No consensus in Islamic state debate<\/p>\n
DEPOK, West Java (JP): Moslems do not need to establish an
\nIslamic state in order to fulfill their political aspirations,
\naccording to a prominent scholar.<\/p>\n
Nurcholish Madjid and a number of other Moslem scholars
\nengaged in lengthy debates here yesterday over the questions of
\nwhether Islam mandated the establishment of an Islamic state and
\nhow Moslems could best give voice to their political wishes.<\/p>\n
Nurcholish told some 300 participants in the panel discussion
\non the Islamic state, organized by social science students at the
\nUniversity of Indonesia (UI), that Islam did not teach its
\nfollowers to formally establish an Islamic state.<\/p>\n
In Nurcholish's view, which he first put forward in the 1970s,
\ntheocracy is not something that is mandated by the religion.<\/p>\n
It is more important for Moslems to carry out their various
\nreligious obligations, in any society in which they live, in
\nparticular the obligation to bring about social justice.<\/p>\n
\"Allah will salvage a just country, even if it's ruled by
\nunbelievers, and Allah will destroy an unjust society, even if
\nit's ruled by Moslems,\" he quoted the Koran.<\/p>\n
Other speakers at the two-day discussion, which was opened by
\nUI Rector M.K. Tadjudin, included Maswadi Rauf, Anhar Gonggong
\nand Ahmad Suhelmi, all staff lecturers at UI's School of Social
\nand Political Sciences.<\/p>\n
At the end of the first day, yesterday, the seminar had failed
\nto reach consensus as to whether or not Islam called for the
\nestablishment of an Islamic state.<\/p>\n
Speakers and participants were divided over the issue, with
\neach side supporting its arguments with Koranic teachings.<\/p>\n
Discussions on the question of the Islamic state have been
\nheld here frequently, although they have usually been low-key.
\nThe issue is a sensitive one in Indonesia because of traumas in
\nthe history of Moslems' relationship with the ruling power.<\/p>\n
Yesterday Nurcholish urged those present to \"learn from
\nhistory\".<\/p>\n
\"Make history our laboratory,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Nurcholish came armed with extensive research and quotations
\nto back up his arguments, which extended to the issue of people's
\nsovereignty.<\/p>\n
\"This concept means nothing but the rights and the duties of
\nhuman beings, executed through every individual's effort to
\nparticipate in the process of peaceful coexistence, especially in
\nthe fields of politics and power systems,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"This participation is a natural expression of a person's
\nright to choose a way of life, which he will personally account
\nfor before God,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Ahmad Suhelmi praised Nurcholish's stance on the issue, but
\nsuggested that it might reflect his efforts to accommodate
\ncurrent demands for a more amicable, less polarized relationship
\nbetween Moslems and the power holders.<\/p>\n
The young lecturer said Nurcholish's position had remained
\nconsistent over the years, notably his belief that politics was
\nnot the only way for Moslems to realize the \"greatness of Islam\".<\/p>\n
Political scientists Anhar Gonggong and Maswadi Rauf spoke
\nabout civil society and both argued that it was not the
\nestablishment of an Islamic state or Moslem political parties
\nthat was important.<\/p>\n
Rather, Moslems needed to \"empower\" themselves, Maswadi told
\nThe Jakarta Post. \"The question is how to build a strong civil
\nsociety, a society which can control the administration,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"This is a global issue, not only a Moslem issue.\"<\/p>\n
\"Moslems in particular, however, need this process of
\nempowerment, because they are the majority,\" he said.<\/p>\n
An Islamic state might represent the highest level of Moslem
\nempowerment, but Moslems should not regard the establishment of
\nsuch a state as the only way of empowering themselves, he said.<\/p>\n
Similarly, it was improbable that the establishment of Islamic
\npolitical parties, while perhaps more acceptable, could
\ncontribute much to Moslems' empowerment.<\/p>\n
\"In the current political situation, who can guarantee that an
\nIslamic political party will have adequate leeway? This option is
\nnot viable, and to obsess over it is not very appropriate,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Maswadi pointed out that Moslems should find ways to
\narticulate their political demands through other channels,
\nincluding the House of Representatives and the existing political
\nparties.<\/p>\n
\"What's important is how Moslems can influence decision making
\nprocesses, and how their aspirations can be reflected in the
\npolicies made,\" he concluded.<\/p>\n
Today Indonesian Moslems appear to have come full circle in
\ntheir relationship with the country's political powers, with each
\nparty now showing a willingness to accommodate the others'
\nwishes.<\/p>\n
The change is reflected in a number if government policies
\nwhich are considered favorable to Moslems. The establishment of
\nthe Indonesian Association of Moslem Intellectuals (ICMI) in 1991
\nwas widely seen as proof of the power holders' wish to please
\nMoslems. (swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/no-consensus-in-islamic-state-debate-1447893297",
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