REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Chairman of the Crescent and Star Party (PBB) Yusril Ihza Mahendra conveyed a suggestion to President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to settle the problem of the burning of a flag bearing the Arabic writing "Tawheed. He said the president should invite Muslim and Islamic organizations' leaders as well as ulemas.
"I suggested that President Jokowi should invite Islamic mass organizations, ulemas, and the Indonesian Ulemas Coucil (MUI) to discuss and settle the problem," Yusril stated here on Friday.
He noted that every component should not make personal statements, as it could trigger unrest. Moreover, social media could not be controlled. Yusril said this is regardless of the fact that Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto had invited Islamic mass organization to resolve the flag burning incident.
"It would be better if the president invited the leaders of Islamic mass organizations and ulemas, so that the problem could be resolved amicably," he remarked.
Also read: Police declare tawheed flag burners innocent
The PBB chairman, who is a former minister of law and human rights, called on all sides to be wise and careful with regard to the flag burning case. He said those responsible for burning the flag should seek God's pardon and tender their apologies to the Muslim community.
"This problem should not protract and divide us Muslims and create unrest," he pointed out.
The flag containing the Arabic writing of Tawheed was burned by several members of Nahdlatul Ulama's (NU's) youth wing, Gerakan Pemuda Ansor (GP Ansor) on National Santri Day on Oct 22 in Garut, West Java.
For millions of Muslims around the world, tawhid (tawheed), meaning "oneness (of God)," is the indivisible oneness concept of monotheism in Islam and the religion's central and single-most important concept, upon which a Muslim's entire faith rests.
The incident was condemned by various Islamic clerics arguing that the flag containing the writing of Tawheed was commonly used by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Around a thousand Muslims staged a peaceful rally to protest the burning of a black flag, with an Arabic writing of "Tawheed" in Central Jakarta after the Friday prayer, a police spokesman said.
The Jakarta Metropolitan Police received a letter of notification from the organizing committee of the "Tawheed Defending" rally, the Jakarta police spokesman, Sen.Coms.Argo Yuwono, stated here on Friday.
Meanwhile, NU's youth wing, Gerakan Pemuda Ansor (GP Ansor) deployed around two thousand members to secure the NU and GP Ansor buildings in Central Jakarta.
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