Tsunamis call for 'jihad'

Zakiyuddin Baidhawy, Surakarta, Central Java

A month has passed since the earthquake and tsunami that struck Asia, the worst affected country being Indonesia, specifically Aceh. This natural disaster has killed hundreds of thousands, while leaving millions homeless, devastated and at risk of disease. It is the worst natural disaster since 1883 when Krakatau volcano erupted in the Sunda Sea.

In the wake of the disaster the world's mass media has been filled with news of humanitarian aid and other relief operations from Western and Asia-Pacific countries. There were also brigades of foreign relief workers and volunteers arriving in Aceh.

Unfortunately, until now we have not witnessed a significant expression of concern from those who often identify themselves as mujahid fi sabilillah (the true crusaders for the religion of Allah).

Aid from Muslim countries -- especially the self-named leaders of mujahidin and the holy war -- in the Middle East has been slow to respond.

Osama Bin Laden, the self-proclaimed commander of jihad against United States and their allies, has ignored this humanitarian emergency.

While he regards the U.S. as the great Satan for Muslim nations for having led the occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq, he himself has done nothing to respond to this greatest of natural disasters. He has not taken action or helped emergency operations to reduce the misery of tsunami victims.

His silence is even more amazing, considering that the worst hit country is Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation.

A few days after the earthquake and tsunamis hit south and Southeast Asia, al-Jazeera television aired excerpts of Osama's latest statement to the world, in which the terrorist leader asserted that jihad in Iraq was a duty and that those who fail to engage in such activities are committing a grave sin.

Imagine (the positive impact) if instead of "Iraq" he had said "Indonesia" and his use of jihad related to the reconstruction and rebuilding of infrastructure in Aceh and North Sumatra.

This is probably because the reality is these sort of people do not believe in reconstruction and rebuilding, and that is why the enormous suffering in the wake of the tsunami will further reveal them as the political opportunists they are. Indonesia, like other Southeast Asian countries, were only worthy of their attention as a recruiting ground for suicide bombers.

Several bomb attacks in Indonesia have killed both Indonesians and foreigners.

During one of the trials, the men who were accused of being involved in the J.W. Marriott bombing said the attack was inspired by Osama Bin Laden.

Will Osama and other leaders now encourage people to reconstruct cities destroyed by the tsunami in Aceh?

Osama reportedly said the Bali bombings were legitimate acts. Will the news of the mass suffering in Indonesia inspire him to encourage Muslims to lend a hand? Where are the statements making it incumbent upon Muslims to assist the victims of the tsunami?

Imagine if sheikhs of jihad encouraged young Muslims to go and rebuild villages in Indonesia; Imagine if they inspired them to do this for the simple purpose of serving human beings, not for recruiting future militants.

After volunteering to rebuild a village, what kind of impact would it have on the young man returning home? What lessons during his volunteer mission would he take with him? Wouldn't such a young man then be more eager to help his own people, working for reconstruction in his own country?

The catastrophe that hit Indonesia is almost impossible to articulate in words. The jihad we need here and now is to alleviate the suffering of tsunami victims.

The writer is a presidium member of the Muhammadiyah Scholars Network (JIMM). He can be contacted at profetika@yahoo.com.