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December 3, 2015

Islam and Terrorism



Funny how people love to jump into conclusions, ain't it? And even funnier, they like to jump into conclusions other made. They just agree and use that idea for the rest of their lives without questioning.
The issue today is terrorism and how people resembles it a lot with Islam. And I believe many Muslims would get the idea of Arabic men who yelled Allahu Akbar with bombs wrapped around his abdomen when they heard the word Terrorist. So, you get it, terrorism has been the image of Islamic Extremists since the 9/11 event. Because we have got so many movies and shows that bringing propaganda to the image of the religion.
I am trying to separate the image of the two and get to the root. Because you know, I am surrounded by Muslims all my life. I am raised in a Muslim family. So I think I get a say about the topic.
Before we get to the Muslims who are terrorizing the western countries, I would like to start the discussion with the religion that people believe is responsible in driving these people into violence, Islam. For those who are not born in a religious family, you may find it hard to grasp the concept of major religions and their role to the lives of their followers. Especially Islam.
I have had many dialogues with people with various religious background about religion in their lives. The answer varies, even from people who believe in the same religion. I am not talking about their application of their religions, but simply the roles. Most of them told me how religions are limiting their lives, they took some and leave some of their teachings. So, many people perceive religions as another set of rules in their lives, or choices of lifestyle, or isms for them to be a better human. When the rules are no longer making sense to them, they would simply leave them. While the focus of some other people on religions is about believing in God, and for them, religions are the tools for them to choose to be closer to God. And then there are other perspectives and attitudes toward religions which are not that too different than the ones I mentioned. Just tiny modifications here and there.
And for Islam believers (and many Christians that I had some talks with), they have a tiny bit different understanding to what religions are. They believe that God is absolute. You do not negotiate with God. You follow God’s rules or you get punished. God is the reason you were born, and he should be the reason for your life and your death. By the time you are awake, you are under the mercy of God and in each breath you took, there are blessings from God. The universe was made to pray upon Him (I know I tried to avoid using gender referral for God but I need variations and “Him” has been vastly approved). So yes, in Islam, everything you do, you have to do it for the blessing of God. And before this statement got taken out of context, you cannot do things merely with good intentions, the procedures and methods must be legal and ethical too. In a way, the ism of Islamic teachings is about doing things legally and ethically. And also that your whole lives are about doing things in God’s ways and be rewarded in the afterlife.
As you can see the distinction between the followers of Islam and other religions, it is that all the things that they do, they are doing them in the name of God. Even in marriage and the physical relationship between husband and wife (which is encouraged a lot), they have to do them in the name of God.
Now, let’s ask this question: When you are in a war/battle against a group of human who are Muslims, who are you in a war with? The people or the religion? The answer is both. Muslims cannot be separated from their religions. And in Islamic teaching, brotherhood is shared just by following the same religion. And this complexes things even more. At this point, I am sure you can explore  about the topic furthermore and find why. If not, let’s hop on my next train of thoughts on the topic about humanity.
Let us imagine this perspective. Do not close your eyes since I am not recording an article. So keep your eyes open to do the reading :P. You are seven years old, you heard banging on the front door of your house. It was dark at night. You are in the house just with your mother. She then ran to the door. It was your uncle, he grabbed your mother and brought her to the next room. Away from you. Not ten seconds later, you heard your mother held her scream, you heard a bit of her voice, crying. No, she is not getting raped by your father’s brother, you sick bastard! You are curious, you are going to the room, peeking to see what is happening. Your uncle saw you. He held your mother in his arms. He whispered something to your mother and she then sat down while holding not to show you that she cried. Your uncle approached you. You are scared. Your uncle is very temperamental. You witnessed him once beating his teenage son because he caught him drinking beer. His calm is very eerie to you. But you saw anger in his eyes. He crouched and hold you in his arms. He cried. (So far I’m not going anywhere, the guy who likes cheap soap operas in me is running my fingers on the keyboard). You are very scared. You then asked them what is going on. Your mom then looking at you and she cried. Okay, enough with the drama… I will just make a big line: your dad died when you are a child, your uncle then took you and your mother to his house. The incident that killed your father was a car crash. The driver was a drunk teenager. Basically he is a spoilt brat. He got away with it because his parents are super influential and he is too young for prison. The media did not cover the case and when they did, they were not objective, and the police is not very helpful to you. For few times you overheard some people that your father was at fault because he worked in a shady corner of the town. He was working the cashier of a convenient store and he was walking home when he got in the accident. Remember that you are still a child. Not a couple of month after the incident, your uncle was home with bruises all over his face and body. He was beaten up when he went to the house of the drunken teenager. Asking for justice. You and your cousin has gotten very close and you swore to each other that justice will be served. Your mother is telling you to learn letting go but you… Okay… Forget this… I went too far with the fiction.
Let’s just imagine living in a place of conflict where death surround us. And so many times you were told how the world is divided into two. Your side and the side of the enemy. You have seen so many planes, painted with a particular flag on their wings, bombed the city you lived in. Your relatives, your families, your friends, so many of them died. And you do not know why they are killing them. You only learn hatred. To that flag that represent a group of people, a community, a society, a nation. Which has so many friends eventhough these friendships are not based to the killings that are happening around you. Eventhough these friends were innocent to the act behind the deaths of your beloved ones. But you have no idea. Your head is full with anger, hatred, and desperation.
Who is innocent people anyway? Your 5 years old sister was killed in a bomb dropped by a plane with a flag painted on its wings. Your mother got killed in your own home while holding you, protecting you. (Wow, I just depressed myself). How are you going to pay your revenge? To a flag? Burning a piece of cloth that you painted so it look like the flag painted on those planes does not satisfy you. For all you know, those planes that killed your beloved are representing a country. A country full of people. And this country full of people has country friends too. And for you, nobody is innocent. Every person related to that flag has become a target to you. They killed your beloved ones. Oh, but when you do, you are terrorize to the whole world. Because you have seen the whole world as your enemy. In your eyes, they are all against you. (I went dark, don’t I?)

