JIL English Edition

The limitation of religions to those that are officially recognized ignores the anthropological realities of this pluralist country. On the level of policy implementation, this limitation has led to compulsory hypocrisy; citizens who do not believe in one the official religions must still identify themselves with one of these religions on their ID cards. Millions of Sikhs, Bahai, Jews, and devotees to local-traditional beliefs, which existed before the rise of the official religions, have become the victims of this limitation. 

I am completely aware that there is a sort of playing a double standard here. When non-Muslim hurts the Muslim’s religious freedom, Muslim leaders rush into using the language of right. When it come to Muslim mistreating religious minorities in Muslim lands, they shut their mouth. Isn’t a sheer hypocrisy? Yes, no doubt.

Concerning the relationship between the state and religion, Pancasila offered neither radical secularization nor complete subordination to religion, but a middle course, a critical partnership between religious institutions and the state. Such an ideal, of course, requires a delicate balancing act and the Suharto experience proved what a difficult act it is.

Rodinson observed that Islam developed from a traditional capitalist society. History recorded that Islam expanded across the world using the vehicle of capitalism and trade. That is why the Islamic expansion was 300 years slower than the expansion of Muslim sultanate’s political power. This argument rejects the thesis saying that Islam is propagated by sword and blood. 

Obama’s readiness and ability to use the momentum will deliver double outcomes: the positive image of the US will restore and the seeds of radicalism and terrorism will lose its justification. Quoting Irshad Manji, Obama have to prove that the US is rather a non-fulfilled expectation than the main villain in the Middle Eastern turmoil. 

But the admiration shown for Wahid in Melbourne offers a ray of hope. Many worldwide believe Wahid can promote peace in the Islamic world, particularly Indonesia. Through his tireless activities and commitment to protecting minorities he has demonstrated the true spirit of Islam which honors pluralism. The position of Wahid as a politician and human rights activist is unique.

If Islam were superior, why isn’t there any Muslim country which is progressive and leading in terms of education, technology, culture or economy? Many of Muslim countries were even black-listed because of their poor appreciation upon women and human fundamental rights, the fragility of government bureaucracy and corruption. In the academic level, none of the Islamic universities were listed as the international highest standard. Definitely, these complex social matters cannot be solved by yelling “Allahu akbar” and scapegoating the west.

To Rahman, bank’s interest is not riba (usury) since the philosophy of bank’s establishment is as the agent of change in the national development system of a modern state. Therefore, bank’s interest is not equal to riba which is based on individual-consumptive motive. Rahman also allowed massive mechanical slaughter of animals (chicken), with a single blessing only. He also believed that zakat could be gradually perceived as tax with certain mechanism. 

I think that the tension between interfaith communities in Indonesia will reduce if the liberating verses were becoming priority within the substance of any missionary endeavors in Indonesia. Since the muballigh (Muslim preacher) and the evangelist will no longer focus on the accumulation of their respective religion’s membership, but on the collaboration to advocate and liberate the oppressed society. On the contrary, if the paradigm shift does not happen within the Islamic and Christian missionary endeavor, the turmoil which involves both religious disciples will be hard to end.

The whole furor and controversy over Ahmadiyah sect is just a parcel of a larger dynamic in the Indonesian politics. Over the last ten years after the unleashing of democratic movement in Indonesia, one development stands out to be worthy of our analysis, namely the radicalizing trend among Muslim society. This trends manifested in various form, including the vigorous campaign launched by Islamists to adopt and implement sharia or Islamic law. The entire campaign to dissolve Ahmadiyah, to me, cannot be analyzed separately from this larger trend.