MUI: Burying Live Groupers Does Not Conform to Islamic Principles

JAKARTA - The Fatwa Commission of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has highlighted the operation of the extermination of plecostomus fish by the Government of the Special Capital Region of Jakarta (Pemprov DKI Jakarta) which is suspected to be alive during the burial process. The mass burial of plecostomus fish while still alive violates two principles. Secretary of the Fatwa Commission of the MUI, Miftahul Huda, explained that the two principles are the principle of rahmatan lil ‘alamin and the principle of animal welfare or kesrawan (animal welfare). However, he acknowledged that the government's policy of controlling plecostomus fish is good or has a maslahah, because it falls under hifẓ al-bī’ah (environmental protection). This is because plecostomus fish can damage the river ecosystem and threaten local fish. "That is in line with the maqāṣid syariah which falls into the category of ḍharūriyyāt of modern ecology," said Kiai Miftah, quoted from the ...