Image belongs to tovima.gr


This, people. Is a product of wars. Easy to blame a single action, is not it? But what if we go deeper? What motivates them, what driven them, and how did they get to be that way?
Islam taught them, you said? I am living surrounded by Muslims. I was raised with Islamic teachings all my life. When first I was told how non-believers will spend their afterlife in hell, I felt pity and sorry. But it did not drive me violence. When I heard the story of battles from Quran told by my religion teacher, I did not grab a weapon to fight people who believe in different things. I did not hate them. I was scared that I would get the influences and got attracted to believe in other things my parents and my religion teachers told me not to believe in. Despite all the things that may sound violence in Quran (because they were stories about battles), they do not make the believer to do them. Because we are not at war, we did not experience war, and everyone wants to live in peace. Compare that to people in the Middle East. How different kids grew up. So, it is not Islam that declares war against the western world, it is a group of people who were raised in hatred and do not know any other way to demand justice.
But maybe ignorance is easier. To follow conclusions from others ways of thinking is easier. Not using your own brain is easier.
Last statements I want to make, what Islam taught to their followers are not about fighting. They are asked to pray to their God in ways that will not harm any human, they are asked to be nice and see other humans equally (Muslims or not), they are asked to maintain and conserve their environment (eventhough in their beliefs, Earth and what is on it are for the well beings of humanity).

