Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Declared Forest Burning ‘Haram’
Indonesian Ulema Council (Majelis Ulama Indonesia/MUI) has issued a fatwa against forest-burning. This was stated by MUI's Fatwa Board member, Huzaimah T. Yanggi, in the Ministry of Environment and Forestry office, Tuesday (13/9). Dalam penyampaian fatwa tersebut hadir pula Menteri Lingkungan Hidup dan Kehutanan Siti Nurbaya dan jajaran pimpinan KLHK.
According to the Council, forest burning is a deliberate act which causes wildfires in forest or lands.
"Burning forest and land can cause further destructions, environmental hazards, general loss, health issues, and many others. That is why MUI declared forest-burning as 'haram', means unlawful, sinful, and thus strongly prohibited," said him.
Further, he also emphasized that facilitating, conniving, or benefiting from forest burning also fall into the category of haram. Consequently, forest fire management and prevention becomes obligatory. Forest and land cultivation is basically allowed, with terms applied.
Among the terms are legal rights to cultivate the land from the governing institution, aimed at common good, and does not cause negative impact for the environment.
"Land cultivation that does not follow the rules are haram," said Huzaimah.
He added that despite the laws in force, MUI had been requested to issue this fatwa as a moral endorsement. The fatwa is a product of thorough study, discussions, and reviews based on Islamic rules.
"With this moral regulation, we hope that people's behavior could be altered. We will keep controlling the effect on people,"claimed Huzaimah.
MUI has also delivered recommendations for the central and local government, as well as cororates and general people. The Environment and Forestry Minister, Siti Nurbaya, highly appreciates MUI's effort. Environmental problems need not only scientific study, but also public campaign.
"Talking about forest burning, the ministry's empiric experience and material law are hardly enough to tackle the problems. Formal law would be ineffective unless supported by moral law," said her.
Head of Environment and Natural Resource Preservation Agency of MUI, Hayu S. Prabowo, explained that the fatwa was designed through intensive studiy and field observation by MUI and the Ministry on March-July 2016. Based on the study, 99% of the forest fires in Indonesia occur with human involvement.
"Therefore, we have to solve this problem using moral approach to minimize the destruction," said Hayu.
This fatwa is the fourth fatwa issued by MUI concerning environmental matters, after three other fatwas concerning environmental conservation, wildlife protection, and waste management.
Source: Suara Pembaruan