Indonesian Ulema Council (, , abbreviated MUI) is Indonesia's top Islamic scholars' body. MUI was founded in Jakarta on 26 July 1975 during the New Order era. The council comprises many Indonesian Muslim groups including Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Muhammadiyah, Indonesia Institute of Islamic Dawah (LDII), and smaller groups such as Syarikat Islam, Perti, Al Washliyah, Mathla'ul Anwar, GUPPI, PTDI, DMI, and Al Ittihadiyyah.

The Ahlul Bait Indonesia (Shi'ite) and Jemaat Ahmadiyyah Indonesia (Ahmadiyya) were not accepted as members. In 2005, MUI released the fatwa to prohibit Ahmadiyya as deviant sect of Islam and lobbied the President to ban the expelled religious sect.

Roles The government, at the creation of the MUI stated three broad goals for the MUI: Strengthening religion in the way the Pancasila describes to ensure national resilience. Participation of the Ulama in national development. The maintenance of harmony between the different religions in Indonesia.“Islamic state or state Islam? Fifty years of state-Islam relations in Indonesia”, in: Ingrid Wessel (Hrsg.), Indonesien am Ende des 20. Jahrhunderts. Hamburg: Abera-Verlag, 1996, pp. 19-34.

Beside the three goals, nonetheless, there were two specific agendas of MUI's establishment. First, it aimed to help Suharto in communism repudiation. Second, it was an umbrella organization for political Islam canalization.

Since the collapse of Suharto's regime in 1998, MUI has changed its approach in the state-religion relationship by envisioning a more active role to protect Muslim's interests while started a new position as a critical partner of the Indonesian government. The MUI, thus, acts as an interface between the Indonesian government and the Islamic communities. The changes in civil society after the fall of Suharto have both widened the role of the MUI and made it more complex. The MUI gives fatwas to the Islamic community; through this they dictate the general direction of Islamic life in Indonesia.Gillespie, P 2007, "Current Issues in Indonesian Islam: Analysing the 2005 Council of Indonesian Ulama Fatwa N0. 7" Journal of Islamic Studies Vol 18, No. 2 pp. 202-240. Fatwa (or plural form Fatawa) represents Muslim's ethical response, legal interpretation, and contextual feedback on a particular social issue(s).

The MUI now has twelve commissions and ten divisions that work together in behalf of Muslim's interest through various responsibilities such as fatwa, education and leadership training, women and family, law and regulation, research and development, inter-religious engagement, international relations, economic betterment and many more. Each commissions is led by professional and Islamic scholars.

The MUI (particularly since the fall of Suharto) have given opinion and issued fatwas on a large variety of issues, from the role of the Indonesian Army in government to the public acceptability of the dancing of pop star Inul Daratista to the (sin of) deliberately burning forests to clear the land for growing crops.Forest-burning is a sin, says Indonesian Islamic council, BBC News, 14 Sept 2016

An important function of MUI is to provide halal fatwa for products (including but not limited to foods, cosmetics, pharmaceutical and clothing).

List of chairmen Representative Nahdlatul Ulama Muhammadiyah PortraitName Took office Left office Term of office Election1Abdul Malik Karim Amrullah 26 July 1975 19 May 1981 National Conference I(1975)2 24 July 1981 20 September 1984 National Conference II(1981)3 1984 1985 years Fait Accompli 1985 1990 National Conference III(1985)4Ali Yafie 1990 1995 years National Conference IV(1990) 1995 2000 National Conference V(1995)5Sahal Mahfudh 29 July 2000 28 July 2005 National Conference VI(2000) 28 July 2005 25 July 2010 National Conference VII(2005) 25 July 2010 24 January 2014 National Conference VIII(2010)6 Din Syamsuddin 24 January 2014 27 August 2015 Fait Accompli7 Ma'ruf Amin 27 August 2015 20 October 2019 National Conference IX(2015)8 Miftachul Achyar 26 November 2020 14 August 2023 National Conference X(2020)915 August 2023Incumbent IncumbentPlenary Session(2023)

Conflicts MUI is a government funded organisation that acts independently but there have been examples of the MUI being asked to legitimise government policy. A particular example of this that caused friction within the MUI was request that the MUI support the government's birth control program. The government needed the support of the MUI and aspects of the program were objected to by many in religious circles.

Notes

See also Halal certification in Australia

References

External links

MUI official website MUI official website