Terror upon Ahmadiyya and Freedom of Religion

Indonesia has always been described as the country of tolerant Islam. Historically, the preceding dominant religions, Hinduism and Buddhism, were tolerant towards the new teachings of Islam. While at the same time, the Islamic missionaries were tolerant upon the older religions, and even adopted some elements of these cultures into Islamic tradition. Therefore, a historian Anthony Reid, referred the Islamic propagation in Indonesia as “penetration pacific”, meaning that Islam was propagated by peaceful means.

The tolerant, Indonesian attitude was emphazised when two Ahmadiyya preachers (from the Lahore Ahmadiyya), Mirza Wali Ahmad Baiog and Maulana Ahjmad, visited Yogyakarta, in 1924. One year later, the Qadian Ahmadiyya sect came to Indonesia, i.e. in 1925, as they were invited by several Indonesians who studied at Ahmadiyya College in Pakistan.
Some leaders of the nationalist movement, in particular Soekarno (the first president of Indonesia), welcomed Ahmadiyya in Indonesia since it supported the Indonesian struggle for independence. Due to that warm reception, Soekarno was accused of being a follower of Ahmadiyya, which he, however, denied later on. However, the teachings of Ahmadiyya (particularly those of the Lahore Ahmadiyya movement) did influence the leaders of several Indonesian movements, for example H.O.S Tjokroamninoto, Agus Salim, and Soekarno, via tafseer and books, such as The Holy Qur’an, the Religion of Islam, and Sejarah Nabi Muhammad Saw (History of Prophet Muhammad PBUH).

The establishment of Ahmadiyya Pakistan by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835-1908) was fostered by several historical realities. First, British colonialism in South Asia. Second, Muslims backwardness in every aspect. Third, the process of Christian proselytization. Historically, the emergence of Ahmadiyya is similar to the birth of the Muhammadiyah movement in Indonesia. 

In Indonesia, the Muhammadiyah movement was created in order to purify the creed and rituals of traditional Islam, which it regarded to be infiltrated by TBC “disease” namely Tachayul, Bid’ah and Churafat (superstition, heresy and myth). This Wahabi mission of Muhammadiyah caused friction with traditional Muslims, which eventually led to the emergence of the traditionalist mass Muslim organization, NU (Nahdlatul Ulama). Ahmadiyya suggested a liberal interpretation of Qur’an and Sunnah, despite the fact that it disagreed with the modernist trend of Ahmad Khan that regarded it as part of Westernization. Ahmadiyya, which was against the rational approach of Aligarh, indeed is based on a rational and liberal interpretation. The main goal of the Ahmadiyya movement was to oppose Christian proselytization and westernization in India at that time.

In Indonesia, the teaching of Muhammadiyah were widely accepted, because of its modernising character. Nevertheless, Ahmadiyyah did not obtain similar acceptance in Pakistan, instead it faced fierce resistance from both Indian traditional and modernist ulema. One of the reasons behind this opposition was caused by Ghulam Ahmad’s claim on being a prophet and his claim on divine revelation.  By contrast, both traditional and modernist Muslims believe that prophet Muhammad was the final prophet and messenger of God. Muslims in general believe Ahmadiyya adherents to have their own holy book, since Ghulam Ahmad’s “revelation” was put into book form.

Yet, for Ahmadi, the last prophet is Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Ahmadi interpret the status of “prophet” and “messenger” of Muhammad as the one who brought sharia (law). Ghulam Ahmad has never claimed to bring a new sharia, his main mission was to “revive sharia” by rational interpretation. Thus, he stressed, the Islamic progress was not dependent on modernization or colonialism, since Islam itself contained this idea of progress.

The teachings of Ahmadiyya say that Islam brings mercy upon the world (rahmah lil alameen) and therefore it should not be spread by war. Thus, Ahmadiyya, according to Wilfred C. Smith, became an intellectual movement that consistently performs “intellectual dakwah (religious call)”. This movement enchanted Soekarno although he refused to believe Ghulam Ahmad was a prophet. Ahmadiyya still believes that war is a “small jihad” while “great jihad” is performed by an individual struggle. Hence, Ahmadiyya emerged as a modern spiritual movement. Lately, Islam developed in Africa through the Ahmadiyya movement.

The followers of Ahmadiyya went through a lot of persecution due to the high resistance in Pakistan. They were expelled, they were forbidden to engage in congregational or Friday prayer, their mosques were destroyed and burnt, and they were even murdered by fanatic Muslims in Pakistan. To flee these threats and assaults, Ahmadiyya migrated to England and spread to Western Europe. British people and Europeans were interested in Ahmadiyya since its spiritual teachings are rational and similar to Christianity at the same time.

Alas, Ahmadiyya expansion in England led to the accusation that Ahmadiyya was a “project of British colonialism”, established in order to maintain British authority in India. Ahmadiyya was accused to be supported financially by the British government, although they have never obtained a penny from it. Ahmadiyya is, in fact, an independent organization that collects its funding from its own members.

Since Ahmadiyya is expelled and not recognized as part of Islam, they tend to be a reclusive community. However, the Ahmadiyya community has always been known as a peaceful community, since its doctrine teaches peace. Ahmadiyya’s preach has never insulted or attacked other schools of Islamic thought. To the contrary, the Ahmadiyya movement has set up humanitarian programs, namely “Humanity First” that helps people regardless of their religion.

Ahmadiyya has been a legal organization in Indonesia since 1928 (Lahore sect) and 1929 (Qadian sect) based on SK Menteri Kehakiman (decree of Minister of Justice) No. JA 5/23/13, dated 13 March 1953, and was recognized as a social organization based on surat Direktorat Hubungan Kelembagaan Politik No. 75//D.I./VI/2003. These legal admissions were based on Article 29 paragraph 1 and 2 of the 1945 Constitution that “the State is based upon the belief in the One, Supreme God” and “The State guarantees the freedom of every residents to profess and practice their own religion and belief”.

Based on this, the Department of Religious Affairs and the Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI/Indonesian Council of Religious Scholars) are obliged to protect Ahmadiyya. Unfortunately, at 11th August 2002, MUI organized a seminar with speakers who demanded the disbanding of Ahmadiyya. This, in its turn, incited violence, it resulted in the burning of houses, mosques and schools in Manislor, Kuningan West Java, and in Pancor, Lombok, and the destruction and terror upon an annual meeting of Ahmadiyya at Mubarok campus, Parung. FPI (Front of Islamic Defenders) and LPII (Institute of Islamic Studies and Research) were behind those terrors that violated the human rights.

The source of terrorism can be found in the decree of MUI’s National Deliberative Council No. 05/Kep/Munas/MUI/1980, the fatwa that dismisses Ahmadiyya as a “non Islamic group, deviant and misled”. This decree led to violence upon Ahmadiyya, whose members believe in rukun Islam (pillars of Islam) and rukun Iman (pillars of Faith) just as any other Muslims.

Even if the creed of Ahmadiyya is regarded as different, its believers have the right “to profess and practice their own religion and belief”. Ahmadiyya is consistent in running their humanitarian programs and in calling for peace. Ahmadiyya elements have to be included in the board of MUI, rather than being expelled. In the legal framework of the Republic of Indonesia, one can find their basic rights, namely to practice religion according to their respective belief.