While giving a speech to an assembly of Islamic scholars at City Hall today, acting Governor Basuk “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama talked about how he learned Islam while in elementary and junior high school in his hometown, of Belitung. He said when he was younger he often interacted with Islamic scholars and even studied the tenants of Islam, which he considers a religion that teaches kindness.
“According to my Muslim friends, they say I am more Islamic than most Muslims who claim themselves to be true Muslims. We do not steal, we work hard and we are disciplined. Those are the teachings of Islam that I knew from elementary and junior high school,” said Ahok to the hundreds of Islamic scholars gathered there from across the city, as quoted by Detik.
The former Regent of East Belitung also vented about how he often faced attacks from his political opponents because of his status as a non-Muslim.
“I’ve had my fill of issues like that. I am not allowed to enter the mosque, even to the courtyard if I want to hear the sermons, because they say I am kafir . So how can I gain guidance? The sermons heard at night might not be enough, especially when I am restricted and banned from entering the mosque,” he said.
Source: Detik
