Al Arqam prospers by being apolitical

Al Arqam prospers by being apolitical

By Riyadi

JAKARTA (JP): The huge words "Love Abuya, love whom (God)
loves" is written across a clean and well-managed living room of
the Java branch office of the Malaysia-based Al Arqam in Jakarta.

Abuya is short for Abuya As Syeikh Imam Asshari Muhammad At
Tamimi, the founder of the Islamic organization that runs a
multi-million dollar business empire.

The group, with headquarters in Malaysia, is a religious
denomination as well as a political movement, one reason why
Abuya has been banned from his own country.

It is also for this reason that its existence in Indonesia has
caused some apprehension.

Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher has indicated that
the government may move to bar Abuya from entering Indonesia.

Abuya, living in exile in Thailand after being deported from
Singapore earlier this month, once indicated that he hopes to
rule Malaysia one day. However he has maintained a low profile
since 1991, when his sect was banned by the Malaysian government.

The Al Arqam branch in Indonesia has quietly prospered,
although it is banned in West Sumatra and Aceh.

Its leaders have stated that the movement will not change its
activities of strengthening the Islamic economy and fomenting
spiritual enlightenment among Moslems into a political movement.

In an interview with The Jakarta Post, Ahmadi Rafei, chairman
of the group's Java I branch, said he does not see any reason why
Abuya should be barred from entering Indonesia given that he has
never aggravated the Indonesian government.

He pointed out that Al Arqam in Indonesia has avoided politics
in compliance with the local regulations, and has concentrated
its activities on strengthening the welfare of the Moslem
community.

In the struggle to uphold Islam, the economy serves as the
main subsidiary strength after the three Islamic fundamental
teachings -- faith, brotherhood and uniformity, Ahmadi said.

"Because of our hard work, we are becoming bigger and bigger.
And if some suspect our activities as becoming too political,
that is up to them. But I assure you that we will stick to our
commitment of not entering politics," said Ahmadi, dressed in the
robe and turban typically worn by Al Arqam's male followers.

Al Arqam, founded in Malaysia in 1968 by Abuya, has become a
formidable organization with 100,000 followers in Malaysia and
millions of supporters around the world.

The group has expanded its reach, through business ventures,
to 18 countries: Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Brunei, the
Philippines, India, Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Uzbekistan,
Japan, France, Germany, the United States, Australia, New Zealand
and Indonesia.

In Indonesia, Al Arqam was established in 1988 as a
foundation. And like other foundations here, it incorporates
Pancasila as its basic principle.

"We live here under Indonesia's jurisdiction, and more
importantly, we are Indonesians. So, we follow the Indonesian
rules of the game," Ahmadi said.

He describes his relationship with the government as one
between a children and parents, while his relationship with the
central Al Arqam in Malaysia is one between students and
teachers.

The group now boasts tens of thousands of followers in Java
and Sumatra.

Referring to the charges that Abuya's followers have turned
the bearded, 57-year old preacher into a personality cult, Ahmadi
dismissed the accusation, saying Al Arqam followers just love
Abuya as their sect's leader, not as a cult leader.

Noted Moslem scholar Ali Yafie of the Indonesian Ulemas
Council (MUI) has also accused Al Arqam of teaching followers to
indulge in tawasul, the practice of communicating with Allah
through leaders. Ali said this is a deviation from Islam.

The tawasul teaching was taken from a book entitled Aurood
Muhammadiyah (Muhammad's prays) written by Imam Huseimy, a
spiritual scholar from East Java. According to Hasbullah Mursyid
from the ministry of religious affairs, most prayers in the book
are not worded according to the Prophet Muhammad's writings.

Responding to the accusations, Ahmadi said he welcomes
differences of opinion, but warned all parties not to claim to be
the most correct.

"About religion, don't claim that you are the most correct. We
are just human beings. We are humble. It's not easy to claim to
be the most correct in religion," Ahmadi said.

He suggested that Moslems around the world have long been
divided by those who do not like the growth of Islam.

Indonesian Moslems should not allow other people to divide
them into rivalry groups.

"We have long been divided into groups. Don't let other people
divide us again. I'm happy that Indonesian Moslems are becoming
more mature. We see that Nahdlatul Ulama, Muhammadiyah and Persis
no longer criticize one another," he said, referring to three
most influential Islamic organizations here.

When asked what he will do if the group is banned here, Ahmadi
said he believes the government is wise enough in dealing with
such problems.

"The government knows exactly what we're doing here, whether
we undermine national stability or not ... And if it happens (the
banning), I will let Allah Himself judge us since the truth comes
from Allah."

Al Arqam has also been accused by its critics of encouraging
the practice of polygamy without the legitimate reasons the
Prophet Muhammad advocated.

Ahmadi countered this by saying that those who oppose polygamy
are not abiding by the Koran since the holy book recognizes the
practice.

"Only those who have a deep understanding of their religion
will accept polygamy as one of God's rules. But as we already
know, polygamy is not for everybody. It's only for those who are
able to do so," Ahmadi argued.

He noted that Moslems now tend to erase polygamy from their
agenda as they see it as one of Islam's weaknesses. He contended
that Islam is perfect and that's why polygamy should be seen from
its positive side.

"There is a beauty behind the teachings of polygamy," Ahmadi
said, gazing out of a room filled with posters and books
illustrated with images of Abuya.