Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Council of Ulemas has delivered an edict (fatwa) prohibiting Moslems from wearing non-Moslem attributes.

"Wearing non-Moslem religious attributes is against the religious law," MUIs head of fatwa affairs Hasanuddin said in a fatwa publication received here on Wednesday.

He said that, of late, there has been a phenomenon of hotels, supermarkets, department stores, restaurants, and other businesses asking their Moslem employees to wear non-Moslem religious attributes to highlight religious events.

Company managements should assure Moslem employees that they can attire themselves according to their religious convictions and not force them to wear non-Moslem religious attributes, he said.

He said orders or requests for Moslems to wear non-Moslem attributes are also against the Islamic law.

He hoped that the government would protect Moslems to carry out their religious obligations faithfully.

"The government must prevent, supervise, and act against those issuing a regulation forcing Moslems employees to act against their religion, such as forcing them to wear non-Moslem religious attributes," he stated.

He appealed to Moslems to choose businesses that are good and in compliance with their religion and not produce, give, or sell non-Moslem attributes.

At the same time, he called on all Moslems to preserve inter-religious harmony.

Moslems must respect followers of other religions and their freedom to carry out their rites without having to recognize the truth of their theology, he said.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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