Discussion

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. 

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. 

The main problem in current Islamic understanding is the dominant view regarding the text as something “supreme” such that the comprehension of the text often involves denying reality and concrete human experience. The effect is an alienation from experience.

Since the invitation of an open discussion organized by Liberal Islam Network (JIL) under the title of “Islam and Secularism” was accommodated in daily Kompas on Thursday, 2^nd January 2003, the office telephone rang constantly. The program was held in JIL headquarters, Teater Utan Kayu, Jl. Utan Kayu 68 H East Jakarta.

A CONFERENCE COSPONSORED BY THE UNITED STATES-INDONESIA SOCIETY AND THE ASIA FOUNDATION