures linked to Suharto, Golkar, Nahdlatul Ulama, Muhammadiyah, Nahdlatul Wathan, Persatuan Islam, and other post-1965 actors aiming to institutionalize clerical guidance. Early assemblies included leaders associated with Abdurrahman Wahid, Hamzah Haz, Amien Rais, Yusuf al-Qaradawi, and networks connected to Muslim Brotherhood currents and Indonesian pesantren such as Gontor and Lirboyo. During the New Order era the council interacted with Ministry of Religious Affairs, State Secretary of the Republic of Indonesia, and agencies tied to Pancasila implementation and national stability. The Reformasi period brought contact with leaders from Megawati Sukarnoputri, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Joko Widodo, and civil-society actors, prompting shifts in approach amid pressures from groups including Front Pembela Islam, Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia, and international NGOs like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.
Organization and Membership
The council's structure features a leadership assembly aligned with provinces represented by scholars from institutions such as Al-Azhar University, King Saud University, International Islamic University Malaysia, and Indonesian pesantrens like Pesantren Tebuireng and Pesantren Darul Ulum. Membership historically included clerics tied to organisations like Nahdlatul Ulama, Muhammadiyah, Persis, Al-Irsyad, and regional ulema councils linked to provincial administrations in Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, East Java, and Aceh. Leadership elections have seen involvement from public figures associated with MPR, DPR, KPU, and former ministers from Ministry of Religious Affairs. Committees coordinate with academic partners such as Universitas Indonesia, Gadjah Mada University, Airlangga University, and international bodies like Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
Roles and Functions
The council issues religious rulings in consultation with scholars connected to Tafsir, Hadith circles, and madhhabs represented by teachers from institutions such as Al-Azhar. It provides guidance to state bodies including Ministry of Health, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Education and Culture, and law-enforcement agencies like Polri. The council advises community organizations such as Nahdlatul Ulama, Muhammadiyah, Himpunan Mahasiswa Islam, and coordinates humanitarian efforts with entities like BNPB and international agencies including UNICEF and UNESCO. It also engages in interfaith outreach together with organizations such as KWI, PGI, and participates in conferences with delegations from Malaysia, Brunei, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.
Fatwas and Religious Guidance
The council issues fatwas on matters ranging from ritual practice to contemporary issues, involving jurists trained at Dar al-Ulum, Al-Azhar University, King Abdulaziz University, and pesantrens like Gontor. Fatwas have touched on topics related to banking and finance interacting with Bank Indonesia and Otoritas Jasa Keuangan, bioethics referenced by Ministry of Health, family law in relation to decisions from provincial offices in Aceh, and halal certification coordinated with BPOM and industry groups. Seminars and publications have involved scholars who lectured at Universitas Islam Negeri, Universitas Airlangga, and international forums such as Organisation of Islamic Cooperation meetings and academic symposia at SOAS and University of Oxford.
Political and Social Influence
The council has influenced electoral politics through statements involving parties like Golkar, PKS, PAN, PKB, and mobilized constituencies affiliated with organizations such as Front Pembela Islam and Pemuda Pancasila. It has been a stakeholder in policy debates with presidents including Suharto, Megawati Sukarnoputri, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and Joko Widodo, and has lobbied legislators in the DPR over laws affecting religious practice, blasphemy statutes, and family law. The council's halal certification and advisory role impact corporations including Unilever Indonesia, Sampoerna, and food industry associations, while its pronouncements intersect with human-rights advocates at Amnesty International and scholars at Australian National University and SOAS.
Controversies and Criticism
The council has faced criticism from civil-society groups such as KontraS, Human Rights Watch, and academics at Universitas Gadjah Mada and Universitas Indonesia over fatwas seen as restrictive concerning minority rights, gender equality, and freedom of expression in cases involving figures linked to Ahok, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, and debates over blasphemy law enforcement. Critics within communities including Muhammadiyah, NU, and independent scholars have contested perceived alignment with political elites and with groups like Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia or Front Pembela Islam. International commentators at International Crisis Group and regional analysts in ISEAS have discussed tensions between religious authority, state institutions, and civil liberties surrounding the council's interventions.