Post-Ramadhan thoughts

Muslims will end fasting this evening or Friday, as long as they have observed the fast in accordance with the guidance given by Prophet Muhammad. The Prophet said, 14 centuries ago, that many of those who fast only experience the feeling of hunger and thirst but fail to get the essence of the ritual's message. It means that by fasting they only get to experience food shortages suffered by the poor during the holy month, but after that all the teachings of the fast are soon forgotten. The sense of social solidarity suddenly becomes a hollow slogan when such people are reluctant to pay any attention to the fate of the poor.

On the other hand, the tendency to be easily offended or hot tempered, which was positively controlled during Ramadhan, soon returns to govern a person. Those who fast have to preserve all the precious qualities of Ramadhan for the remaining months of the year.

However, Muslims of the nation have herculean burdens to shoulder. In our country, which is undergoing a multi-dimensional crisis, there are so many basic and priceless needs that have disappeared from our lives.

Peace and personal safety in many areas have become life's rare luxuries. For example, people living in Jakarta and its vicinity may complain about the disturbance caused by firecrackers during Ramadhan, but there are those in some provinces like Papua, Poso, Maluku and Aceh who are scared by threats against their very lives.

Occasionally, they hear that some of their fellow villagers have been murdered. They know exactly who and why they have been gunned down. As they know who the perpetrators of the atrocities are, they only feel all the more aggrieved when the crooks, notably those in military uniforms, are not brought to justice.

In those regions, villagers are sometimes too scared even to go to their farms or ricefields,

In urban centers there has been a strong tendency to monopolize the interpretation of religious teachings. There are groups claiming themselves to be the sole defenders of certain religions. Does that mean that anybody else is considered guilty of demolishing the religion?

Some also claim they have every sacred right to decide which foreigner can come and which should be ordered to leave. These people seem to enjoy the indecisiveness of security officials to bring them to justice. All of them are hijackers of consecrated religious teachings.

It is high time that religious and community leaders should meet to heal the nation's problems. These days, we are pleased to see university students with dynamic religious backgrounds wisely contributing valuable thoughts for this purpose. They speak the language of morality, patriotism and religious tolerance.

In Islam, such a virtue was taught by Muhammad himself. Muslims, and other fellow countrymen, perhaps need to remember how the Prophet once received a courtesy call by a Christian delegation from Najran, an area near Yemen, in 635 AD. The 60- member delegation was led by Bishop Aby Al-Haritsah bin Alqamah at his mosque in Medinah. They were neatly dressed with striped long robes plus beautiful Yemen-made silk scarfs.

When the delegation found that Muhammad and his companions were about to conduct afternoon asar prayers, they also wanted to conduct some Christian prayers. The Muslims who were present first tried to bar them but the Prophet said "let them pray according to their tradition."

In the meeting that followed, both parties discussed religious values but the host did not try to persuade them to become Muslims. Months later, three of the delegates returned to tell Muhammad their willingness to embrace the new religion.

Muslims in Indonesia should learn from this example of tolerance.