Indonesians deplore ISIS beheadings

Embarrassed and outraged, Muslims are urged to "unite for good" and reject ISIS's hate.

By Alisha Nurhayati for Khabar Southeast Asia in Jakarta

October 11, 2014
Reset Text smaller larger

Indonesians are voicing disgust at the barbarism of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria ( ISIS ) in the wake of recent beheadings, and revelations that more throat-slitting was planned in Australia.

  • Imam Asim Hussain (right) and doctor Shameela Islam-Zulfiqar, who travelled with British aid worker Alan Henning on humanitarian missions to Syria, appear at a press conference in Manchester, England on October 4th to discuss his apparent murder by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). [Oli Scarff/AFP]

    Imam Asim Hussain (right) and doctor Shameela Islam-Zulfiqar, who travelled with British aid worker Alan Henning on humanitarian missions to Syria, appear at a press conference in Manchester, England on October 4th to discuss his apparent murder by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). [Oli Scarff/AFP]

Related Articles

An ISIS video of the beheading of British aid worker Alan Henning posted online on October 3rd was the fourth such execution of a Westerner in the Middle East.

On September 18th, Australian police arrested 15 suspected ISIS sympathisers in Sydney and Brisbane as the terror ring was plotting to abduct random people and behead them in public.

"ISIS is not a human being. They are a killing machine," 36-year-old Vera Sen Olivera, an Indonesian who studied at Flinders University in Adelaide, told Khabar Southeast Asia. "Their actions are embarrassing to devoted Muslims like me. ISIS's actions affect all countries."

In fact, a man once described as the most prolific online recruiter for ISIS was from Australia: Musa Cerantonio , a Muslim convert who pretended to be in the Middle East while living with a girlfriend on the resort island of Cebu in the Philippines.

"ISIS is a political movement that operates under the mask of religion," Vera said. "It is impossible that Islam is behind this movement. Do not let this ISIS movement inspire other Muslims to do the same. It is wrong, misleading and inhumane."

"We should avoid the call for killings"

In one well-publicised case, a photo of the young son of Australian ISIS member Khaled Sharrouf holding a man's severed head in Syria was posted to Twitter on August 8th.

"We strongly condemn the violence and terror by ISIS," Teguh Santosa, chairman of foreign affairs for Muhammadiyah's youth wing, told Khabar. "Everything they have done is contrary to the teachings of Islam . Do not let this ISIS movement inspire other Muslims to do the same."

West Java cleric Muhammad Bahkrie Mustafa implored fellow Muslims to resist ISIS's efforts to mobilise them for jihad.

"I continue to echo that all Muslims must be aware of ISIS's hate. We should avoid the call for killings. ISIS, however, gives Muslims a chance to unite for the good. That is to promote tolerance and perform good deeds, to prove to everyone that ISIS is not what our religion has taught us ," he told Khabar.

Reader Comments
CLICK HERE to Add a Comment
    • Jamal riziq
      November 3, 2014 @ 01:11:30AM
    • "The Western world attacks ISIS which is only a few thousand strong and possess only rudimentary weapons. They are called slaughterers, murderers, whatever, do they not think? Compare it with Ariel Sharon, Bashar Assad, and the conflicts in Egypt, Gaza, Bosnia, Kosovo, and then the incidents in Myanmar, India, Ethiopia and many more humanitarian cases. Why are they only looking at the case of ISIS? They consider ISIS as a deviation from religious teachings, they are willing to be twisted by the West. They are stupid." So as you said, Mr. Hady, it is twisted around? What ISIS is doing is about philosophies and religion. The West are animals, enemies of Muslims because they do the things that you mentioned. But, do our philosophies justify vengeance and the murder of people who are not involved and weak? Did Mr. Alan Henning deserve his beheading? A humanitarian worker? Why isn't ISIS attacking America, find every soldier who attacked the places you mentioned before? That I would agree with, pay them back for what they did. This is not the way, coming to Iraq looking for and capturing innocent people and beheading them. Is this the teaching passed down by our great Prophet? It is not, is it? "Carry out jihad where jihad is required, where there is something to fight for". Where does ISIS go? Instead of helping Palestine, they destroy the Sunni and Shia in Iraq and the weak minorities. Are they afraid of the Jews?
    • hady
      October 16, 2014 @ 12:10:08PM
    • The Western world attacks ISIS which is only a few thousand strong and possess only rudimentary weapons, slaughterers, murderers, whatever, do they not think? Compare it with Ariel Sharon, Bashar Assad, and the conflicts in Egypt, Gaza, Bosnia, Kosovo, and then the incidents in Myanmar, India, Ethiopia and many more humanitarian cases. Why are they only looking at the case of ISIS? They consider ISIS as a deviation from religious teachings, you are willing to be twisted by the West. You are stupid.
    • Hergi
      October 15, 2014 @ 01:10:31AM
    • So what do you call the slaughter and rape of Muslims by Assad and Al-Maliki with the support of the US and its allies? This is just 4 people, while they have slaughtered hundreds of thousands of Muslims, the people of Iraq and Syam.
    • anif
      October 13, 2014 @ 09:10:12PM
    • Clearly ISIS is more noble and respectable than the damned Jews if it wants to establish Islamic sharia.
    • Anash cinbintzi
      October 13, 2014 @ 09:10:06AM
    • Great!

Add A Comment (Comments Policy)* denotes required field

Apdf-en_gb

Spotlight

Tens of thousands of people gather to witness Indonesian President Joko Widodo's post-inauguration speech at National Museum park on Monday (October 20th). Indonesians expressed hope for a successful administration but were realistic about challenges facing Jokowi. [Bay Ismoyo/AFP]

Indonesians express high hopes for Jokowi's presidency

New president says hard work, unity and responsibility will lead to national prosperity.

Most Popular

Poll

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) does not represent Muslims.

Photo Essay

Worshippers read from the Qur'an at Jakarta's Istiqlal Grand Mosque on May 4th, as part of "One Day One Juz", a programme that encourages Muslims to live by Islam's holy book. More than 90% of Indonesia's 250 million people are moderate Muslims. [Adek Berry/AFP]

Hardliners threaten tolerance in Indonesia

Indonesia's tradition of moderate, tolerant Islam is under threat by hard-line groups who are imposing their conservative views on others and intimidating religious minorities.