Editorial

A single hegemonic truth is spread that cannot be confronted or debated through creative dialogue or debate. This condition forces society to accept hegemonic logic as something given. This results in a stifled society that is unable to view politics, religious understanding, and knowledge in a rational and critical manner.

Privatization of the truth materializes in the claims of truth and salvation that a particular group or religion has that their own belief. Others are seen as deviants that should be straightened out not having the same authority to interpret God. This tendency increases with the fact that Abrahamic religions, except for the Jewish religion, have propagandistic and missionary doctrines.

Privatization of the truth materializes in the claims of truth and salvation that a particular group or religion has that their own belief. Others are seen as deviants that should be straightened out not having the same authority to interpret God. This tendency increases with the fact that Abrahamic religions, except for the Jewish religion, have propagandistic and missionary doctrines.

Polygamy is one of the issues criticized by feminists in general and Muslim feminists in particular. This tradition of marrying more than one wife (mistresses), is always controversial. There is a matter of textual interpretation involved. In Al Qur’an, there is a verse that explicitly allows for polygamy. This verse becomes the weapon for polygamy’s advocates to justify it in an Islamic perspective. But one should not forget, that the verse following the verse above contains the strict restriction: the matter of justice: “….and if you fear that you cannot do justice (to so many) then (marry) one only . . . .” The Muslim community should ask then: what is the nature of marriage in Islam?

They are a silent majority, who only raise their voices during elections. Again, the facts talk for themselves. The election in 1999 involved the total defeat of Islamic parties. This means that those who shout the loudest about Islamic sharia are a vocal minority without deep roots within Indonesian society.

Alqur’an is a text which is rich in symbol and metaphor, and therefore it is open to multiple interpretation. The Alqur’an text with its 6660 verses and 144 sura has been interpreted into thousands of books of tafseer (interpretation). The number of mufassir (interpreters) who are engaged in using different methods and interpretations are similarly uncountable.