Senior clerics (Kyai) rabbaniyyin ulemas, who are vigilant, are what we need, and what is needed now. Allah has ordered us to invite the public to be careful. We have to look for clarityJakarta (ANTARA) - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin called on ulemas to protect the people from the threats of hoaxes posed through their spread and receipt.
"Senior clerics (Kyai) rabbaniyyin ulemas, who are vigilant, are what we need, and what is needed now. Allah has ordered us to invite the public to be careful. We have to look for clarity," Amin noted in a statement received on Friday.
The vice president made the statement during a virtual audience with Jamiyyah Ahlith Thoriqoh Al-Mu'tabaroh An-Nahdliyah via videoconferencing from his official residence in Jakarta on Thursday.
The vice president urged ulamas to partake in filtering information currently circulating on social media. False and unconfirmed information can lead to slander and trigger confusion among people owing to disinformation.
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"Many people take undue advantage of the confusion created in society to mislead members, instill doubts in their minds, and create mistrust and conflict," he cautioned.
Amin also emphasized that ulamas should support the government's efforts in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia through disciplined implementation of health protocols and conducting vaccinations.
All people are obligated to protect themselves from the pandemic.
"The dangers of COVID-19 are apparent not only in Indonesia but also across the world. According to scholars, warding off and protecting oneself from danger is something that is obligatory," he stressed.
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Translator: Fransiska, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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