Fatwa on Environment

Jakarta: The Indonesian Ulema Council issued a fatwa against intentionally starting forest fires in a bid to cheaply clear land for palm oil and pulpwood plantations. It said it was against Islamic law for Muslims to start fire on purpose in forests or on plantation land. It may be noted that fires started by farmers in Sumatra and Indonesian part of the Borneo islands cloud large parts of skies in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore and create choking smog for weeks.