March 25, 2014

About PEMILU (Election) in Indonesia

Image Source: Viva News

I’m pretty confused actually with the number of political parties in the country. The nation has a big line of ideology summarized in Pancasila that all those parties must held and treasured. And all those parties would have the same ideology to be practiced in the legislative activities. Then, why would the amount of 12 parties? Or worse, on the previous public election, the number reached 49 of political parties participating on it.
I’m taking an example of US, a nation that got pretty much attention because of their movie industry. It has only 2 big parties, and each of them represent very distinctive values. Republic which I take the religious party following rules and guidance from religion(s?) and Democrat, the liberal party. Both struggle for each values that representing the values of their people. Now, how about Indonesian ones? What are the values these 12 party are fighting about? Do we know? Are they really that different with each other?
All I can see is that a political party was built to accommodate a few number of its member to reach their personal goal. And now, ultimately, to gain presidency. I mean the logic that I couldn’t put together. If they, those who join in the political world, are trying to make a better Indonesia, shouldn’t they work together? Not competing in a poor moral level like we can see today. Does this help the people to choose their future? Or does this only confused them?
It’s so obvious how people went for the position just for the wealth promised “working” as a legislative member. You can always hear how each candidate and party went talking about how they are going to fight for the interest of the people. But when they are on the job, what they did was struggling for the interests of the “big bosses”. Who are these big bosses? We do and understand well that those political parties got sponsored by big companies who are friends and also business relative to those in the parties.
Let’s take one of the 2014 presidency candidates, the one from the ancient party, who owns a group of company named after him. What do you think when the people of his party sitting in the house of legislative deciding policy for labor incentive? Would the policies they agreed upon against their “leader’s” company, or would it make his company get the better position (by the perspective of owner).
And hey! He is not the only person in the election owns company or has a long list of business relative that they owe something from. Mark my word, these people, they don’t work for you. They work for “the company”, the owner of the party.
Now, how about the growing number of people who will not use their right to vote (golput)? I will not talk about why they do that and why they should/should not do that. I’m not. We each have our own reason to not trust the system. I’m going to talk about what the Komisi Pemilihan Umum (KPU – Committee of the Public Election) did and do dealing with the problem. Persuasion.
This is very sad. I did a quick research on Google, the fee of the members of KPU ranged from IDR 5.5 - 24 million (± USD 550 – 2,400). Hey! That’s pretty big fee for some solution: Persuasion. This does not deal with the root of the problem. How many percent do you think the amount of those golput being golput by choice? I’m pretty sure more than 90% of them. And like less than 10% of the golput won’t use their voting right because of their capability.
Why don’t they tighten the filtering process of the candidates for the election? Make them do those tests the same one like when a big company recruiting for new employees. Intelligence test, physical test, psychological test, and so on and so forth.
And perhaps go figure some other way to tidy up the system so people can easily see what each party represent. Their goals, visions, and missions. Because come on! I’ve visited the site of pemilu.com and it has nothing written in most of their candidates! Not even some pictures on them! And I’m pretty sure, many people out there don’t even know that pemilu.com has profiles of the candidates in the form similar to social media. Do something about it, goddamn KPU!
This way the budget will go to a better use, that people will see the candidates are well-selected  and that they are sure whoever they vote, will give significant change for their future.




P.S. I was actually going to make the first point in the article by the perception of an analogy between political party and corporation. But I guess this way works better?
P.P.S. The second point was kind of abrupt. I’m in a hurry. Hahaha… but I hope I deliver my points.

June 19, 2013

A Vision For Malioboro


Jalan Malioboro. Most of my reader would know what and where is Malioboro. Wikipedia defines it: "The street is the centre of Yogyakarta's largest tourist district surrounded with many hotels and restaurants nearby. Sidewalks on both sides of the street are crowded with small stalls selling a variety of goods. In the evening several open-air streetside restaurants, called lesehan, operate along the street. Less obvious to the tourist, but more for the local population, side streets, lanes and structures that lead on to Malioboro are as important as the street itself."

And in my own definition, Malioboro is a street located near the train station popular for it is the center for Jogja's shopping and hanging out activities for tourists. It is located in the middle of Jogjakarta city. It connects the train station to 0 KM area (center spot of Jogjakarta). Most of people who come to Jogjakarta for vacation would likely will visit the area.

Why am I writing about Malioboro? Simply because I'm quite upset for its condition. The road is likely jammed in busy hours. The sidewalk is full of motorcycles parked there. The colonial buildings' architecture are hard to be enjoyed and appreciated because of the tons of billboard covering their facades.

