A Muslim cleric was beaten to death by a mob because of his teachings.

Alih bin Hadi preached at a mosque in Bobojong kampung, Petir village, Darmaga district, Bogor, West Java. On the 27th he was taken from inside the mosque by a mob that numbered 200-250, put on a motorbike which travelled about 200 metres from the mosque, and thereafter beaten to death. People from three areas, that is Bobojong, Sempur, and Ijul, are known to have taken part in the attack, which occured just after Alih had led the daily Isya prayer.

It appears that Alih bin Hadi had preached that Muslims did not need to make the pilgrimage to Mecca, going to the mosque at nearby Cipondoh, Tangerang, was sufficient, and that it was permissible for people to pay the poor tax (zakat) after the Idul Fitir holidays, not before as customary. L6 He also held services very late at night, without lights on. indosiar

Alih bin Hadi’s preachings had long annoyed local people and it seems that several times a promise had been extracted from him to stop spreading his “false” teachings, and several times Alih had gone back on his promise. After having signed an agreement in December 2005 to stop the mosque’s activities Alih left the area but had recently returned, and this had angered people.

Alih had belonged to a larger group called “Yayasan Karisma Usada Mustika” which is currently being investigated by the Bogor branch of the Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI) over suspicions of heresy. About 1000 members of the Yayasan demonstrated outside the main Bogor police station over the matter of Alih’s murder. Currently police have detained three men.

His pregnant wife, Mimin, says she is confused about the murder and that Alih bin Hadi had had no enemies. hariansib She has three children from Alih.