Madina Charter

Certain Islamic parties in the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) have proposed to readopt the Jakarta Charter in Article 29 of our Constitution. And also the Mujahidin statement in Yogyakarta said it was the only way out to solve a "multidimensional crisis". They don't know that with syariah law disintegration of the nation would be highly likely, because if this happens the component of non-Muslim groups will start to separate. Although the majority of Indonesians are Muslims, it is impossible to unite this plural nation into one religion, that is Islam. Even our Prophet Muhammad failed to make this world one religion. That has been proved by the Madina Charter.

From the Isra and Miradj events of our Prophet, it is clear that before we get to Sidratul Muntaha (heaven, Arsj) we have to pass Masjid al Haram (in Mecca, that is the direction center of Muslims) to the Masjid al Aqsa (Jerusalem, the direction center of non-Muslims/Christians). From this viewpoint, because the direction center of the two groups is at opposite sides, it is understandable that the two groups of religions will always quarrel as they always want "to save" people by spreading their own religion and that their own is the best.

It is impossible to unite the two groups of religions into one, because it is just symbolic; it is like uniting the sun with the moon.

Because of the potential conflict of the two groups of religions at that time, they made the Madina Charter, so that the two religions will live together in peace. This means the aim of the Madina Charter is eternal peace.

Please open your hearts and minds and think critically of the words "eternal peace", which is mentioned in our preamble of the 1945 Constitution.

We have to be proud that our founding father was a great man who was selected by God to lead and arrange this one unitary republic, with Pancasila (in Islam it is called Tauhid) as a revelation of God serving to unite pluralism.

At the end of the year 2000 when the cycle of time between Christmas and Idul Fitri is very close to each other, it would be wise for the two groups of religious people to contemplate and rethink the meaning of unity in this global world. The position of Muslims and Christians is like two sides of the same coin, which cannot be separated.

AGUS UTORO

Serang, West Java