Moderate Islam and the New Year: Indonesia

Most ‘redneck’ westerner’s impressions of Islam and Muslims are that they chop hands off, have crazy laws and are in general dominating over their women. Although in regard to the latter this might be the case in some Middle East countries where strict Sharia law exists, it seemingly does not apply in Indonesia – an archipelago of ‘moderate Islam’.

Islam is, in my opinion, an extremely beautiful and peaceful religion and the laws that are governed under the guidance of the Koran, probably, the way of life many westerners strive for. It is a pure religion and one of the oldest on this planet.

In Indonesia, apart from Northern Sumatra where Sharia law exists [and a law I feel is pretty fair in certain aspects], a moderate Islam is adhered to. Ridwan Max Sijabat wrote an excellent article about the joint conference between the two largest Islamic organisations in the country in their efforts to promote moderate Islam, or a form of it, anyway.

New Year a time for ‘moderate Islam’

In a joint conference on the major problems plaguing the nation, leaders of the nation’s two largest Muslim organizations agreed Thursday to promote a moderate form of Islam and to cooperate to forge national unity.

Nadhlatul Ulama (NU) leader Hasyim Muzadi and Muhammadiyah head Din Syamsuddin spoke of the importance of promoting Ukhuwah Islamiyah, or unity among Muslim communities, and stressed that the development of Islam should be made in the spirit of togetherness and in consultation with other religious groups.

The struggle of Islam could not be separated from Indonesian nationhood, and must respect multicultural values and avoid extremism in all forms, the two leaders said in a statement.

Hasyim said ongoing sectarian conflicts in the Middle East showed how important it was for NU and Muhammadiyah to cooperate to promote peace and unity among Muslims.

“Developing Islam in Indonesia must be conducted within the corridors of moderation, far from extremism, either (of the political) left or right, and atheism. The development of Islam must be made in one breath, in a national movement, so that it is not a diametric between multiculturalism and religious movements,” he said.

Hasyim said weakening unity among Muslim communities had led to sectarian conflicts and acts of terror in the Middle East. The discord had also allowed foreign powers to aggressively intervene in Afghanistan, Iraq and Lebanon, he said.

Referring to terrorist attacks here in the past, sectarian conflicts in several regions and the presence of hard-line groups, Hasyim called on Muslims to adopt a moderate form of the faith to help build the nation.

In this spirit, Din said the two organizations planned to increase cooperation to help improve social welfare services nationwide. The organizations would also increase communication with other religious communities to help the government cope with major problems, he said.

However, the two leaders stressed the increased cooperation was not the beginning of a merger of the two organizations. NU and Muhammadiyah would work together without losing their identities, they said.

Din and Hasyim also called on political elites throughout the country to cooperate for the public good.

All people, whatever their place in society, should use the Islamic New Year to soberly reflect on the past year’s numerous crises, which had brought grief to so many and claimed an unaccountable number of human lives, they said.

Despite this suffering, the leaders said they opposed any unconstitutional movement to topple the government. To keep the support of the people, the government needed to work harder to cope with poverty, unemployment and corruption, law enforcement and to handle accidents and disasters rapidly and professionally, they said.

Ridwan Max Sijabat