As a local and a person who likes to walk in comfort, this is Malioboro that I want. Use your imagination because my dream would be delivered in words.
1. Imagine Malioboro a vehicles-free-area.
2. Imagine restriction for billboard in malioboro.
3. Imagine the road in Malioboro are made of sidewalks material (not from asphalt).
4. Imagine the street vendors got their special area in the middle of the road.
5. Imagine a parking building in each end of the street which nothing more
than 3 level upper the ground and goes deep underground rather than going up.
6. Imagine the only vehicles allowed here are trams (for mass transportation in Malioboro) and bikes. Or perhaps pedicabs and andongs. I'd prefer the first one.

Just a very rough sketch how'd it looks like from top
I'm thinking about this layout when I watched a scene in Once a long time ago. So pretty much I'm just trying to propose a layout of a road that you may see easily in western countries. The movie I watched itself has Dublin, Ireland for its setting.

October 23, 2011

Festivals I Visited in Jogja (2011)


I just home from watching Jogja Java Carnival 2011 at Malioboro Street. I parked my bike at my campus that located about 15 minutes driving (normal traffic) from the carnival location and took the bus instead, hindering the stress from the jam I might be trapped in. So at about 19.00, I went from my campus to Malioboro Street by TransJogja and it took almost an hour for the bus to dropped us at Sudirman Street where it’s about 5-10 minutes walking to Malioboro Street (I should be able to get down at Mangkubumi Street or Mataram Street where it’s gonna be right next to the main road of where the carnival will be held). But as a result of the carnival that invited thousands of people to gather in one place, a bus-shelter located next to Tugu Monument was the nearest dropping point we could get.
I was walking happily and maybe I did some poor-you expressions while I was walking through those people who got stuck in their cars. And by the time I reached the starting point of where the carnival started, even though  I was walking on my feet, I couldn’t move any further without causing others to feel uncomfortable by a stranger asking them to give him a little space which would be hard to get in that condition. So, on the sidewalk of the beginning of the road I stand and just stayed there for the next 30 minutes to an hour. And in that time, I only got myself in a disappointment of the carnival. It was because I couldn’t see when they were performing and that I felt the gap between the audiences and the performers and so did with the committees. I did see few of the performers doing their dances and entertained the audiences on about 30 meters away from where I was standing. It looked nice from my position but still, they were only performing. I didn’t notice any audience being pulled to party with the performers. I didn’t feel the festive atmosphere but to notice some performers who looked at us with superior-inferior gap, and even most of them didn’t want to get their eyes caught by the audiences. I couldn’t see them in their eyes to get the smile from them. In another chance, we found one of the performers on the moving stage was holding her mobile phone and looked busy with it. And one audience standing behind me yelled to the crowd, “Oh look! The lady is texting someone there!” It wasn’t nice.
This was kind of the same experience of when I was watching the annual Gamelan Festival 2011. I watched the performances in the last day because my expectation was that usually the last day is where the most anticipated performances shown. I heard the event in 2010 and my friends told me that the event was great and one of my friends watched all of the performances shown in the whole 3 days every year. That was why I was there expecting good traditional music performances. Which was also kind of disappointment for me. In one session, there were music performers originally came from Madura and they played great music that should makes every bone in your body to move. The committees were trying to get the audiences to the party vibes with them but they were only standing in few groups in some corners of the stage. Joking around with themselves and made some inside jokes the audiences wouldn’t be able to understand. Those factors, plus the audio-system that wasn’t good enough to make my heart thumps with the music. It was a total failure in my perspective. It wasn’t festive. Too shame because the performer in the last session was so damn good.
Tomato Festival in Columbia
I don’t know if I’ve missed the Jogja Batik Carnival or the event hasn’t been held yet. But I’m very looking forward for this one for the pictures I’ve seen where the people in costumes pulling the audiences to dance with them on the street and they looked very friendly to the photographer. Those impressions I got from the pictures I have seen. Let’s hope that the next festivals held in Jogjakarta or any other cities in Indonesia can be audience-friendly and be more festive. I always dreamed of a festival where the audiences and the performers can only be identified from their outfits. Where the audiences are experiencing the festival as if they are part of the festival. Like what you can see in the picture I putted here. 

August 9, 2011

Another YouTube Artist (J. Rice)

J. Rice!
And this one is the lyrics of his song that I recently listen over and over. In his video, actually there's already the lyrics... But I've been searching all over the google for his lyrics but couldn't find 'em. So here they are...


