Minister says clerics risk reputation by meddling in politics

Jakarta, NU Online
Religious Affairs Minister Maftuh Basyuni has criticized the country's Muslim clerics for their involvement in politics, saying it could put Islamic education at risk.

Maftuh said the involvement of clerics in politics could erode their moral standing and that of pesantren, or Islamic boarding schools, which he said had long been moral beacons in Muslim society.<>

"Some Muslim clerics prefer to be involved in politics rather than becoming educators...and as a result, religion-based education in pesantren has become somewhat disorganized," Maftuh told hundreds of clerics attending a meeting of Rabithah Ma'ahid Islamiyah (RMI), or the Association of Islamic Boarding Schools.

The four-day national meeting, being held at Jakarta's Haj Dormitory, began Friday. The RMI is affiliated to the country's largest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU).

Maftuh said, as quoted by Antara, that clerics' involvement in politics was only justified if they did so to improve the quality of education.

The minister said countless Islamic schools in the country played an indispensable role in providing education for the poor.

As reported by The Jakarta Post, data from the ministry show that 91.8 percent of educational institutions under its supervision are managed by private institutions. The majority of these are pesantren run by Muslim clerics.

In a country where loyalty to traditional leaders often decides political outcomes, political parties are known to enlist support from Muslim clerics in order to boost their credibility and win votes.

A recent survey by the Islamic and Societal Research Center found that Indonesians trusted their religious leaders more than any other individual or institution, including the President.

NU's expert on Muslim education, Masdar Farid Mas'udi, said he endorsed Maftuh's call for reining in Muslim clerics and their involvement in politics.

"Muslim clerics these days are indeed too preoccupied with politics, which is not their normal domain, and as a result they risk being corrupted by it," he told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

Masdar said that as a symbol of morality and wisdom, Muslim clerics should remain in their pesantren and work on improving the quality of religion-based education.

"Unlike modern educational institutions where system takes precedence over figures, in traditional pesantren, clerics determine the quality of education."

He acknowledged the involvement of religious figures in politics was a common practice in modern politics. "Even in the U.S., religious leaders play an important role in politics."

Clerics' involvement in politics is only justified if they do it for a relevant cause, Masdar said.

"Clerics should press for pro-poor policies, for instance, rather than seeking political power." (dar)