Abu Jundal and genealogy of Islamic radicalism

Ahmad Najib Burhani, Jakarta

The story of Abu Jundal and Abu Baasir is often used by terrorists as religious justification for their crimes. Some friends of the recent suicide bombers in Bali, for instance, said their actions were inspired by Abu Jundal. A loyal aide to Osama bin Laden has also taken the name Abu Jundal.

One of the three factions of Darul Islam (the House of Islam, which wants to turn Indonesia into an Islamic state) is called Abu Jundal. The commander of Islamic Anger, part of the network of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in Iraq, is called Abu Jundal al-Iraqi. In August 2004, Habib Rizieq Shihab, the leader of the Islam Defenders Front here, told me that Abu Jundal was the strongest religious cornerstone for fundamentalists to support their activities.

Who is Abu Jundal? How come the account of his life has become a doctrine to legitimatize draconian attitudes? The story of Abu Jundal took place in a time when the Prophet Muhammad offered a peace deal with the tribe of Quraish, called the Treaty of Hudaybiya. The Quraish sent Suhayl bin 'Amr as an emissary. One point of the treaty said, "If any person from among the Quraish goes to Medina he shall be sent back, but if any Muslim goes to Mecca he shall not be sent back."

Before the treaty was signed, a son of Suhayl named Abu Jundal escaped Mecca and had gone to Muhammad seeking shelter as a newly converted Muslim. Suhayl demanded the return of his son if Muhammad wanted to proceed with the agreement. The Prophet was in difficult position. He knew the Quraish would treat Abu Jundal badly if he was returned because of his faith. However, if he did not return Jundal there would be no treaty.

To the objections of his friends and advisers, mainly Umar bin Khattab, the Prophet decided to hand over Abu Jundal to the Quraish. He offered Abu Jundal some condolence by stating that God would present him a way out.

On his way to Mecca, Jundal killed the Quraishi accompanying him and escaped to Saif al-Bahr. He joined with Abu Baasir Utba bin Usaid and 70 other people who accepted Islam and left Mecca. They began to raid the Quraish caravans that traveled to Syria for trade. They spread fear and killed many people. Their deeds disrupted economic activities in Mecca.

In the view of Habib Rizieq of the Islam Defenders Front, the Prophet restrained the harsh actions of Jundal, Baasir and their group. In the other camp, the Quraish requested the Prophet to stop their actions and summon this small group to Medina.

Since my childhood, Islamic teachings and doctrines have been my daily menu at home, in school and in my neighborhood. However, I never found Abu Jundal or Abu Baasir on the list of Muhammad's influential companions. The story of their "method of struggle" is not popular among most Muslims.

In contrast, in Islamic radical movements the chronicle of Abu Jundal and Abu Baasir is very famous, and even more admired and respected than the four honored caliphates: Abu Bakar, Umar, Usman and Ali. Accordingly, this narrative should be seriously studied.

Hardliners and terrorists use the story of Abu Jundal as an analogy for their bombings, spreading of fears and killings. They do this with the hope, as the Quraish felt, that the "enemies of Islam" such as the United States, Australia, England and Italy (quoting Noordin M Top in the video of the Bali suicide bombers) will be intimidated and finally retreat and surrender.

In the story of Abu Jundal and Abu Baasir, the Quraish asked Muhammad to delete the point in the treaty prohibiting anyone from Mecca going to Medina. In contemporary Islamic radicalism, terrorists expect and imagine the United States, Australia or the Indonesian government will offer them or accept a peace agreement (like the Treaty of Hudaybia). They assume the governments will feel intimidated and give up their activities.

In the raid on Azahari's hideout in Malang, East Java, last month police found documents stating that some terrorists had organized several meetings, the last to discuss a plan to offer a treaty with the Indonesian government. One of the demands they planned to propose to the government was the introduction of sharia and a special district or province for the terrorists to govern according to the Islamic model in Banten.

This shows the government should gather the strength and courage to stand up to the terrorists and never allow them to dictate to the government.

The writer works at the Research Center for Society and Culture at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences. He is also a member of Pemuda Muhammadiyah. He can be reached at najib27@yahoo.com.