Tell Me

The last time I checked
You hadn't told me yet
the closer I get
the more it is complicated
waiting on someone who's always gone
even though they're right next to you

Bridge:
There's only so much I can take before I blow
and only so long I will wait before I go
so if you need to hesitate then let me know
But if you don't

Chorus:
You better tell me
That you'll love me so
And that you'll never let me go
Announce it over radio
So I know
Cuz I won't if you never

Tell me
You're in love
Tell me
You're in love
Tell me
Cuz I don't wanna be the only one
(2x)

I can't wait forever
to get an answer
cuz baby I'm not getting any younger
I tried to tell ya
but you never would listen
and now we're here

Bridge:
There's only so much I can take before I blow
and only so long I will wait before I go
so if you need to hesitate then let me know
But if you don't

Chorus:
You better tell me
That you'll love me, so
And that you'll never let me go
Announce it over radio
So I know
Cuz I won't if you never


Tell me
You're in love
Tell me
You're in love
Tell me
Cuz I don't wanna be the only one
(2x)

Bridge:
There's only so much I can take (before I blow)
and only so long I will wait (before I go)
so if you need to hesitate (then let me know)
But if you don't

Chorus:
You better tell me
That you'll love me, so
And that you'll never let me go
Announce it over radio
So I know
Cuz I won't if you never


Tell me
You're in love
Tell me
You're in love
Tell me
Cuz I don't wanna be the only one
(2x)


April 7, 2011

Are They Consumable For Muslims?

Recently, an assignment to prove the Haram-Halal status of products that can be easily found around us was given by the lecturer. It was a real hard time doing this assignment but well, I don't want it to be wasted in the trash bin of the lecturer (hopefully not). Why don't I share it with you guys? Oh! And please feel free to add and criticize the list... Thanks!


