OnIslam.net

"As long as Ahmadiyyah Indonesia members admit they are Muslims, they must stop the spread of deviant interpretation of Islamic teaching," said a government decree read by Religious Affairs Minister Maftuh Basyuni at a news conference.

It warned Ahmadiyyah followers they could face legal charges if they did not stop activities such "the spreading of the belief that there is another prophet with his own teachings after Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him)."

The government urged other parties not to violate laws by taking action against Ahmadiyyah followers.

Calls to outlaw the sect have been mounting since April when a government board supervising religious affairs recommended disbanding Ahmadiyyah.

Ahmadiyyah was declared a deviant group by the Indonesia Ulemas Council (MUI), the country's highest Muslim authority, last January.

Ahmadiyyah was founded in the beginning of the 20th century by Ghulam Ahmed, from the village of Qadiyan in Punjab.

He claimed to be a Messenger of God and his followers believe Prophet Muhammad was the best but not last Prophet.

In 1914, the sect was divided with the overwhelming majority belonging to the Ahmadiyyah Community, also known as Qadyanis, while the other minor group is known as the Lahore Ahmadiyyah.

The Lahore group does not believe in Ghulam Ahmad as a prophet but rather as Mujaddid (renovator) but still believes Prophet Muhammad was not the last prophet.

Scholars of Islam unanimously consider the followers of both groups to be non-believers.

Controversial

The government's decision was rejected by both Muslim groups, campaigned for a total ban, and liberals who criticize any action against the sect.

"This is a violation of the Indonesian constitution," Muslim Abdurahman, from the Almaun Foundation think tank, told Agence France Presse (AFP).

"This is a clear example of how the government is meddling too much with matters which are not under its authority."

He argued that the decision risks tarnish Indonesia's image.

"This is a bad example and can only sully the image of Indonesia as the world's largest Muslim democracy. Nobody is going to believe that now."

Yet, several Muslim groups criticized the government's decision was lenient.

"This is not enough," Fauzan Al Anshori, a spokesman for the Islamist Indonesian Mujahedeen Council, told AFP.

"The decree is just a breeze, an entertainment -- it doesn't answer our demands," he stressed.

"The Ahmadis may not be striking people but they strike at our faith."

Thousands of people staged a massive protest Monday near the presidential palace in Jakarta calling for the sect's ban.

Fauzan threatened that they would not stop their demonstrations and rallies until a total ban is issued.

"What we want is a total ban so that Ahmadiyyah is no more (in Indonesia)."