No consensus in Islamic state debate

No consensus in Islamic state debate

DEPOK, West Java (JP): Moslems do not need to establish an
Islamic state in order to fulfill their political aspirations,
according to a prominent scholar.

Nurcholish Madjid and a number of other Moslem scholars
engaged in lengthy debates here yesterday over the questions of
whether Islam mandated the establishment of an Islamic state and
how Moslems could best give voice to their political wishes.

Nurcholish told some 300 participants in the panel discussion
on the Islamic state, organized by social science students at the
University of Indonesia (UI), that Islam did not teach its
followers to formally establish an Islamic state.

In Nurcholish's view, which he first put forward in the 1970s,
theocracy is not something that is mandated by the religion.

It is more important for Moslems to carry out their various
religious obligations, in any society in which they live, in
particular the obligation to bring about social justice.

"Allah will salvage a just country, even if it's ruled by
unbelievers, and Allah will destroy an unjust society, even if
it's ruled by Moslems," he quoted the Koran.

Other speakers at the two-day discussion, which was opened by
UI Rector M.K. Tadjudin, included Maswadi Rauf, Anhar Gonggong
and Ahmad Suhelmi, all staff lecturers at UI's School of Social
and Political Sciences.

At the end of the first day, yesterday, the seminar had failed
to reach consensus as to whether or not Islam called for the
establishment of an Islamic state.

Speakers and participants were divided over the issue, with
each side supporting its arguments with Koranic teachings.

Discussions on the question of the Islamic state have been
held here frequently, although they have usually been low-key.
The issue is a sensitive one in Indonesia because of traumas in
the history of Moslems' relationship with the ruling power.

Yesterday Nurcholish urged those present to "learn from
history".

"Make history our laboratory," he said.

Nurcholish came armed with extensive research and quotations
to back up his arguments, which extended to the issue of people's
sovereignty.

"This concept means nothing but the rights and the duties of
human beings, executed through every individual's effort to
participate in the process of peaceful coexistence, especially in
the fields of politics and power systems," he said.

"This participation is a natural expression of a person's
right to choose a way of life, which he will personally account
for before God," he said.

Ahmad Suhelmi praised Nurcholish's stance on the issue, but
suggested that it might reflect his efforts to accommodate
current demands for a more amicable, less polarized relationship
between Moslems and the power holders.

The young lecturer said Nurcholish's position had remained
consistent over the years, notably his belief that politics was
not the only way for Moslems to realize the "greatness of Islam".

Political scientists Anhar Gonggong and Maswadi Rauf spoke
about civil society and both argued that it was not the
establishment of an Islamic state or Moslem political parties
that was important.

Rather, Moslems needed to "empower" themselves, Maswadi told
The Jakarta Post. "The question is how to build a strong civil
society, a society which can control the administration," he
said.

"This is a global issue, not only a Moslem issue."

"Moslems in particular, however, need this process of
empowerment, because they are the majority," he said.

An Islamic state might represent the highest level of Moslem
empowerment, but Moslems should not regard the establishment of
such a state as the only way of empowering themselves, he said.

Similarly, it was improbable that the establishment of Islamic
political parties, while perhaps more acceptable, could
contribute much to Moslems' empowerment.

"In the current political situation, who can guarantee that an
Islamic political party will have adequate leeway? This option is
not viable, and to obsess over it is not very appropriate," he
said.

Maswadi pointed out that Moslems should find ways to
articulate their political demands through other channels,
including the House of Representatives and the existing political
parties.

"What's important is how Moslems can influence decision making
processes, and how their aspirations can be reflected in the
policies made," he concluded.

Today Indonesian Moslems appear to have come full circle in
their relationship with the country's political powers, with each
party now showing a willingness to accommodate the others'
wishes.

The change is reflected in a number if government policies
which are considered favorable to Moslems. The establishment of
the Indonesian Association of Moslem Intellectuals (ICMI) in 1991
was widely seen as proof of the power holders' wish to please
Moslems. (swe)