  1. Magnum, Ice Cream Produced by Walls – Unilever
The doubts of the ice cream’s status was arouse recently in the early of March 2011. There were some issues of the product of using the derivatives of pig tissue. This was triggered by the using of E-Codes in its ingredient list and that the origin of E-Codes was to disguise the using of pigfat.
The E-Code listed in the product’s package is E472. A further research has been conducted and explained from a former secretary of MUI (institution granting the Halal symbol on the package). The code E472 telling us that it is a compund made of fatty acid (can be from animal which will be haram if the slaughtery was not Islamic or if it was from pig, or else, from plants). Said, for every company wishing to get halal certificate from MUI must made a report on the whole process of its operational and the origin of the materials. So that we can trust the halal certificate/symbol printed on the packages of products sold in the country.
Status       Halal
  1. Sex toys
The idea behind mentioning these products is that the allowance of masturbation in order to prevent zina and that these products image is strongly-related for masturbation use or non-urged condition (lust-purpose). And it implies that purchasing of sex toys (or the product itself) is then categorized as haram.
There are two online shops (pioneers) that widely known recently for selling products to help Muslim married couples enhancing their passion without breaking the Islamic law. They are located in Atlanta, Georgia (United States) and Amsterdam (Holland). Since Islamic married couples are allowed to use these products, there still is condition that must be fulfilled, which is mutual consent between both sides to use the ‘sexual aids’ products.
Status       Halal
  1. Perfume
Most of the time we can read any kinds of alcohol in the perfume’s bottle. Does this make perfume haram? It apparently does not. The prohibition of Muslims to consume khamr is not because of the alcohol because most of primary food like rice, cassava, wheat, oats, etc are actually containing some compunds which are alcohol’s “family”.
Khamr became haram because consuming it may cause lost of self-control and consciousnes. The other products that went through fermentation process would eventually increased the alcohol percentage. Those product would not be haram as long as they did not turn into khamr. This also explained the usage of alcohol for perfume or medical treatment. That alcohol can be used and allowed in Islam for specific purposes as long as they do not contain any harm (breaking Islamic law)
Status       Halal
  1. Marshmallow
It is the plasticity of marshmallow which is obtained from gelatin that makes the product questionable. This is because people got gelatin by extraction process of animals material and that the materials are mostly imported and might slaughtered in methods that unapproved by Islamic law (which gives more doubts to its status). This make us to be more aware and alert for such product.
Status       without Halal Certificate from BPOM can be called Haram
  1. Candy
Candy is almost the same with marshmallow. Especially for gummy and jelly-like candies which might contain gelatin.
Status       without Halal Certificate from BPOM can be called Haram
  1. Jelly
Indonesian jelly producers that the products we can easily find are mostly had their operational process and material origins checked by MUI/BPOM. Eventhought they are elastic, Indonesian jelly products are mostly do not using gelatin for its ingredients.
Status       mostly are Halal
  1. Brem
The case of this product is mostly the same and already explained in the perfume section. Fermented products made of rice, cassava, wheat, etc as long as they did not turn into khamr are allowed to be consumed in a reasonable amount.
Status       Halal
  1. Bika Ambon
The case of this product is mostly the same and already explained in the perfume section. Fermented products made of rice, cassava, wheat, etc as long as they did not turn into khamr are allowed to be consumed in a reasonable amount.
Status       Halal
  1. Tape (Fermented Rice)
The case of this product is mostly the same and already explained in the perfume section. Fermented products made of rice, cassava, wheat, etc as long as they did not turn into khamr are allowed to be consumed in a reasonable amount.
Status       Halal
  1. Pirated products (book, article, song, music, movies, drawing, etc)
Piracy can be simply stated as haram but very often we do not think about violating the copyright of any artworks or articles by downloading freely from the internet or copying them without the permission of the author.
Status       Haram
  1. Tio Ciu, Chinese Food Restaurant
The restaurant serves pork in its menu and this kind of restaurant must be avoided for some specific reasons. First, the placement of its halal material can become haram if they are mixed up with the pork. The second reason is that they did not wash their cooking utensils when they were processing halal food after cooking the pork.
Status       Better to be avoided (might be Haram)
  1. Kopi Luwak
It has the same case with Tio Ciu Chinese Restaurant. The coffe beans were literally pooped out from the Luwak’s feces. Animal feces are gross, nasty, and najis. So then the controversy of Kopi Luwak as a haram product arouse in the society couple years ago. This confusion and controversy led MUI that it is Halal with condition, the beans didn’t broken/smashed so the inside part had a contact with the feces of the animal. The najis can also be eliminated by washing it with water.
Status       Halal
  1. Artificial Insemination on cattle
The needs of farmer to create efficiency and effectiveness in breeding cattles have resulted in the practical of artificial inseminetion where the sperm from the male cattles was taken by specific method and then to be injected to the female cattle. This method of insemination (fertilization) is purposed to achieve better descendant of the cattles, reducing cost and time, etc.
