Muhammadiyah has always held a place in the hearts of this nation\u2019s\nleaders. Bung Karno once said, \u2018The longer I know them, the more I love\nMuhammadiyah.\u2019 At the 37th Muktamar in Surakarta 37 years ago, Soeharto\nremarked, \u2018Who doesn\u2019t know Muhammadiyah?\u2019 Meanwhile, Jokowi stated\nduring a Muhammadiyah anniversary, \u2018Muhammadiyah never tires of\nbuilding, contributing to the nation, and serving the country,\u2019 and\nPresident Prabowo, in his address at the Tanwir and 112th anniversary\nreception in Kupang, noted, \u2018Muhammadiyah cadres are everywhere, on the\nright, left, and centre.\u2019<\/p>\n
The journey of Muhammadiyah often invites admiration. Those outside\nthe organisation frequently ask in wonder: how can a civil society\norganisation build so many charitable enterprises, spanning education,\nhealthcare, the economy, and social services? The question is\nreasonable, for Muhammadiyah is not merely a religious organisation but\na civilisational movement.<\/p>\n
As an Islamic movement, Muhammadiyah is ranked among the world\u2019s top\nten wealthiest religious organisations by Seasia Stats. This record and\nits national contributions have never made Muhammadiyah arrogant,\nboastful, or puffed up with pride. Its abundant assets in education,\nhealthcare, the economy, and social welfare instead reinforce its adage\nand jargon: \u2018Criticised, it does not fall; praised, it does not\nfly.\u2019<\/p>\n
The Muhammadiyah movement is synonymous with the Javanese philosophy\nof \u2018rawe-rawe rantas, malang-malang puntung,\u2019 meaning working together\nin mutual cooperation to remove obstacles blocking the goal. Because of\nthis, people who join Muhammadiyah\u2019s mission merely to gain something\ngenerally do not last long.<\/p>\n
Muhammadiyah grew to its current stature by championing the spirit\nthat \u2018the giving hand is better than the receiving hand.\u2019 It\nconsistently demonstrates a spirit of giving and leading from the front,\nresulting in many charitable endowment movements arising from its\nmembers\u2019 awareness for the benefit of the community.<\/p>\n
This philanthropic movement was championed and exemplified long ago\nby its founder, Kiai Haji Ahmad Dahlan, and continues to resonate today.\nKiai Dahlan even endowed nearly every part of his house. His home\u2019s\nrooms were used up for archives and books at the time, and part of his\nhouse became a school. There was almost no private space in his home\nbecause he was busy with missionary work nearly every day.<\/p>\n
Muhammadiyah does not like to show off but prefers actions that have\na real impact on national and social problems. Its religious movement\nand struggle have never been detached from the national movement. This\nconcept aligns with what the late Buya Syafii Maarif often said:\nMuhammadiyah\u2019s struggle must prioritise national interests, then the\ninterests of the ummah, and only then the interests of the organisation.\nIf the nation\u2019s interests are put first, the interests of the ummah and\nthe organisation will automatically be achieved.<\/p>\n
In the context of national socio-politics, Muhammadiyah indeed does\nnot wish to be trapped or fall into the pitfalls of practical politics.\nAlthough not directly involved in practical politics, Muhammadiyah has\nnever been absent from national politics. In the constitutional realm,\nfor instance, Muhammadiyah continues to push and act as an initiator in\nthe \u2018constitutional jihad\u2019 movement. Many problematic laws detrimental\nto the people\u2019s interests have been challenged at the Constitutional\nCourt by Muhammadiyah. Additionally, Muhammadiyah participates in\nformulating and pushing agendas for laws that impact the welfare of the\nummah and the nation. This constitutional jihad is important because it\nhas a direct impact related to the people\u2019s interests.<\/p>\n
Muhammadiyah also continuously encourages democratisation in this\ncountry by promoting elections that are sporting, fair, and transparent.\nThus, democratic values are firmly upheld to realise the noble ideals of\nthis nation. An honest, fair, and transparent national leadership\nsuccession will drive the realisation of this nation\u2019s ideals, free from\ncorruption and rent-seeking politics that damage democracy.<\/p>\n
In the economic field, Muhammadiyah has established the Saudagar\nMuhammadiyah network, as well as networks for farmers and fishermen,\ndown to the smallest economic circles at the branch level to achieve\neconomic independence. Building the welfare of its members from the\nbranch to the central level remains a continuous focus for Muhammadiyah\nin its effort to liberate people from and eradicate poverty.<\/p>\n
As a people\u2019s economic movement, Muhammadiyah indeed needs to build\nthe foundations of cooperatives. If Muhammadiyah cooperatives emerge and\nare strong from the grassroots to the centre, Muhammadiyah will at least\nbecome a pillar and hope for our society. In this way, Muhammadiyah\u2019s\neconomic pillar will truly become a fortress when this nation faces the\nonslaught of global crises.<\/p>\n
Muhammadiyah\u2019s economic assets, such as Tokomu, Suryamu, and Bulogmu,\nare also real and circular economic sector movements that must be\ncontinuously encouraged and developed. This is important because it is\nthrough a circular economy that the economic wheel can be sturdy and\nstrong, sustaining missionary work at the grassroots level.<\/p>\n
In education, although Muhammadiyah already has thousands of schools\nfrom primary to upper secondary levels, it needs to strengthen the\nidentity of Muhammadiyah schools from the elementary level to higher\neducation. Muhammadiyah schools must not only be winners in terms of\nbuildings and facilities for processing their students\u2019 excellent\ntalents. Muhammadiyah must also be at the forefront in national exam\nrankings from primary to upper secondary levels. We can take pride that\nat the upper secondary level, the SMA Program Khusus Kottabarat\nSurakarta still ranks 189th nationally, even as it holds the top rank\namong Muhammadiyah schools in Indonesia.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/muhammadiyahs-devoted-service-to-the-nation-1782255039", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }