Nation’s Teacher Passes Away
A scholar is certainly different from a scientist or philosopher. They may dedicate their life to knowledge, but what determines the quality of a scholar’s existence is their commitment to values.
Every time a great scholar passes away, a hole is left in the hearts of humanity and the nation that cannot be filled until a replacement scholar is born. It is understandable that as their is mourned, their legacy is remembered by many people.
The atmosphere of mourning was tangible as the news of the death of Ahmad Syafii Maarif (Buya Syafii) spread across various social media platforms.
Condolences, some with praise and appreciation, closed almost in the same fashion: "Farewell, Teacher of the Nation". No one doubts Buya Syafii's contribution to the world of thought and science. What they might argue is the extent of his contribution compared to his contemporaries.
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A scholar is certainly different from a scientist or philosopher. They may dedicate their life to knowledge, but what determines the quality of a scholar’s existence is their commitment to values. As a result, their rationale over knowledge is built on a firm commitment to the ethical praxis, through which their behavior speaks louder than their words.
Misunderstood
In an attempt to link the logic of knowledge with an ethical commitment to humanity and justice, a scholar must dare to reexamine the path of their own thinking. They must dare to detach logic from group interests and the established status quo, which tends to justify what has become common rather than make common what is true.
Therefore, a scholar’s greatness usually comes at the cost of being misunderstood, as Ralph Waldo Emerson said: “Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood.”
Every great scholar is born out of a leap in forward thinking that at times straddles the mainstream or deviates from the usual understanding, which is often regarded as a denial and betrayal of predominance. Despite the risk of being misunderstood, creative deviation ensures the continuity of human history that necessitates reform of thought.
Buya Syafii grew up in the epistemic environment of Muhammadiyah (Indonesia’s second largest Islamic organization after NU). He was born, developed, and served in the Muhammadiyah community. The reformist Islamic organization, along with its history of its figures having close relationships with the leaders of the Masjumi Islamic Party, left a big impression on the thinking style of the young Syafii.
The new horizon of thought he gained during his doctoral studies at the University of Chicago, along with his affinity with a number of figures in the reformist Islam network, became a catalyst to help him further establish his style of thinking.
It can be said that the trajectory of his political thoughts began as a reformist Islam. His rationality of knowledge and his outward soul allowed him to come into contact with other epistemic environments. He was open to outside opinions and criticisms. The new horizon of thought he gained during his doctoral studies at the University of Chicago, along with his affinity with a number of figures in the reformist Islam network, became a catalyst to help him further establish his style of thinking.
The birth of the reform movement and the impacted political structure that allowed for the opening of public space for cross-faith and cross-cultural encounters created momentum for Buya Syafii to transform himself into a staunch speaker of civil Islam. It was a style of Islam that sought to overcome the dichotomy between religious righteousness and civic piety. At this point, his position as Muhammadiyah chairman had a major impact on shifting the mindset of young Muhammadiyah cadres. He played as great a role in Muhammadiyah as did former president Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid did in Nahdlatul Ulama (NU).
In the midst of the globalization that divided the world into “winners” and “losers” and saw the political life in this country endure growing polarization and fragmentation, Buya Syafii became a prominent figure in the neo-modernist Islamic movement for inclusive Islam. His steadfast ethicalness and integrity placed him as a role model as well as a seat belt aboard the ark of the republic against the drag and pull of identity politics and the narrow interests of the oligarchy.
In line with the thinking of Nurcholish Madjid and Gus Dur, Buya Syafii unequivocally reminded Muslims to be good adherents and present their religious teachings as mercy for all (rahmatan lil-alamin). The problems that Muslims sees as being specific to them cannot be resolved only by themselves. The social inequity between nations, groups, and regions are one of the main sources of today's problems, and the efforts to close these gaps require everyone's cooperation.
In the spirit of seeking the common ground, Muslims’ claim about universal forgiveness must be communicated based on the local realities. Muslims are expected to manifest in themselves an attitude of inclusiveness that sees no difference between Islam and nationalism.
More fundamentally, Indonesian Muslims must look torwards the future of the nation and state in the spirit of eliminating the gaps between Islam and the founding state ideology of Pancasila. Muslims must see it as a modern embodiment of the principles contained in the Medina Charter (established during the era of Prophet Muhammad PBUH). The ontological value of Pancasila is the same as the Medina Charter, which is to find common ground in creating mutual welfare and prosperity (al-masalahah al-ammah, or bonum commune) in the nation’s pluralistic society.
As a supporter and source of inspiration of Indonesian values, Islam is expected to bring about productive and constructive initiatives that align more with Indonesian values within the framework of enriching and strengthening Pancasila.
While pointing out the need to develop the ethics and spirituality of Islam to help strengthen inclusive civic life, Buya Syafii reiterated the potential threats to society caused by widening inequality and injustice. In his view, Pancasila started with abstract precepts and ended with concrete concepts.
We must put social justice at the forefront, as the locomotive to pull the other wagons that actualize its principles.
The more concrete a concept, the more challenging it is to realize. Should we fail to realize the concrete, many people will find themselves with a fragile grasp as a self-defense mechanism. Therefore, the most appropriate way to revitalize Pancasila is to conduct a kind of reverse engineering. We must put social justice at the forefront, as the locomotive to pull the other wagons that actualize its principles.
Frontline scholar
Buya Syafii's sincerity and straightforwardness in articulating his stance in the face of public sentiment, cynicism and derision became decisive in his ordination as a frontline scholar.
Max Weber said that intellectuals were often faced with a dilemma between choosing intellectual integrity or extra-intellectual contingencies, between rational and dogmatic ideas. Any decision to opt for the second option would mean making “intellectual sacrifices”.
It is true that the rejection of stagnant conditions will create a tension that can be interpreted as the superiority of avant-garde intellectuals.
That’s how Buya Syafii achieved his accolades as a scholar, which was attributable to his breakthrough ideas on inclusiveness to seek cohesion of creativity and productivity between Islam, nationalism and humanity, between local wisdom and global vision.
His inspiration to promote cross-cultural life amid the tense situation of ideological conflict placed him on the front line against polarization. He was akin to a “wild animal” that faces the risk of being abandoned by the flock, reviled and misunderstood. However, thanks to his pure mind, firm stance and straightforward articulation, his constructive ideas have now become beacons that provide guidance for the people of the republic who falter in the midst of a national crisis.
And his strength in articulation appeared to be even more authentic because he allowed his life to be guided by humility and integrity.
His death is truly a great loss for the state and nation, even as his life is remembered as a great gift for those who are left behind. May the leaves that fall fertilize the growth of more shoots so we can let them go with ease.
Rest in peace, Buya! We are only the creatures of time that wander from one transit to another to a temporary destination. After all, your tracks are not left in vain, like the ocean, which begins with a single drop. Every word you spoke restores hope for those in anxiety. Every smile you made spreads passion for those in despair. Every work you rendered provides power for those in inertia. The courage you showed restores sanity for those that have strayed. You followed this path of devotion almost your entire life. It's time for you to go home and rest. In death, you are immortal.
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Yudi Latief
Yudi Latif, Member of the Indonesian Academy of Sciences
(This article was translated by Musthofid)