The practices of selling superior male sperm have been done in the era of the prophet. It was called as Asbu al-fahl and it is prohibited by the prophet (HR Bukhori). The reason is because the superior male that was “bought” to mating with the female cattle cannot be evaluate if it produced enough sperm to make the female cattle pregnant or would it do ‘it” or not.
But since in today’s era, the illat (reasons that make things haram) are not fulfilled (the amount of sperms can be monitored and the insemination will be depends on the vet that injects the sperm), some scholars said it is allowed.
Status       Allowe if the illat are not fulfilled
  1. Grasshopper
It is said that animals which are gorss, nasty, and dirty are haram. The example is insect. But just an hour or two from the downtown to the southern-eastern area, we can find lots of kiosks that sell grasshoppers for consumption purpose. But like fishes which are exceptional to eat deadfishes, grasshopper is also an exceptional case. It is told that the Prophet ate grasshoppers in seven battles (wars).
Status       Halal
  1. Earth Worm
It has the same case with Grasshopper. It is not an exceptional case like deadfishes or grasshoppers, but because the usage of earth worm as medicine. It has been used as antipiretik (reduce the temperature on fever) since 4000 BC.
Status       Halal
  1. Gekko
The recent trend of gekko-hunting raised questions in people head. How could such animal can be sold for a very high price? Was it for consumption? Or for pet? The trends might get some people to think that gekko is halal for consumption while it is included in the categoty of animals to be killed in Islamic laws. And it is clearly haram for consumption and medicine (because there is already other medicines that we can take and are halal)
Status       Haram
  1. American football (the ball)
We can find the american football in the sport stores. Because they are fully imported products, we can say that they are haram for the chance of the leather from pig bladder or other animals that slaughtered in non Islamic ways.
Status       Haram
  1. Imported leather products
Pretty much the same case with the ball for american football. Imported leather products are doubtfull for its status of allowance to be used by Muslims. Except if they came from country that applied the Islamic laws in their products.
Status       Mostly Haram
  1. Mc Donalds
There were campaigns of boycotting products that the origin are from United States, Israel, and their allies. These campaign were motivated by the agresiveness of the Israel in attacking Palestine and it raised solidarity among Muslims all over the globe and raised hatred and sentiment to United States government and its allies. Accusation of buying products that originally came from US and its allies is like funding the military forces of those countries. Then came the issue that consuming those products considered haram action.
I would say that this is more like a sentiment action towards US and its allies rather than to look upon the product status itself. Lots of the subsidiaries from those brands gave huge contribution for the society surrounding them. And that in Indonesia, those products have been passed through the LPOM for the status of halal-ness.
Status       Halal
  1. KFC
The same case with Mc Donalds that this is more like a sentiment action towards US and its allies rather than to look upon the product status itself. Lots of the subsidiaries from those brands gave huge contribution for the society surrounding them. And that in Indonesia, those products have been passed through the LPOM for the status of halal-ness.
Status       Halal
  1. Nestle
The same case with Mc Donalds that this is more like a sentiment action towards US and its allies rather than to look upon the product status itself. Lots of the subsidiaries from those brands gave huge contribution for the society surrounding them. And that in Indonesia, those products have been passed through the LPOM for the status of halal-ness.
Status       Halal
  1. National Geography (magazines and channel)
The same case with Mc Donalds that this is more like a sentiment action towards US and its allies rather than to look upon the product status itself. Lots of the subsidiaries from those brands gave huge contribution for the society surrounding them.
Status       Halal
  1. L’Oreal
The same case with Mc Donalds that this is more like a sentiment action towards US and its allies rather than to look upon the product status itself. Lots of the subsidiaries from those brands gave huge contribution for the society surrounding them. And that in Indonesia, those products have been passed through the LPOM for the status of halal-ness.
Status       Halal
  1. Johnson and Johnson
The same case with Mc Donalds that this is more like a sentiment action towards US and its allies rather than to look upon the product status itself. Lots of the subsidiaries from those brands gave huge contribution for the society surrounding them. And that in Indonesia, those products have been passed through the LPOM for the status of halal-ness.
Status       Halal
  1. Coca Cola
The same case with Mc Donalds that this is more like a sentiment action towards US and its allies rather than to look upon the product status itself. Lots of the subsidiaries from those brands gave huge contribution for the society surrounding them. And that in Indonesia, those products have been passed through the LPOM for the status of halal-ness.
Status       Halal
  1. Disney (Comics and Magazines)
The same case with Mc Donalds that this is more like a sentiment action towards US and its allies rather than to look upon the product status itself. Lots of the subsidiaries from those brands gave huge contribution for the society surrounding them.
