Indonesian fatwa against poaching welcomed

“The fatwa will complement government regulations on protecting the wildlife and serve as a reminder for Indonesian Muslims to maintain the balance of the eco-system as prescribed in the scripture,” said Nyoman Iswarayoga, spokesman for World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) in Indonesia.

The Indonesian Council of Muslim Scholars (MUI) declared in January that poaching and trafficking protected animals is anti-Islamic and that conserving the environment is an obligation for all Muslims. Iswarayoga said the MUI had consulted conservation groups, including the WWF before issuing the edict. He said he hoped preachers would spread the message in their congregations, especially during Friday prayers. 

MUI’s fatwa commision chief Asrorun Niam said environmental conservation is one of the important teachings of Islam. 

“Killing, hurting, hunting or doing anything that threatens the existence of endangered animals is haram [forbidden] unless it is meant to save the life of a human being,” Niam said. Indonesia is home to several critically endangered species, including orangutans, Sumatran tigers and Java rhinos. The tigers and rhinos are particularly threatened by poaching, as the black market in their body parts is driven by a belief in their traditional medicinal value.