Indonesian Islamic boarding schools shun violence: Hasyim<\/p>\n
Pesantren, or Islamic boarding schools, have been under the
\nspotlight since the arrest of a number of suspects in the Bali
\nand Makassar bombings with links to pesantren life. Some critics
\nand observers have accused the pesantren of sowing the seeds of
\nterrorism by preaching radicalism. So how has the issue of
\nterrorism tarnished the image of the pesantren? The chairman of
\nthe 40 million-strong Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Hasyim Muzadi, shared
\nhis views on the issue with The Jakarta Post's Sri Wahyuni and
\nDamar Harsanto.<\/p>\n
Question: What do you think of the issue?<\/p>\n
Answer: We have to keep this matter in proportion. The
\npesantren in Indonesia have never produced radicalism, much less
\nterrorism, because pesantren here are centers of religious study,
\nplaces where religion is taught as a way of life. The pesantren
\nalso are centers of culture where morality and ethics are
\nstrongly emphasized. The schools, too, are to some extent centers
\nof nationalism. Pesantren introduce religion as a way of life,
\nculture, morals, ethics, democracy and nationalism.<\/p>\n
However, because its image has been tainted, some precautions
\nare necessary. All pesantren must be cautious about any
\nintrusions, on both the level of discourse and action.<\/p>\n
The NU will warn all pesantren to remain true to their
\noriginal mission, because we know that only a tiny percentage of
\nthem have been subject to intrusion. Besides, entire pesantren
\nhave not been co-opted into a movement, just some individuals.
\nAnd such things do not only occur in pesantren but also in other
\ninstitutions, including campuses.<\/p>\n
The NU has some 8,600 Islamic boarding schools across the
\ncountry. Most of them are concentrated in the provinces of East
\nJava, Central Java and Banten. In East Java alone there are some
\n2,500 pesantren.<\/p>\n
Take the case of the pesantren in Lamongan (Al-Islam Ngruki,
\nSurakarta, Central Java) as an example. Please consider the
\nnumber of santri, or students, there and compare that to the fact
\nthat only a few of them have been involved in violent actions.
\nAlso consider whether or not they were still studying at the
\npesantren or just living nearby, and whether the radicalism is
\nrooted in the teachings inside the pesantren or outside of it.
\nThat's the right way to look at this matter.<\/p>\n
Has the issue of terrorism had a noticeable effect on the
\ndaily activities of the pesantren?<\/p>\n
No, I don't think it is that serious. It's just because the
\naccusations are out there that we feel uncomfortable. Besides, NU
\nhas also issued a call asking Muslims not to panic in responding
\nto the terrorism stigma. Just remain calm. As long as you are not
\na terrorist, there is nothing to worry about. If we are emotional
\nin responding to the issue and feel outraged, it could provide
\njustification to the allegations that we could be terrorists.<\/p>\n
How can you prevent terrorism from entering the pesantren?<\/p>\n
We have to be careful about both the level of discourse and
\ncurriculum. Never include things with nuances of radicalism
\nbecause it will only provide the opportunity for radicalism to
\nenter the pesantren. But I do think the chance of such an
\nintrusion is very small, given the fact that the curriculum of a
\npesantren is more a way of life rather than a source of conflict.
\nI can assure you of that because over 98 percent of the country's
\npesantren are under the control of the NU.<\/p>\n
But many pesantren also give their students the freedom to
\nobtain information from a wide variety of sources. How do you
\nprevent them from receiving radical messages if that is the case?<\/p>\n
In this case, we have to differentiate between Islam as a
\nteaching and a value, Islam as an interpretation of teaching and
\nas a movement. Although information is penetrating life in the
\npesantren, as long as the discourse in the pesantren is open and
\nholistic, I don't think the students will be easily influenced by
\nsuch radicalism. It is the strength of the fortress that the
\npupils are building inside themselves in the pesantren that
\nmatters. And as far as I know, there is no record in Indonesia's
\nhistory of rebellion in the pesantren.<\/p>\n
How would you explain the violence committed by NU supporters
\nto defend the position of then president Abdurrahman \"Gus Dur\"
\nWahid. Most of those supporters were students and they felled
\ntrees and attacked Muhammadiyah offices in East Java.<\/p>\n
Here we must differentiate between emotional actions and a
\nradical movement. A radical movement is the result of a framework
\nof thinking, while emotional actions are only temporary and
\nspontaneous. They saw Gus Dur being humiliated and as ordinary
\npeople they could not properly channel their anger, so they
\nbecame violent. But such violence disappears when the emotional
\nfactor also disappears. This could happen to anyone, not just NU
\nmembers. An example of this was the actions of PDI Perjuangan
\nsupporters in Surakarta (Central Java) when Megawati lost the
\npresidential race. Radicalism is different. It is a concept, by
\ndesign.<\/p>\n
What about the fatwa (legal opinion) recently issued by NU
\nthat allows Muslims to commit suicide bombings to defend Islam?<\/p>\n
Let me explain it this way. Killing people is absolutely
\nforbidden according to Islamic teachings. Whoever kills someone
\nmust receive a qishash, meaning that he or she must receive the
\ndeath penalty. But in force majeure situations or under
\nunforeseen circumstances, like in war, people are allowed to take
\nethical alternatives. For example, when the war is unequal
\nuncommon actions can be carried out, including suicide bombings.<\/p>\n
That is what is meant by the fatwa. A suicide bombing is
\nallowed in situations of war, such as the war against the Dutch
\ncolonialists.<\/p>\n
Some people feel that there has been an effort to equate Islam
\nwith terrorism. What do you say?<\/p>\n
We have to ask people to stop making such accusations. I've
\ndone this every time I go abroad. I also ask the same thing of
\nforeign ambassadors in Jakarta. I tell them that they are not
\nbeing fair if they try to equate terrorism with Islam because all
\nreligions are against terrorism. Someone who commits a terrorist
\nact basically is fighting against his or her own religion. I also
\ntell them that (equating terrorism with Islam) makes it even more
\ndifficult for them to capture the real terrorists.<\/p>\n
I believe what we have done so far has had good results,
\nthough it can still be improved. One of the indications is that
\nmany of the European leaders have said publicly that they are not
\nfighting Islam, although the statements might just be lip
\nservice.<\/p>\n
On the Muslim side, we must also control ourselves. When a
\nterrorist act is committed and it has nothing to do with
\nreligion, please don't defend it in the name of religion. Doing
\nso only amounts to justifying people's accusations. It would be
\nmuch better if we defended (the accused) in a legal battle.<\/p>\n
I believe there have been efforts by some people to use Islam
\nto justify the means they use to attain their own interests.
\nPeople collecting signatures, planning demonstrations and
\npreparing spiritual justifications to defend the defendants (in
\nterrorist acts) are examples. These actions are not necessary at
\nall. What you need to do is strengthen the legal defense to
\nprovide a second opinion to the work the police have done.<\/p>",
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