Jurisprudence of Interfaith Greetings:

A Sociological Analysis of the Interfaith Greeting Fatwa of the Fatwa Commission Scholars’ Assembly in Indonesia VIII

Nandang Abdurohim

 

Abstract: The issue of interfaith greetings remains a subject of contention or juristic disagreement (ikhtilāf) among Islamic scholars. At its Eighth National Congress, the Fatwa Commission of the Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) issued a fatwa (juristic opinion) that appears to prohibit interfaith greetings. However, such greetings have been widely accepted by various segments of Indonesian society, considering the country’s pluralistic social context. This divergence arises primarily from differences in istinbāṭ al-ḥukm (legal reasoning) employed in formulating the fatwa. This article examines the legal status of interfaith greetings through the lens of social jurisprudence, as developed by Ali Yafie and Sahal Mahfudh. By reanalysing the legal methodology used by the Fatwa Commission of the Indonesian Ulama Council, this article demonstrates that several forms of textual evidence or legal proof (dalīl), which are commonly relied upon, can be understood within a socially oriented framework, allowing flexibility in the formulation of fatwa. The findings suggest that interfaith greetings may be expressed in socially neutral, non-ritual forms, whereas combining Islamic greetings with ritual expressions of other religions remains impermissible. Nevertheless, the use of more universal expressions, such as “greetings of harmony,” “national greetings,” or “peaceful greetings,” is recommended to foster social cohesion and mitigate ongoing debates. Ultimately, this social jurisprudence approach promotes interreligious harmony, mutual respect, and recognition among followers of different faiths.