Indonesian Islam facing serious image problems<\/p>\n
Syafiq Hasyim, Director, Rahima Foundation, Jakarta,
\nsyafiqhasyim@hotmail.com.<\/p>\n
The expectation that Indonesian Islam had the potential to be
\nthe model for Islam and democracy in the world has been shattered
\nsince the Bali tragedy. Many people are disappointed that
\nIndonesian Islam, recognized by international society as tolerant
\nand pluralistic, has been in its most difficult phase for at
\nleast the last 50 years. Islam is often linked with terrorism.<\/p>\n
This allegation, of course, upsets Indonesian Muslims. They
\ncannot accept that the West is blaming Islam as the motivation
\nfor terrorist actions in the country. Indonesian Muslims in
\ngeneral know that their religion does not guide them to destroy
\nbuildings or kill human beings as mentioned in the five
\nprinciples of Islamic human rights (al-dlaruriyat al-khams),
\nwhich ensures the protection of people's lives, whatever their
\nfaith.<\/p>\n
The same principle applies to the existence of Indonesian non-
\nMuslims. According to Ibn Shalah, a classical Muslim
\nintellectual, Islam does not allow the killing of non-Muslims
\nbecause of their beliefs. Islam respects different beliefs.<\/p>\n
But the real way of life for some Indonesian Muslims is
\ndifferent from the normative doctrine. Some have acted as
\nradicals on the basis of their literal interpretation of the
\nKoran. For instance, they revitalized the jihad concept as their
\nreason to legitimize their cruel actions. The real jihad,
\naccording to them, is enforcing sharia by using any possible
\nmeans, such as attacking bars and hotels and sweeping foreigners.
\nAbu Bakar Ba'asyir, for instance, often mentions that the real
\njihad is waging a war against the United States. Why?<\/p>\n
Because the U.S., according to Ba'asyir, is the obvious
\nrepresentation of Judeo-Christians, and as kuffar (unbelievers)
\nthey do not respect Muslims. Although the number of radical
\nMuslims is very small compared to the number of moderates, it
\ndoes not mean that the small group cannot damage the overall
\nimage of Indonesian Muslims.<\/p>\n
The image of Indonesian Muslims was stigmatized by small
\nradical groups over the last five years after Soeharto's fall in
\n1998. In their hands, Islam has become depicted as an intolerant
\nand repressive religion. With their presence, the image of a
\npluralistic Indonesian Islam has been sidelined. In correlation
\nto the Bali tragedy, the West is fueling a momentum to prove
\nIslam is a religion that supports terrorism.<\/p>\n
It should be first mentioned that Indonesian Islam is not a
\nsingular picture of terrorism and radicalism. Radical Islam,
\nusing Emmanuel Sivan's term (Emmanuel Sivan, Radical Islam
\nMedieval Theology and Modern Politics, 1983) has gained a small
\nplace in Indonesian Islam.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Islam is not the same as Middle Eastern Islam. If
\nMiddle Eastern Islam is highly influenced by the spirit of
\npuritanism, Indonesian Islam is much more influenced by local
\ntraditions. It is a result of an acculturation process between
\nthe Islam coming from Mecca and Medina and local traditions,
\ncoming from Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan, Lombok and so forth.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Islam can thus accept the existence of other
\ntraditions. From this diversity, in practice, the expression of
\nIslam is fragmented (not monolithic). Michael Gilsenan (1982)
\nargues that Islam must be defined by what Muslims everywhere say
\nit is. According to him, we should not talk of the world of
\nIslam, but a world of many Islams.<\/p>\n
But the diversity of Indonesian Islam, at least in the last
\nfive years, is coming up against challenges from radical Muslim
\ngroups whose mind sets assert that Islam is singular. The rule of
\nIslam, according to them, should be implemented at a practical
\nlevel.<\/p>\n
Their obligation is to enforce the implementation of Islamic
\nvalues with any kind of strategy, including violence and
\nterrorist tactics, as those carried out by the perpetrators of
\nthe Bali tragedy. Although their followers are not significant in
\nnumber, their Islamic discourse, which is reproduced by our mass
\nmedia, can affect the image of Indonesian Islam from a global
\nperspective. We can understand when Americans or Australians
\ncondemn Indonesian radical Muslim groups.<\/p>\n
But we feel disappointed with their indiscreet condemnation of
\nIslam and Muslims. It can be seen in the way the Australian
\ngovernment detained immigrant Muslims recently without
\nconsidering the diversity of Islam and Muslims. In the end, the
\nhasty condemnation could cause a serious rift in the relationship
\nbetween Islam and the West.<\/p>\n
In terms of terrorism, we can see that the two largest Muslim
\norganizations in Indonesia, the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and
\nMuhammadiyah, have taken action, both in supporting the
\nIndonesian government's investigation to find the perpetrators of
\nthe Bali tragedy and in condemning the terrorist movement. Hasyim
\nMuzadi and Syafii Maarif have acted as very good Muslim leaders.<\/p>\n
We hope the support of majority groups of Indonesian Muslims
\nin combating terrorism will increase sympathy not only from the
\nWest but also from the world in general. This recovery is not
\nonly useful for Indonesian Muslims, but for all Muslims in
\ngeneral.<\/p>\n
Considering the diversity of Indonesian Islam, Westerners can
\nunderstand that Indonesian Islam is highly fragmented. On the
\nother hand, as good Muslims, we cannot generalize that all
\nWesterners dislike Islam. In the same context, we cannot
\ngeneralize that all Christians and Jews do not like Muslims.<\/p>\n
There are too many cases of Jewish professors specializing in
\nIslamic studies at western universities, as well as Christian
\nprofessors in the same field, who have spent all their life
\nstudying and supporting Islam, such as, for instance, Edward
\nSaid, Wael Hallaq and others. It is better to look at the number
\nof humanitarian projects initiated by Westerners to bring relief
\nto those suffering from crises in Muslim countries.<\/p>\n
With this proof, we have many friends in the West who respect
\nIslam. Therefore it is time to end the suspicion and create a new
\nunderstanding. Let us make the Bali tragedy a starting point to
\nreshape the relationship between Indonesian Islam and the West.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesian-islam-facing-serious-image-problems-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}