Literacy Jihadists

KOMPAS/DIDIE SW

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Deradicalization is frequently seen as a diagnostic attempt on a radical disease having infected a person, with the idea to then seek appropriate treatment.

Its accuracy can be related to the type of drug, the dose and the treatment method. However, this systemic deradicalization approach is frequently still overpowered by the ferocious radical virus that infects a person, even though it involves experts who are skillful at diagnostics, backed by experienced research teams and executors with the support of large funds. In reality, radicalism continues to grow, and terrorism remains a threat.

There are those who say this might be due to the fact that the militancy of deradicalization activists was still "weak". The activists’ militancy is not as strong as that of the radicals, who are ready to work in the name of jihad. It is not known why they are so fascinated with radical teachings that, without any tempting pay-off, they are ready to engage in jihad. They want to be fooled through religious arguments conveyed in a shortsighted way, without standardized literacy (mu\'tabar). And, in reality, this can provoke an endlessly burning spirit and militancy.

This seems to overturn the established logic. The story of a family willing to carry out suicide bombings at churches in Surabaya, as well as a series of stories about other actions against common sense, are puzzling as we look for the best way to deradicalize people and prevent radicalism. It turns out that we also do not necessarily "go crazy" by carrying out massive deradicalization and radical prevention activities, which ultimately appear to be ceremonial and celebratory.

Starting with the scattered ones

I was amazed when I met a "private" deradicalization activist. He works alone and with independent funding. The term is called "clandestine movement" (tandzim sirri). Yes, he deserves to be called "in action" in a "lone wolf" way. Hiding silently in lush bushes, he suddenly moves skillfully to produce a useful amaliyat. I hope this movement can develop further and break the deadlock in deradicalization and the prevention of radicalism.

In short, he founded a reading community called Rumah Daulat Buku (Rudalku), which has the tagline "Reading a lot to be Open, Reading a lot to be Tolerant". This reading house is specially provided for former terrorist prisoners. He tried to encourage ex-terrorism convicts to set up the book house, simply in their own houses. There is no need for a special place that will only cost a lot. The house can be a suitable place to read and develop the creativity of inhabitants to be of real benefit to the surrounding communities.

Several book houses have been founded in Jakarta, West Java, East Java, North Sumatra (Medan) and South Sumatra (Palembang). Their number will continue to grow, thanks to the spirit, patience and perseverance to approach and encourage ex-terrorist prisoners to establish the reading houses.

Besides establishing the reading houses, the activist also holds a special monthly recitation event for ex-terrorist prisoners, which brings together around 10 ex-terrorist prisoners. The chosen speakers have an adequate basis of religious knowledge. At the recitation event, book references or books are also used to support and prove the truth of a moderate attitude (wasathiyah).

Its concept is simple. This former terrorist prisoners are ordinary persons who practice their religious life normally. Even not infrequently among them, there are those who used to be active in moderate Islamic organizations and then "migrated" to the radical Jamaah. After attending the recitation events of radical mentors, they finally turned radical themselves.

The recitation was conducted simply at mosques or at people’s homes. Actually, it was not just a form of indoctrination, but what was interesting was the spirit and patience of the mentors to instill radical religious views. That mental attitude produced results, as more than a few were lulled by their hard doctrine and became formidable militants ready to sacrifice themselves for utopian ideals.

Here a copy-paste model is applied from this radical group study technique, where a routine recitation event is held with a method that is not much different from what radical worshipers use. Of course, the difference is to indoctrinate people with moderate rather than militant religious views. It turns out that this small-scale study approach can be more accurate in reaching the target.

The results are quite wonderful. The ex-terrorist prisoners taking part in the recitation feel they are gaining new knowledge. For example, they become aware of the fact that it is not that easy to interpret verses of the Qur\'an and hadith. It needs a methodology and reference from truly trusted scholars, unlike before, when they only got information about verses that were presented “as is”, for instance about jihad, without a thorough review based on in-depth interpretation.

These recitation events are one aspect of the establishment of the book houses, which are actually the foundation for moderation of the ex-terrorist prisoners and for prevention. The concept of literacy is based on the idea that radicalism can infect someone because of a lack of reading. On the other hand, the more a person reads, the more he will open his mind and gain knowledge, so that he cannot be easily influenced by radicalism.

The most important aspect in the establishment of the book houses is to encourage ex-terrorist prisoners to become agents of change in their communities, at least the community around their houses. With the book houses, they are encouraged to be able to spread a reading culture and sow moderate thoughts in the surrounding community. This goal is at the same time effective in two domains, namely deradicalization and the prevention of radicalization.

New jihad

Deradicalization efforts have, thus far, not included the literacy of ex-terrorist prisoners. The literacy movement targets the general public in order to prevent radicalism, such as anti-hoax training or managing healthy social media.

KOMPAS/ADI SUCIPTO K

Said Aqil Siraj

Communities of book lovers and reading parks have been growing steadily in a number of areas. This is certainly an encouraging fact. However, the book communities formed do not touch ex-terrorist prisoners at all. That means the ex-terrorism convicts have not been considered as people capable of managing such reading parks. They are still seen simply as a "commodity", which ends up making them "spoiled children" and "materialistic", where, if there is no material assistance, they are reluctant to join programs such as deradicalization courses. Moreover, they are not seen as people who can be changed from “terrorist jihadists” to "literacy jihadists".

We need to give birth to more "literacy jihadists", who are characterized by a high degree of militancy, so that they will work without incentives and with extra perseverance. As a phenomenon rooted in a lack of literacy, radicalism should be tackled by promoting reading to fortify the public against the influence of radicalism. We believe such literacy can erode radicalization.

Said Aqil Siraj, General Chairman of the Executive Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU)