Eva C. Komandjaja and Suherdjoko, Jakarta/Semarang – An attempt by the Ministry of Religious Affairs to ban Islamic books thought to foment radicalism has been opposed by a large Muslim organization that fears the move could prove counterproductive.
The ministry has requested that the Attorney General's Office ban all books that pose a danger to the country by teaching and spreading Islamic extremism.
But Din Syamsuddin, the chairman of the country's second largest Muslim organization, Muhammadiyah, said such a ban would only encourage curious people to seek out the books.
Ministry secretary-general Faisal Ismail said his office was currently evaluating a number of books to determine whether they promoted radicalism and the use of violence in the name of jihad.
Faisal referred specifically to books written by Imam Samudra and Amrozi, who were convicted over the first Bali bombings. The two books have sold well and are reportedly into their third printings.
Bali was the target of another terrorist attack on Oct. 1, when three suicide bombers killed 20 people in three crowded restaurants. The investigation into the attack led police to top terror suspect Azahari bin Husin, who was killed in a police raid in Batu, Malang, on Nov. 9.
Faisal said the ministry was particularly concerned by books that taught a violent form of jihad, which he said was a danger to the nation.
"If we do not pull these books from the shelves, people who read them could be swayed by these false teachings on jihad. These books also quote Koranic verses to justify violence," Faisal said during a visit to Semarang.
Din agreed the books were dangerous, but suggested that instead of issuing bans the government encourage the publication of books to counter false teachings on jihad.
"I do wonder how books that contain teachings justifying acts of terrorism are able to circulate. But if they are banned now it will just make people curious and encourage them to read the books. It would be better to publish books that explain the true teachings of Islam," Din told The Jakarta Post on Friday, before leaving later in the day for Tripoli to attend an international conference of Islamic figures.
Din is part of an antiterror team recently formed by the Ministry of Religious Affairs. The team, comprising ulema and leaders of the country's largest Muslim group, Nahdlatul Ulama, and the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), will work to counter extremist teachings.
Din, who is also the deputy chairman of the MUI, said he had read several of the books being evaluated by the religious affairs ministry and found their arguments in favor of violent jihad deceptive and tenuous.
"It is clear that suicide bombings are against Islam. The religion forbids murder, let alone mass murder. Those books are poisoning the minds of people who do not really understand Islam," he said.
The deputy head of the Intelligence Division at the Attorney General's Office, Mochtar Arifin, said his office was still evaluating a number of books. The Attorney General's Office is the only institution authorized to ban publications and teachings deemed a threat to the state.