JIL English Edition

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.

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”.

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”?

Indonesia that is famous for the world’s largest Muslim population does not provide an answer that Islam is a religion that brings a message of peace and love. Especially nowadays we often hear and even see with our own eyes that the religious-based violence is increasingly, being done by individual or group. The actions of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), which tends to vigilante, became one obvious example of how the violence has become increasingly entrenched part of this nation. Burning, fatwa apostasy, excommunication is a bit of those committed by those who claimed to be the most correct. This vigilante action cannot be accepted.

For many modern Muslim intellectuals who promote inter-religious dialogue, this particular verse poses an exegetical challenge. Understood literally, and without taking its context into account, would make us believe that Islam pursues an eternal conflict with Christian and Jews. The verse could feed the intolerant attitude that already exists among certain Muslim groups. Whenever the conflict breaks out between Muslim and Christian, such as one in Ambon, Indonesia, in 1999, this verse comes readily as pretext for hating Christians. The same verse has been used by many conservative Muslims to show the futility of inter-religious dialogue. Who should have dialogue with people who are never satisfied until we follow them?