Editorial

“...a distinction betweenGod and what one sees deep inside his heart and knows there is a god. Indeed, it would be difficult to know that our god is really God.”

Thus, for Muslims themselves, celebrating Christmas is really to celebrate the birthday of a messenger of God to be believed, Isa al-Masih, who was symbolically born in December 25th. As the implication of this faith to the Jesus, Muslims should also be allowed to celebrate the birth of Jesus and other prophets before Muhammad PBUH. Jesus is not only owned by Christian communally but also by all who believe in him. The Great figures such as Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad do not belong to certain groups. Those figures can be examples and inspiration for anyone.

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”?

Norway Bombing should neither be understood as a “revenge bomb” coming from Christians to Muslims, nor coming from a group of certain religion to another group of different faith, because if that kind of violence has to be assumed as an exclusive identity, is our world waiting for many other terror bombings which their doers will be coming from Hindu, Buddha or other religious backgrounds so that all of us would say at the end that “all religions are terrorists”?

Thousand of people were invaded, tortured and murdered. However only 12 people were arrested and presented at the hearing process in the court. Policemen who “allowed” the violence to happen had not yet became suspects. Ironically, one of Ahmadi family was judged to a the suspected. His head was hacked several times. His hands were almost severed and until now has not been functioning. So instead of punishing the attackers, they were sending him for 10 years in prison, because he is considered to provoke the anger of thousands of residents because he chose not to leave his office and defend his assets from being destroyed. It is strange, while the victim is threatened with 10 years in prison; the attackers were actually required to stay only from 5 to 7 months. In this country, defending private property rights can be a complicated matter, while criminals that is committed is very likely understandable.