Muslims' degradation due to power abuse

Muslims' degradation due to power abuse

From Media Indonesia

It is hard to believe that certain Muslim leaders have been
politicizing things in such a way that they are endangering
Muslims internally. Imagine that the recent plenary session of
the House of Representatives (DPR), which resulted in the
issuance of a House memorandum, has been opposed by supporters of
President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, particularly in East Java
province, with all kinds of justification.

The ulemas (Muslim religious teachers or leaders) who still
have a conscience were surprised at the recent brutality of
santris (strict adherents of Islam) in East Java. Some of them
believed that the santris had been plunged into anarchy. Even
Ulil Absar Abdalla, a noted leader of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU),
admitted that intelligent people had made fools of those santris.

I do not think their conflicts in any way reflect the ideals
of Muslims playing their role in the state as well as the nation.
They have been despising democracy as well as the good principles
of Islam by associating with other people of different opinions
and beliefs.

I am writing to appeal to all Muslim leaders not to involve
Muslims in their politics, and in particular conflicts of
interest. Those in power should never defend themselves by
turning the people against Muslims. This is very dangerous!

If the conflicts continue to occur, whether or not Gus Dur
steps down, Muslims will be deeply hurt and will suffer. Those
leaders of Islam should not worsen the existing horizontal
conflicts on the basis of religious sentiment, which has proven
to be very cruel and sharp.

Do we, Muslims, wish to see ourselves as the laughing stock of
the world?

INDAWAN

Jakarta