Cleric Aa Gym rekindles polygamy debate

Monday, December 04, 2006
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta


Cleric Abdullah "Aa Gym" Gymnastiar rarely speaks on anything other than Islamic teachings, but Friday found him addressing his congregation on software, of all things.
Not that he wanted to jump from being a turban-sporting cleric to a techno-savvy one. He was using computers as an analogy for the differences between men and women's sex drives.
"Women tend to be monogamous, that's how their 'software' is ... But men, you know... their 'software' is different," Aa Gym said in his interactive sermon when asked whether he had taken a second wife.
Then, on Saturday and again Sunday, he confirmed he had taken a second wife and said he was sorry if he had made any of his admirers "uncomfortable" or had "hurt and disappointed" them.
But he did not apologize for practicing polygamy, saying he was concerned that it was seen as a vice, with the men who practiced it mocked. He said he believed that polygamy was allowed under certain circumstances.
"At the same time, all around us, promiscuity is rampant, children being born out of wedlock is tolerated," said the father of seven children, with first wife Ninih Muthmainah, and step-father to the three children of new wife Alfarini Eridani.
Aa Gym added that he would not generally recommend polygamy, however, as it was "not an easy thing" and that he was still struggling with it.
During the New Order regime, polygamy was strictly banned for civil servants, as then first lady Tien Soeharto was a fierce opponent of polygamy.
But polygamy has never disappeared, with several public figures, such as former vice president Hamzah Haz, musician Rhoma Irama and restaurateur Puspo "Wong Solo" Wardoyo, having more than one wife.
The debate over polygamy rages in theological quarters, with traditionalists saying that is allowed under Islamic teachings and that the Prophet Muhammad practiced it. But many progressive Muslims reject it, regarding it as a form of female subjugation and saying that the Koran should be interpreted in keeping with the times.
Muslim scholar Musdah Mulia said that while Aa Gym had the right to practice polygamy, he should not have used religion to justify it or regarded it as a sign of righteousness.
"Don't bring religion into this. Polygamy was allowed in a period when people were still uncivilized. Now it's not in line with ethics and values," said Musdah, an Islamic jurisprudence professor.
She said Islamic teachings emphasized treating other human beings, including wives, fairly and kindly.
"Practicing polygamy means committing violence against wives and children, as they will feel disappointed, abandoned and lost, which are forms of violence too," Musdah said.
She said Indonesia should follow the example of other Muslim majority countries like Morocco, Turkey and Tunisia and ban polygamy.
"Morocco and Tunisia officially adopted sharia law, but they banned polygamy as the ulemas saw the practice as bringing more bad things than good," she said.
Muslim scholar Abdul Moqsith Ghazali said Aa Gym had violated the Islamic Law Compilation as well as the 1974 Marital Law.
"There is no reason for Aa Gym to practice polygamy as the laws stipulate that a man can take second wife only if the first wife does not carry out her duty, like abandoning her children, or is disable or infertile," he said.
The debate over polygamy should be ended, he added.
"Although Aa Gym did not suggest other men follow his suit, as a public figure, his behavior will influence others, which cannot be controlled by Aa Gym," said Abdul. –

With additional report from Yuli Tri Suwarni, Bandung

Labels: Islam

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