McDonald's, Islam have something in common, scholar explains<\/p>\n
Harry Bhaskara, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
What do McDonald's and Kentucky Fried Chicken have in common with
\nIslam and democracy in Indonesia? According to one scholar, there
\nis a link.<\/p>\n
To cater to local tastes, the fast food chains' Indonesian
\noutlets have added rice and soup to their menus, something that
\nhas not happened in most other countries.<\/p>\n
\"For Indonesians, lunch is not lunch without rice,\" scholar
\nBahtiar Effendy said in a seminar here on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Bahtiar was talking about the \"contextualization\" or
\n\"indigenization\" of Islam in Indonesian democracy, and was using
\nthe fast food chains as an example.<\/p>\n
\"I believe we can embrace the values of democracy without
\nnecessarily saying so. For example, don't betray your trust,
\ndon't steal, in essence this means good governance and
\ndemocracy,\" Bahtiar told a gathering of Asian and European
\neditors at the Dharmawangsa hotel here.<\/p>\n
\"What is important is that the goal is achieved,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Asked what the \"rice\" is in the context of democracy and
\nIslam, he said, the question should be where the chicken is.<\/p>\n
\"As long as the chicken is there, there is no problem,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The scholar said it was not easy to promote the idea of a
\ncivil society in the context of Islam.<\/p>\n
Taking the issue of prostitution as an example, he said, in
\nIslam, the issue could not be voted on.<\/p>\n
\"In Islam you cannot vote (on the issue). In government you
\ncan vote,\" he said, adding that the same went for gambling.<\/p>\n
A European participant, however, said that it was the same in
\nany society. Citing an example, he said, that you could not put
\ncertain things like discrimination and inciting hatred in the
\nConstitution.<\/p>\n
Citing prominent Indonesian scholars like Nurcholish Madjid,
\nwho passed away on Monday, Bachtiar said that scholars like
\nNurcholish had attempted to \"contextualize\" and indigenize\" Islam
\nin an Indonesian context.<\/p>\n
Such an adjustment should be made, he said, because Islam was
\nnot fully compatible with democracy.<\/p>\n
\"If it is thought that Islam can be indigenized, why is it
\nthat the indigenization of democracy is (thought) impossible?\" he
\nasked.<\/p>\n
Islam's teaching, not to betray the people's trust, is one
\nexample, he said, which is in effect the core of democracy.<\/p>\n
Bachtiar said both liberal and conservative Muslims were
\nextremists. \"Liberal Islam itself is not enough and can't provide
\nthe whole answer,\" he said.<\/p>\n
A participant from Malaysia, Zainah Anwar, said that among the
\nproblems in Asian countries was the weak democratic culture and
\ninstitutions.\"In this kind of atmosphere, there are those who
\ndecides what is Islamic and what is not Islamic, what is
\ndemocratic and what is not democratic,\" she said.<\/p>\n
She described this authority to say what was right in Islam as
\na totalitarian claim. \"To get democracy right, everything must be
\nopen to democratic debate,\" she said, \"Dissenting opinion is
\nimportant (for society) to change and to evolve.<\/p>\n
A participant from Pakistan, Mahfuz Anam, said that Muslim
\nleaders should rise to the challenges of the present day, look at
\ntheir own behavior and address their shortcomings.<\/p>\n
\"What do Muslim leaders do in Muslim countries? They are
\ndespotic, exploitative and authoritarian. Not a single ideal
\nIslamic society exists,\" he said.<\/p>\n
If they say that Muslim countries are good, he said: \"Why are
\nMuslims lining up at Western embassies to leave their countries?\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mcdonalds-islam-have-something-in-common-scholar-explains-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}