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.