Radicals ‘know little’ of Islam: NU chief

The Jakarta Post, Madiun | Mon, 06/13/2011


Those who want to establish an Islamic state in Indonesia have not studied enough history, according to the leader of the country’s largest Muslim organization.

“They only know very little of the whole idea of Islam as a comprehensive teaching – and then they are boasting that they know everything,” Said Agiel Siradj, chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama Siradj, said on Monday as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

“I strongly suggest every Muslim be very careful of these kind of men because they can be very misleading,” Siradj said.

Even the Prophet Muhammad himself, Siradj said, never had an intention to build an Islamic state in present-day Saudi Arabia.

“The Prophet himself always referred to the idea of a civilized country. He always taught us to live in harmony with everyone,” he said.

Siradj made his comments in the wake of several arrests of people for alleged involvement in the outlawed Indonesian Islamic State (NII) movement.

(x the Jak Pos)