Fatwa on Protection of Endangered Species to Maintain the Balanced Ecosystems

Indonesia, the country with the world’s largest Muslim population, now has a fatwa (a religious edict) declaring illegal hunting or illegal trading of endangered species to be haram (forbidden). While not legally binding in Indonesian secular law, the fatwa is firmly based on Islamic law and tradition and is binding within that context. Issued by the Indonesian Council of Ulama (MUI), its top Muslim clerical body, it does carry significant cultural and religious weight, giving strong guidance to Indonesia’s Muslim population on how wildlife protection fits in with their core beliefs and values. The fatwa establishes seven types of interdictions, and makes a broad set of recommendations aimed to the government, legislators, regional administrators, business, and the general public to take measures to conserve endangered species.