JIL English Edition

The bomb exploded at the ‘Bethel Injil Sepenuh’ Church (GBIS), Solo. Few days earlier, riots exploded in Ambon. Some experts analyzed that the events were triggered simply by an SMS that gave false information about the cause of death of a motorcycle driver. Allegedly there were certain parties who exploited the situation to make riots by pitting local society.

The puritan and radical Wahhabi group continues to establish Islamic boarding schools (pesantren); they founded no less than a dozen Wahhabi pesantren in Indonesia. Like the Wahhabi schools in Saudi Arabia, the Wahhabi pesantrens in Indonesia promote similar doctrines. They call people who adopt non-Wahhabi teaching as infidels (kafir) and polytheist (musyrik). Furthermore, if the socio-political environment is favorable, they do not hesitate to use violence in order to change other Muslims’ conviction. The Wahhabis of Saudi Arabia has committed violence against other Muslims whom they considered as deviant. Beside of being cruel to non-Muslims, the Wahhabis are also harsh upon the non-Wahhabi Muslims.

Indonesia is reputedly a country that stands above all parties. This country is established on the foundation of a gentlemen’s agreement between all elements of society in which they will develop and live a life together in harmony. Is it really happening or is it just a wishful thinking?

Marriage in the Islamic fiqh tends to be materialistic and far from philosophical and romantic arrangement. Sometimes, Muslims need to look at the marriage ceremony of adherents of other religions. In the Catholic marriage, for example, the central topic in the wedding arrangement is about love. Love is the foundation that will strongly sustain the future household. Due to the strong bonds of marriage that tie the couple, the pastor used to say in the wedding ceremony “What God has united, man must not divide”.

“Lebaran” is always performed by most Indonesian Muslims by going back to their homelands and family, namely “mudik”. Thousands of people return from cities to villages in order to meet their beloved ones. They do not even care about the expensive ticket and the risk being on the road. Many accidents happen during this season of joy. “Lebaran” can hypnotize people. The question is why people are so excited for this “mudik”?

Fundamentalism is not associated with a particular religion. It does exist in all religions, as said by Prof. Dr. Thomas Meyer (University of Dortmund, Germany) when he spoke about characteristics of fundamentalism. This point of view was expressed in a public lecture and discussion titled “What is Fundamentalism?” held by the Liberal Islam Network in collaboration with Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) in November 22nd 2011. The event was attended also by Ulil Abshar-Abdalla who was invited as the second speaker for the discussion.

Ulil said that the pragmatism of the moderate Islamic parties is in conjunction with the fades of ideology in politics. Citing Daniel Bell’s work The End of Ideology, Ulil explained about recent developments wherein people are no longer concerned with the big narratives of ideology that fueled humans’ spirit but failed to solve their problems. The fades of ideology facilitate the party in switching its direction to adjust itself to the development of political conditions. The functioning democratic system in the governance invites the Islamic parties to join in the democratic political arena that necessitates them to follow and obey the democratic rules of game. Ulil argues that the emergence of post-Islamism provides a fresh air for Islam because it counters the accusations that Islam is incompatible with democracy.

Apparently, the space for dissemination of the ideas of Islam and liberalism has been narrowed by Indonesian Ulema Council / MUI’s fatwa that prohibits liberalism in the mid of 2005. Nevertheless, the campaign for the ideas of freedom within Islam has not disappeared at all, as indicated by the publication and discussion of a new book entitled Islam dan Liberalisme (Islam and Liberalism) by Budhy Munawar Rachman.

Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) has long been considered problematic. Besides it does not represent all elements of the Muslim in the country, the fatwa issued by MUI often generate negative impact in the society. For example, the MUI’s fatwa concerning the heretic status of Ahmadiyah and other sects has led to physical violence and violated the citizens’ rights of practicing their religion and belief. Although the fatwa is just a religious opinion and not legally binding, it is quite influential upon the majority of Muslims as well as the government.

Education is crucial to the success of such internal dialogue. The prolonged suspicion between Islamic sects has been made possible through cultivating prejudices and hostilities among new generation in schools. There is a need to develop religious education with the vision to cultivating ethics of dialogue and mutual respects between sects in Islam. New Muslim generation need to learn the language of respect instead of treating other Islamic sect as “deviant” or even “apostate”.