Jakarta (AsiaNews) - " Corruptor is infidel" is the title of a book released recently published by Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the largest moderate Islamic organization in the country, and Muhammadiyah, the second largest Islamic organization in Indonesia.
Corruption is one of the ills afflicting the country's political classes. Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, had promised to uproot the problem. However according to the Indonesian Corruption Watch, the situation is rather worse: the state has lost one trillion rupees (87 million euro) in 2009, 2 thousand billion (175 million euro) in 2010.
"Corruption is a grave practice - said Kiai Haj Masdar Farid Mas’udi among the leaders of NU – which destroys religious truth. Islam considers it a grave sin". Following publication of the provocative book, NU has made another controversial decision: a corrupt person will not receive Islamic prayers when he or she dies.
"Let the family [of the corrupt] pray - said Kiai Hajj Prof Said Agiel Siradj NU leader - but not our imams." According to Kiai Hajj Malik Madani, a religious in NU, the proposal was made to ensure that the organization is not accused of blessing corruption. "These criminals - says Madani - should think hard about the fact that when they die, there will be no one to pray for them."
