Indonesia: a fatwa to encourage marriages between rich and poor?

Text by: Gabrielle Maréchaux

What if we encouraged the most disadvantaged social classes to marry the richest to stem poverty? This is the serious proposal of the Indonesian Minister for Human Development. To support his suggestion, this official from the country with the most Muslims in the world even suggests the creation of a fatwa.

Publicity

From our correspondent in Kuala Lumpur,

It is figures in support and with levers of concrete actions that the Indonesian Minister Muhadjir Effendy declared wanting to encourage the rich and the poor to marry.

A sociologist by training, the Minister is well aware of the concept of social reproduction and recalls that 17% of Indonesian households are fighting against poverty. If their descendants marry someone of similar conditions, this figure is not about to drop, he says.

And to encourage social classes to mix, he wants the creation of a fatwa going in this direction. Because Muhadjir Effendy regrets that the religious teachings suggesting to marry " someone similar to oneself " can be misinterpreted.

Indonesia, a secular state

But if her country is the one with the most Muslims in the world, the Constitution claims a secular state and it is not the responsibility of the government to issue fatwas.

The Minister also suggested the creation of compulsory pre-marital certifications, which already exist for example in Malaysia, in order to ensure that future spouses can afford to support a home, and possibly help them.

Newsletter With the Daily Newsletter, find the headlines directly in your mailbox

Download the app

• Indonesia
• Religion

On the same subject

Indonesia

The main opponent of Indonesian President Widodo appointed to Defense

Indonesia

Indonesia: Clashes During Protests Against Controversial Laws

Indonesia

Indonesia: Youth on the streets against revision of the penal code