Indonesian academic discusses using music to glorify beauty of Islam in Brunei’s UBD

Nabilah Haris
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

MUSIC can be used as a tool to further glorify Islam as a religion, however, it must fulfil certain criteria to preserve the sanctity of the religion, said an academic.

Drs Arly Budiono

“The music has to be of three criteria. Firstly, it has to encompass the notion of knowledge and it has to be more than just sounds. It is to contain knowledge. Secondly, it has to be of high quality and integrity and not of a dangdut-nature — I disagree with some who say dangdut is Islamic. Lastly, it has to be universal,” said Drs Arly Budiono from Universitas Negeri Jakarta (UNJ).

He was presenting his working paper on “Musik dan Islam” (Music and Islam) during a recent seminar hosted by the the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, in collaboration with the Faculty of Language and Arts, UNJ, Indonesia.

The seminar was themed, “Strengthening Ties Via Culture and Language”.

While there are those who disagree with the notion of incorporating music and religion, Drs Arly believed that there was a respectful way to incorporate religion into the artform.

The Quran should be made as a source of inspiration in creating music as the Quran itself is a literary form of the highest order, he said.

Music “is of one breath with Islam”, said Drs Budiono, adding that if produced with knowledge, integrity and of universal appeal, it “can heighten the status of Islam”.

“Ultimately, the intention in creating music must be for Allah SWT. It cannot simply be made brashly, and it has to be carefully thought out as its main goal is to glorify Islam,” he said.

The Brunei Times
Thursday, January 16, 2014

Yusuf Islam aka Cat Stevens

Bimbo

Debu

Sami Yusuf

http://www.bt.com.bn/news-national/2014/01/16/academic-discusses-using-music-glorify-beauty-islam

“Ketika Tangan dan Kaki Berkata”
Vocal: Chrisye
Lyric: Taufiq Ismail

Akan datang hari… Mulut dikunci
Kata…tak ada lagi
Akan tiba masa… tak ada suara
Dari… mulut kita

Berkata tangan kita..
Tentang apa yang dilakukannya
Berkata kaki kita..
Kemana saja dia melangkahnya

Tanggung jawab tiba… robbana
Tangan kami.. Kaki kami..
Mulut kami.. Mata hati kami

Luruskanlah.. Kukuhkanlah..
Di jalan cahaya.. Sempurna
Mohon karunia.. Kepada kami
Hambamu yang hina

Investors buy a lot of sharia shares

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — Indonesia’s Stock Exchange officially listed PT Bank Panin Syariah on board stock with code of PNBS. Panin Syariah is the first issuer and also the first sharia bank that listed its shares on IDX this year.

“It becomes a company’s history. Panin Syariah is the first Islamic company conducting an initial public offering (IPO),” IDX President Director, Ito Warsito said on Wednesday, 15/1/14.

He expects Panin Syariah shares can be collected by investors in Indonesia. IDX expects to add 30 new companies as bourse members this year. There were 31 companies that conducted IPO in the last year.

Director of PT Evergreen Capital as underwriter, Rudi Utomo said that domestic and foreign investors’ demand for Islamic stocks were pretty good. Panin Syariah stocks experienced over-subscriber.

At the opening trading on Wednesday, Panin Shariah stock had increased to level of 105 IDR per share. The traded stock reached 106 times with trading volume of 35 thousand shares.
Panin Syariah released its 4.75 billion shares at IDX. Company expects to obtain IPO proceeds worth 475 billion IDR. It will be used for business development. — Reported by Friska Yolandha/Mutia Ramadhani. Edited by Julkifli Marbun

http://www.republika.co.id/berita/en/jakarta-region-others/14/01/16/mzgcoy-investors-buy-a-lot-of-sharia-shares

Saudi promises to repatriate Indonesian overstayers

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — The House of Representatives (DPR) has written a letter to the Saudi government over Indonesians overstaying their residence visas in that country and were now being accommodated at shelters, stated House Speaker Marzuki Alie.

Marzuki Alie

“As a result, the Saudi government has responded to it and promised to provide four planes to repatriate the Indonesian overstayers. Indonesia will provide two planes,” the House Speaker remarked on the DPR’s official website on Wednesday.

Alie explained that the government and the House shared the responsibility in the repatriation of Indonesian overstayers from Saudi Arabia.

“Khodijah, one of the overstayers at the dormitory, died in the Tahril immigration detention center. Therefore, we are seeking assistance from the House so that her body can be returned home along with the other overstayers,” he noted.

Tarhil in Shumaisi

There are about 11 thousand Indonesian laborers who have occasionally violated Saudi Arabia’s rules and laws pertaining to residence and work visas and are dubbed as overstayers.

In the last one year, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has provided an amnesty period to foreigners overstaying their working period in the country.

Overstaying Indonesian migrants at the shelter of Indonesian consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

During the amnesty period, thousands of Indonesian citizens, who violated their residence and work visas in Saudi Arabia, thronged the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate General of Indonesia in Jeddah in order to rectify their status.

However, the number of Indonesian overstayers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is too large, leaving about 11 thousand Indonesians without an opportunity to take advantage of the amnesty period.

The amnesty period offered by the government of Saudi Arabia ended on November 3, and those who failed to avail the opportunity by correcting their status, have been housed at the Tarhil immigration detention centers in Shumaysi.

Tarhil Shumaysi is located between Jeddah and Mecca, and it consists of 27 blocks with 75 “Amber” (dorms) in each block. Each Amber measures approximately 10×18 meters and is equipped with 36 bunk beds for 72 inmates, eight small bathrooms, two rooms for bathing, and one dining room.

http://www.republika.co.id/berita/en/national-politics/14/01/16/mzgdbq-saudi-promises-to-repatriate-indonesian-overstayers