REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, GARUT — The trial of tawheed (Laa Ilaha Ilallah, the oneness of God) flag burning case has been held in Garut District Court, West Java on Monday (Nov 5). Panel of the judges decided to sentence flag burners identified by their initials as M and F, as well as the bearer of the flag identified as U, to 10 days in jail.
In addition, the three defendants must pay a court fee Rp2,000. The first sentence was handed down to F or Faisal Mubaroq and M or Mafhudin. They were found guilty of disturbing public order.
“Defendants have been proven and has been legitimate in carrying out act as in Article 174 Criminal Code (KUHP) due to disturb public order,” said presiding judge Hasanuddin.
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Panel of the judges assessed the defendants have disturbed public order during National Santri Day event. Whereas, things were mitigating due to they tell the truth had never dealt with law.
The second decision to U or Uus Sukmana, panel judges stated he was guilty. The defendant was proven to have committed a criminal act intentionally disrupting the general meeting.
According to Garut District Court spokesperson Endratno Rajamai, three defendants have accepted the decision. They are immediately being executed.
“The three defendants have accepted the verdict, 10 days imprisonment,” said Endratno.
The black flag bearing the Arabic writing of "Tawheed" was burned by several members of the Nahdlatul Ulama's Barisan Ansor Serba Guna (Banser) youth wing at a commemorative event of this year's National Santri Day in Garut, West Java Province, on Oct 22. Those committing the act were quoted by local media as saying that the flag that they had burned was that of Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI), an Islamic organization that the government had banned.
The police probed the flag-burning incident, which was deplored and condemned by various Islamic clerics arguing that the flag bearing the basic creed of Islam was commonly used by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). For billions of Muslims around the world, Tawheed is accepted as an absolute monotheism and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the messenger of Allah (Almighty God). Thus, it holds an important position that differentiates Muslims from those not embracing Islam.
The Oxford Dictionary of Islam, edited by John L. Esposito (2003: 317), defines Tawhid as "the defining doctrine of Islam. It declares absolute monotheism - the unity and uniqueness of God as creator and sustainer of the universe." All true Muslims are keen to continue living with Tawhid until their death. Hence, the burning of the flag cannot then be accepted by so many Muslim community members in the country, as the Tawhid written on the flag belongs to all Muslims.
Founder of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) Habib Muhammad Rizieq Shihab conveyed a statement, published in a video that went viral on Twitter, that burning the flag bearing the Arabic writing of Tawhid cannot be justified for whatever reasons. Instead, burning the flag is indeed a vile deed and an insult to the absolute monotheism of Islam, the respected ulema, currently residing in Saudi Arabia, emphasized.
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