REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) leader Habib Rizieq Shihab has heard cases of violent attacks on ulemas, religious leaders, and houses of worship in some regions recently. He felt sad and it motivated him to return home soon.

"I feel really sad because many ulemas and Islamic activists became victims of violence. They were attacked, persecuted, and even killed. It sparked my spirit to go home said Rizieq through an audio recording on Wednesday (Feb 21).

Habib Rizieq admited he had booked tickets for the whole family to return home from Saudi Arabia on Tuesday (Feb 20). However, he changed his mind in a last minutes. After performing Istikharah prayer, his heart finally set for not returning home that day.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chairman Indonesian Council of Ulemas Zainut Tauhid Sa'adi on Tuesday (Feb 20) suspected there was an evil scenario to create chaos and conflicts among the society in the political year. There were parties who tried to spread fear, suspicion, and tension in the society.

"Therefore, MUI invites all elements of the nation to further increase awareness, stay calm, and control ourselves," he said.

Former chairman of People's Consultatives Assembly (MPR), Amien Rais believed attacks on religious figures, especially ulemas were not a coincidence. He said there was a mastermind behind the attacks.

"Only people who are lazy or pretended to be unintelligent concluded the attacks, harrasments, humiliations and murder of ulemas happened in a coincidence, thought it was a regular crime and not need to be exaggerated," he said.

Chairman of the MUI Advisory Council Din Syamsuddin stated MUI wanted the issues to be settled soon. Din expressed concern that any delay in solving the cases would spark a disproportionate reaction among Muslims and recriminations among different religious followers. "Since the victims are ulemas, this can easily incite the people's fury," Din noted during a plenary session of the council here on Wednesday.

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