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77
 Kyai Haji Syamsudin   Islam.  In fact, as voiced by a senior   liberalism as understanding religious   were very problematic and misguiding.   hardliner groups and that it would lead
 (center) founder of the   FPI official, Shabri Lubis, the Ahmadiyah   texts or giving them meaning by the   Azyumardi Azra, a Muslim intellectual and   to the instigation of the persecution of
 Pondok Pesantren Duri   congregation had to be combatted. In   use of reason and the only accepted   the Rector of the State Islamic University   pluralists among Islamic groups. 84
 Sawo, Ponorogo, East   public, FPI leaders called on Muslims   religious doctrine are those that accord   Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta at the time,
 Java  to brandish the flag of war against the   with rationality. It defined secularism as   had the same critique arguing that the MUI   These fatwas, especially those issued by
                                                 the post-reform MUI leadership appear
 Ahmadiyyah and to declare that they   the separation of worldly and religious   could not prohibit or discourage people
 Source: Documentation                           to be more concerned with politics, as
 Pondok Pesantren Duri   had polluted the Islamic faith, on the   affairs, in which religion is only seen as   to think, while pluralism, liberalism, and   can be seen in the case of elections and
 Sawo  basis of which spilling their blood was   a personal relationship with God, while   secularism are not ideologies but ways   related fatwas on the rights of certain
 lawful.  Some organizations noted that   human relations are governed by social   of thinking.  Azra thought that the MUI’s
                   83
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 the period from 2005 to 2011 had seen   contracts. Furthermore, to conclude the   problematic definitions of the three key   groups. The fatwas of the MUI often
 houses, mosques, offices, and schools   fatwa, the MUI stated that pluralism,   terms in the fatwa was caused by the MUI   stimulate the issuance of new policies by
 that belonged to the Ahmadiyah in West   liberalism and secularism had abused   membership which was dominated by   the Ministry of Religious Affairs that have
 Java, Lombok, and Banten destroyed   Islam and, therefore, Muslims were not   groups that understand the Qur’an and   more formal legal force and are hence
 and set on fire, and at least two Ahmadis   allowed to follow these ideologies. 80  the Hadith literally without using reason or   binding. The collaboration between
 had been murdered. 79  logic.                   both has led to the strengthening of
 The fatwa on the unlawfulness of pluralism,     conservatism and radicalism. This
 Another manifestation of the MUI’s   liberalism, and secularism inevitably incited   A representative of the largest Muslim   can be seen, for example, in the
 increasing favor with the growing current   responses and criticism from various   organization in Indonesia had the   emergence of religious leaders and
 of post-reform Islamic conservatism is   factions as well as from the religious   same critique. Hasyim Muzadi, the   Islamic organizations that openly or
 the MUI fatwa on the unlawfulness of   communities. The proponents of the fatwa   general chairman of the NU at that   covertly support or condone acts that
 pluralism, liberalism and secularism. In   were Islamic radical groups, who used it to   time, asserted that the fatwa of the MUI   restrict and violate the principles of
 its fatwa, the MUI firstly explained the   legitimate their threats and acts of violence,   was a step backwards in the context   religious freedom.  This group seems
                                                                 85
 definitions of the three issues at hand.   as may be seen in the raid on JIL’s office   of inter-religious relations in Indonesia.   to display an ambivalent attitude about
 The MUI divided pluralism into religious   in Utan Kayu, East Jakarta, only a few   While Masdar Mas’udi, another NU   the disruption of religious harmony in
 pluralism and the plurality of religions.   days after the fatwa had been issued.    leader, explicitly demanded that the   Indonesia.It condemned terrorism but
 81
 The first term, which the MUI rejected   Criticism was also voiced by inclusive   MUI revoke its fatwa because it might   did not have a similar attitude against
 and which became the concern of the   and liberal circles and Dawam Rahardjo   trigger increasing violence in the name   religion-based violence related to
 fatwa was the understanding that all   pointed out that the fatwa had obviously   of religion. Criticism was also voiced   sectarian conflicts and to disputes
 religions are equal and each religious   upset and violated the freedom of thought,   by Christian circles. Franz Magnis-  concerning houses of worship. 86
 truth is relative. The second term, which   the freedom of speech, and the freedom of   Suseno said that pluralism is actually
 the MUI finds acceptable, is the reality   religion, as well as the freedom of belief, all   a very clear and very positive concept   On the other side, the collaborative
 of the presence of different religions and   of which are the most basic human rights.    in the reality of diversity. He thought   policies of the Ministry of Religion and
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 that their adherents live alongside each   He also pointed out that the definitions   that the MUI’s definition of the term   the MUI have caused extended and
 another. The MUI understood religious   of the three key concepts in the fatwa   pluralism was one typically given by   profound discussions about Islamic



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