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Cleric defiant amid controversy over marriage to 12-year-old girl
Suherdjoko , The Jakarta Post , Semarang | Sat, 10/25/2008 1:02 PM | The Archipelago
The marriage of an underage girl to a wealthy Muslim cleric in Bedono village, Semarang regency, Central Java, has sparked controversy in the community.
A Muslim boarding school head, 43-year-old Pujiono Cahyo, known also as Syech Puji, married 12-year-old Lutfiana Ulfa at his home on August 8. He told reporters Friday that the wedding ceremony, held at 3 p.m. local time, was witnessed by thousands of guests.
"The wedding was carried out openly. If people want to comment, please do. I don't care about the legal threats because I have my own basic reasons. I know the limitations. If she hasn't menstruated, I won't have sexual intercourse with her," said Puji.
Puji is the director of PT Sinar Lendoh Terang and owner of the Miftahul Jannah boarding school, an impressive building along the highway between Semarang and Yogyakarta. Apparently his first wife, 26-tear-old Umi Hani, was the one who suggested he marry again.
"She was the one who proposed it. Then, a campaign team went looking for a prospective wife. So, not only politicians have campaign teams," he added jokingly.
He said he met Ulfa's parents for their consent and that Ulfa had also agreed to the marriage.
"So, what have I done wrong? My reasons stem from a book titled Aisyah Saja Nikah Muda (Aisyah Herself Married Young), written by Ummu Aisyah."
Puji revealed his intention to marry for a second time to reporters on Sept. 26, when he distributed Rp 1.3 billion (US$140,000) in tithes for the poor during the Ramadan fasting month.
An ulema at the Soko Tunggal Islamic boarding school in Semarang, Nuril Arifin Husein, strongly criticized Puji's marriage to the girl.
"If he claims to be a syech, which means professor, he should be a role model for the community. In Islam, a marriage should be a union of the same stature. What he has done is clearly against Islamic law," said Nuril.
"However, Prophet Muhammad only had intercourse with Aisyah when she had reached 18, meaning she was an adult. If Puji has sex with an underage girl, he will have violated religious and existing laws," he said.
Sri Mulyanah from Central Java Women's Empowerment and Children Rights and Family Planning Agency, said Puji violated the 1974 Marriage Law which requires a minimum age of 16 for a woman and 19 for a man in a legal marriage.
"If we look at the marriage and child protection laws, what Puji has done is definitely against the law. We will immediately discuss the issue with the relevant agencies and observe the case from various aspects. Later, we will decide on the appropriate action," she said.
Sri said children were entitled to the right to live, grow and develop while being provided with protection and participative rights.
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Arfur (not verified) — Tue, 12/23/2008 - 2:28pm
what a sad sick man , it has nothing to do with with religion ,another Gary Glitter but in clerics clothing , the poor little girl so when she reaches 13 and menstruating the dirty old man will be having sex with her and thats ok then , come on Indonesia do something about it or has he paid everyone off that is a threat to him,sad how very sad
John Hoffmans (not verified) — Tue, 12/23/2008 - 1:09pm
Maybe in one way it is against the law in Indonesia to married a girl under the age of 16 but in the koran is state different but many of girls were in arrange marriage when they are born and does state that you can't have sex with her untill she start having periods.
I believed what the problem is today is that when you get married that you hope that your wife to be is still a virgin and pure but many of the females in indonesia are getting quite in depended and getting married at a late age because of careers etc and also having sexual relationships which also against islam.
I believed this one of the reason of the new sex laws to prevent this happening that maybe i'm wrong about this but i can understand why some men are marrying young women.....
ISA (not verified) — Fri, 11/28/2008 - 9:13pm
This man you CALL ULAMA shame on you, I would urge the AUTHORITY to charge him for statutory RAPE and CANE him.
Harry — Sat, 11/01/2008 - 3:25pm
Michael Jackson probably would want to consider moving here.
Anon (not verified) — Sat, 11/01/2008 - 9:02am
Abdul
What would you do if some elderly sick pervert came up to you and ask your 12 year old daughter (if you have one) to be married, and please keep the porn bill out of this, since its an entirely different topic.
Sir, times have changed, this is not the dark ages anymore. Open your mind & conscience.
nb: if I were you I'd call the cops and press pedophilia charges.
Toby (not verified) — Sat, 11/01/2008 - 8:26am
Good to have great scholars around to teach the nations children!
Sledet (not verified) — Sat, 11/01/2008 - 6:14am
The misuse of Islamic "examples" is the main reason why Muslims are not gaining respect in the world. Look, marrying a twelve years old is sick, but to tie that with Prophet Muhammad SAW is giving bad names to Islam, harmful to Islam, and not fair to other good Muslims.
It does not make sense that true Islam lets a child, who is probably not capable of making decision for herself, be a victim in this kind of situation. I don't care what others believe about Islamic "rules" and "examples" but when they do not make sense I would just go the other way.
We should live our lives with the highest moral. The more Puji claims that he is religious but in truth live his life immorally, the more he and his religion turn people away.
Jonathan tempe (not verified) — Sat, 11/01/2008 - 5:11am
Syeik Puji is clearly hypocrite. He probably uses a lot of pornography too to get him interested in little girls, so the police should investigate him too and he is insulting the good moslems of Indonesia by behaving 'primitive'. If he is respected, then his followers are being made into fools too. It is ashamed that bad moslems get respect because they have corruption money.
Karina Soemarwoto (not verified) — Sat, 11/01/2008 - 12:12am
In addition, the "generalizations" mentioned in the previous comment are obviously present in some of the comments posted underneath. Thus, a specific message to the wealthy clerk who married the 12 year old girl (in case he has ever thought negatively of prejudice and ignorant generalizations made about his community) boldly states:
you're not helping.
Karina Soemarwoto (not verified) — Sat, 11/01/2008 - 12:00am
Let's not focus too much on the moral standards since these may be very relative and depend on an individual's background. Instead, we'll try to reason. The impression we gain is that the man is simply selfish and narrow minded. Firstly, the mind of the 12 year old girl is possibly not in the mature mental state yet as to being capable of rationally making such a significant decision concerning her life. If this were the case, then the man is simply thrusting a decision upon her at an early age, which would be unfair as she is given no time. Secondly, being one's wife most likely has its limitations that may impair the girl's way of thinking. Thirdly, such a controversial act cannot (on a larger scale) be good for his business or his boarding school and would eventually have an impact on the workers or the students there. Furthermore, he is obviously narrow minded by merely interpreting literal meanings of the examples he uses from the religious sources to justify his action.
Finally, this kind of news never remains isolated in just one area or country. The word spreads, and when it does, generalizations (such as those concerning religion or a nation) will come to exist among those who hear it. When generalizations come up, they cause damage upon the reputation of certain communities, and others will have to suffer from the controversy on a larger societal scale. If the arguments above are dismissed due to differences of belief and have not been able to convince the reader, at least do not dismiss the validity of the final argument. It is what undoubtedly makes the man selfish.