The Jakarta Post (Friday, October 24 2014)
There are two reasons why some Muslims in Jakarta reject a non-Muslim governor, like Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama. The first is the literal interpretation of the scriptures. The second is the matter of majoritarian psychology.
Those who oppose the non-Muslim leader have no common sense. Their rejection is solely based on several verses in the Koran that, according to their literal interpretation, prohibit non-Muslims from leading Muslims. In the case of Ahok, who will take over from Joko “Jokowi” Widodo as Jakarta governor, these people believe Islamic law is placed higher than the Constitution, so non-Muslim figures must be rejected because they do not suit Islamic law.
Read the whole article at www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/10/24/elect-leaders-based-competence-not-religion.html
Aziz Anwar Fachruddin
A graduate student at the Center for Religious and Crosscultural Studies (CRCS) UGM, Batch 2014
