West Sumatra. Seven foreign nationals, including six from the United Kingdom and one from Norway, were arrested by local authorities in West Pasaman, West Sumatra, for allegedly spreading deviant beliefs related to the Mahdi, a messianic figure.

The arrest was made by the Monitoring Team for Religious Belief Groups (Pakem) in West Pasaman on Thursday. According to West Pasaman Police Chief Agung Tribawanto, they were detained in a village in Lingkuang Aua Timur, Pasaman District.

“They possessed valid administrative documents based on their passports, but their intentions were misguided,” he said.

The arrested individuals are Anaya Kaur, 36; Priya Kurji, 37; Muhammed Abdullah Sufian, 1; Khadijjah, 3; Krillan, 39; and Sianna, 8, all from the UK, as well as Osama, 35, from Norway.

When questioned about their presence, Osama, also known as Muhammad Bin Abdullah, claimed they traveled to Indonesia, specifically West Pasaman, to pledge allegiance to Muhammad Qosim, who is currently in Jakarta and is being positioned as the Mahdi.

This decision was reportedly inspired by a dream in which he claimed to have encountered Allah and received a command to support Qosim as the Mahdi to lead the Muslim community.

“To maintain public order and security, these foreign nationals have been taken to the Immigration Office in Agam by immigration officers,” he added.

Pasaman Sub-District Head Andre Affandi said that the joint team is actively monitoring information regarding Muhammad Qosim's planned arrival. According to reports, Qosim is a Pakistani national.

Affandi urged the public not to easily trust unfamiliar individuals, especially those promoting new and potentially deviant beliefs.

“If such situations arise, please report them to local authorities before any unwanted incidents occur,” he advised.

Officials from the Ministry of Religious Affairs in West Pasaman will provide religious talks to residents who hosted the seven foreign nationals.

The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) of West Sumatra has strongly condemned the alleged cult activities and the plan to pledge allegiance to a false Mahdi occurring in West Pasaman.

“MUI strongly condemns this alleged deviant group,” said Muhammad Hidayat, Head of the Fatwa Commission of MUI West Sumatra, in Padang on Friday.

MUI West Pasaman issued a statement outlining several important points. Firstly, the council concluded that the beliefs conveyed were misguided and deviant.

Furthermore, the organization rejected the presence of foreign nationals, including Osama Altaaf, Nasar, and their associates, who are spreading the belief that the Mahdi has already appeared.

MUI West Pasaman also urged Muslims not to be influenced by dubious beliefs or blindly accept unclear claims, especially if they lead to illegal actions.

The organization called on authorities to proactively investigate the individuals involved and to prevent the spread of deviant beliefs.

“MUI encourages and urges the community to be critical and continue studying eschatological issues through clear sources, namely the Quran and Sunnah,” he emphasized.

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