The face of Islam

The face of Islam

Looking at stories about Islam in Indonesia (and just for the
sake of argument, let's take CNN's coverage as an example), the
outside world could be forgiven for thinking that the long-held
image of tolerant, peace-loving and moderate Muslims in Indonesia
no longer reflected reality, following the Sept. 11 attacks on
America.

In the wake of those attacks, local groups operating under the
banner of Islam threatened to harm or evict Americans and other
Westerners. There were daily protests outside the American
embassy in Jakarta, with some participants carrying posters of
Osama bin Laden and banners supporting his al Qaida group and the
Taliban regime in Afghanistan. There were reports
(unsubstantiated) of young Indonesians joining the Taliban to
fight against the United States.

Added to this were news reports of bloody fighting between
Muslims and Christians in Maluku, North Maluku and the Central
Sulawesi regency of Poso, as well as a series of church bombings
in various cities, including Jakarta, this past year.

The face of Islam in Indonesia, going by the major news
stories coming out of this country, is complete: radical and
intolerant.

Is this a fair portrayal of Islam in Indonesia? Hardly.

While these news reports were mostly accurate, they often
omitted one small but crucial detail: The incidents involved
groups that are in the minority. Putting aside our doubts about
the Islamic credentials of some of these groups -- Islam preaches
peace, not violence -- they are not part of the Islamic
mainstream. Being in the minority, they could not claim to
represent Indonesia. Yet it is their views, and often violent
behavior, that prevail in the news.

Don't blame CNN or other news outlets. They are just the
messengers. They are simply recording events as they happened.
These small but radical groups have been able to steal the
spotlight because they are very vocal, and are probably more
attuned to the art of using sound-bites to get their message
across.

The major mainstream Islamic groups like Nahdlatul Ulama and
Muhammadiyah, in contrast, have hardly been in the news. On the
few occasions when their leaders did speak out, they were often
ignored because they were considered less "newsworthy".

Since they represent the majority of Muslims in Indonesia --
together, they count on the support of between 60 million and 70
million people -- it is their views that should really prevail.
They, more than any other group, have a larger claim to represent
Islam in Indonesia.

It was heartening therefore to see the Nahdlatul Ulama and
Muhammadiyah, as the two largest Muslim social organizations in
Indonesia, coming out on Wednesday to work together to rectify
the world's misperceptions about Islam in this country.

Some of their leaders have spoken out publicly these last
three months, denouncing the language of violence that the small
groups have used. But with a more concerted effort, the Nahdlatul
Ulama and Muhammadiyah can go a long way in restoring the image
of Islam in Indonesia as a peaceful and tolerant faith. This is
necessary not only to pacify the outside world, but more
importantly, to pacify non-Muslims in this country.

The international and local media can help in conveying a less
distorted picture of Islam in Indonesia. Ultimately, however, it
is these leaders who must shoulder the biggest responsibility in
portraying the real face of Islam here.

It would help if the Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, given
their long history of rivalry, were first to bury the hatchet in
order to be able to work together for the common good. And it
would also help if their leaders were to explain the presence of
a senior Army officer at their media announcement, because it has
sparked much unnecessary speculation about their motives.