MUI Condemns Quran Memorization Challenge for Liquor Promotion

Indonesia's Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI) has strongly condemned a promotional event that intertwined memorizing Quranic verses with alcoholic beverages. The organization called the practice religiously, ethically, and legally indefensible.

According to MUI's Head of Fatwa, Prof. KH Asrorun Niam Shaleh, the promotion, which involved a challenge to recite the Ad-Dhuha chapter of the Quran for a chance to win a bottle of liquor, is unacceptable. He stressed that those responsible must be held accountable for their actions.

Prof. Niam, a professor of Fiqh at UIN Jakarta, explained that the Quran holds a highly revered status in Islam and its recitation is a form of worship. In contrast, alcoholic beverages are explicitly forbidden in the Quran. He stated that using Quranic memorization as a marketing gimmick for alcohol demeans the sanctity of the religious text.

The incident gained attention after a social media user shared their experience at a music festival where a liquor booth offered the challenge. The video went viral, sparking widespread criticism for the unethical use of religious verses for commercial promotion.