Nurfika Osman – The chairman of the Indonesian Council of Ulema (MUI) says he disagrees with an article published by a MUI leader that says Muslims should not salute the national flag and anthem.
Cholil Ridwan published the article in bi-weekly tabloid Suara Islam (Voice of Islam) on Friday in response to a reader's question on the issue.
According to Cholil, who has a regular column on sharia-related issues in the tabloid, saluting the flag is bid'ah in Islam – something never recommended or undertaken by the Prophet Muhammad, and therefore not desirable. "Saluting [national flags] is in the tradition of kafir (infidels) who exaggerate respect toward the leaders and formal conducts," he said.
"Saluting a waving flag is not allowed because a flag is an inanimate object and saluting it means a glorifying such objects. Inanimate objects must not be glorified because they are useless and they cannot hear," Cholil said in the column.
He suggested Muslims to show their love for their country in other ways. "Some people might say that by saluting the flag means we respect state symbols, but the real answer is to respect the country in the ways Allah taught us, that is by listening to and obeying the law," he said.
But the head of the MUI, Amidhan, told the Jakarta Globe on Tuesday there was nothing wrong with saluting the flag or any other national symbol.
"As long as the person doesn't worship the flag or any other object, it is fine," Amidhan said. "It will become haram if the person sees that the flag has magical powers or is sacred," he said. "People who think it is haram are simply narrow minded."
Prominent Islamic scholars agreed with Amidhan on the issue, saying that there was no harm in saluting the flag.
"For me, it is fine to salute the national flag," saiid Salahuddin Wahid, a senior figure at the Nahdlatul Ulama, the country's largest and most progressive Islamic organization. Salahuddin is also the brother of former president Abdurrahman Wahid.
A similar opinion was voiced by Azyumardi Azra, a history professor from Syarif Hidayatullah Islamic State University. "I think it's a personal opinion of an MUI official, and they don't need such a fatwa," Azyumardi said.