Status       Halal
  1. Nescafe
The same case with Mc Donalds that this is more like a sentiment action towards US and its allies rather than to look upon the product status itself. Lots of the subsidiaries from those brands gave huge contribution for the society surrounding them. And that in Indonesia, those products have been passed through the LPOM for the status of halal-ness.
Status       Halal
  1. Danone
The same case with Mc Donalds that this is more like a sentiment action towards US and its allies rather than to look upon the product status itself. Lots of the subsidiaries from those brands gave huge contribution for the society surrounding them. And that in Indonesia, those products have been passed through the LPOM for the status of halal-ness.
Status       Halal
  1. Huggies Diaper
The same case with Mc Donalds that this is more like a sentiment action towards US and its allies rather than to look upon the product status itself. Lots of the subsidiaries from those brands gave huge contribution for the society surrounding them.
Status       Halal
  1. Kit Kat Chocolate bar
The same case with Mc Donalds that this is more like a sentiment action towards US and its allies rather than to look upon the product status itself. Lots of the subsidiaries from those brands gave huge contribution for the society surrounding them. And that in Indonesia, those products have been passed through the LPOM for the status of halal-ness.
Status       Halal
  1. Nokia Mobile Phone
The same case with Mc Donalds that this is more like a sentiment action towards US and its allies rather than to look upon the product status itself
Status       Halal
  1. Starbucks
The reason I putted Starbucks in this list was because it is one of the brands that are being boycotted by the campaign. But in Indonesian Starbucks itself, there is no Halal label or certificate from MUI. There were cases in Malaysia where the Starbucks coffee drinks were mixed with whiskey. And now Muslims in Malaysia choose not to buy coffee or beverages from it again.
Also recently there is an attempt of Starbucks to refine their image by asking for the halal certificate grant from MUI and or BPOM. Means that we have to wait for the results.
Status       Waiting Clarification from BPOM/MUI
  1. Green Sands (No Alcohol)
Last year, on the package (can and bottle) of Green Sands, printed a logo that said they are alcohol free or 0% alcohol. While Green Sands itself has been widely-known for its beer products. Confusion then raised in the society.
MUI has given clearance about this and has stated that Green Sands and Bintang Zero are haram products. There are two reasons (illat) about the fatwa but one is more exact. Copying haram product eventhought its materials are actually allowed to be consumed made the product haram because by consuming it is like make the Muslims used to consume the haram products.
Status       Haram
  1. Bintang Zero
It has been explained in the Green Sands case.
Status       Haram
  1. Root Beer
It has the same case with Bintang Zero of copying haram product.
Status       Haram
  1. Conventional Banking Products
It is still widely used in Indonesia. The haram status is pretty clear because of the implementation of usury or interest.
Status       Haram
  1. Insurances
The status of insurance is still debatable. But there are currently three point of views about insurance. Ones said it is totally haram because of the existence of riba, gambling, gharar, and speculation to the future. Larger number of scholar said that it is haram because of the existence of gharar only. The third opinion presented by Sheikh Mustafa al Zarka, insurance is permissible by two conditions that it contains no usury and that its subject (insured thing) is legitimate. The gharar itself in the contract is remedied by the fact that it is a contract based on overwhelming statistical knowledge and the application of the theory of probability, so there actually is no gharar.
Status       there is now Syariah Insurance
  1. Hair Extension
The lesson I got from the primary school about extending hairs or using fake hair to make the hair look longer is strictly forbidden. But recently lots of women doing it and it’s like nobody knows that there are some hadiths talking about those activity. One of the Hadith narrated by 'Aisha:
An Ansari woman gave her daughter in marriage and the hair of the latter started falling out. The Ansari women came to the Prophet and mentioned that to him and said, "Her (my daughter's) husband suggested that I should let her wear false hair." The Prophet said, "No, (don't do that) for Allah sends His curses upon such ladies who lengthen their hair artificially." (Bukhari 7:133)
This also means the using of wig, which lots of Indonesian celebrities do.
Status       Haram
  1. Hair Rebonding
The nature of Indonesian people to copy everything they see without further research really is something ridiculous. Also the trend of rebonding which quite a hit several years ago. The trend makes  a community of muslimah states that it is haram to do rebonding. This then like the other case, create confusion in the society and forced MUI to explain the status of it.
Said, that the status is mubah but can be haram if the effect(s) is negative. Negative in the context of Islamic view, and that means looking attractive in the men’s eyes Is negative.
Status       Mubah to Haram
  1. Plucking Eyebrows
Most authorities agree that it is haram to remove hair from the eyebrows. Some say that it is halal to remove hair between the eyebrows, which is not the same as changing the eyebrows themselves. There is also an opinion that coloring the hair to match the skin is halal. And there also is the opinion that cutting this hair is halal but plucking it is not.
But because there is a command to stay away and to avoid from syubhat (doubtfull) things, it is better not to do it.
Status       Syubhat