Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Former President of Indonesia calls for religious tolerance
Ahmadiyya, a sect of Islam, poses challenges for traditional Islam

By Jackie O'Neal
Special to ASSIST News Service
Indonesia's former President Abdurrahman Wahid

JAKARTA, INDONESIA (ANS) -- According to Sara Webb writing for Reuters, Indonesia's former President Abdurrahman Wahid on Wednesday (June 25) criticized the government's restrictions on an Islamic sect and encouraged moderate Muslims to become vocal in defense of religious tolerance.

Webb went on to say that as a result of pressure from hard-line groups, the government issued a ministerial decree on June 8th that warned followers of the sect that they could face imprisonment for polluting religion. Many believe the sect challenges traditional Islam.

According to www.AsiaNews.net, Attorney General Henderman Supandji and Religious Affairs Minister Maftuh Basyuni approved the joint ministerial decree that forces Ahmadis to halt all their activities.

Wahid told Reuters, "Now the fundamentalists demand that the Ahmadiyya movement, one sect of Islam, must be disbanded. But I think it's only the first step. After that, they will make further demands, "You ban Ahmadiyya, then you ban the Shi'ites, Christians, Buddhists."

Some Indonesians regard the Ahmadiyya sect as heretical as a result of followers not acknowledging the Prophet Mohammad as Islam's final prophet and believe Ahmadiyya's founder, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad is a prophet and messiah.

In recent months, hundreds of protestors set fire to a mosque belonging to the Ahmadiyya sect. The Ahmadiyya, operates branches in over 189 countries in Africa, North America, South America, Asia, Australia, and Europe.

The population of Indonesia totals 226 million and 85 percent are moderate Muslims.