Islamophobia Vs Radicalism and Spirituality

The routine ba'da dzuhur Quran study (Islamic learning after midday prayer) at Bank Indonesia has so far become evident that there is no Islamophobia in Indonesia.

That is, among other things, what I stated and emphasized when I addressed the ba'da dzuhur gathering on Monday, Aug. 8 at Bank Indonesia (BI), which was also streamed online. The ba'da dzuhur Quran study is held regularly and is always attended by the BI Governor and the board of governors, as well as BI employees in the region and from its branches in a number of countries.

I deliberately mentioned the non-existence of Islamophobia in Indonesia after the United Nations General Assembly (UN) issued a resolution stating that March 15th is International Day to Combat Islamophobia, because in some parts of our society there have been disproportionate reactions.

The UN resolution was originally related to the phenomenon of racist attitudes in the world of sport shown by non-Muslims toward great Muslim soccer players, such as Mohamed Salah (Egypt) and Zinedine Zidane (France). They experienced racism and bullying because of their Islamic identity.

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There are those who immediately gave their opinion on the UN resolution of Islamophobia in Indonesia, and there are those who accused government policies of being anti-Islam and discriminatory against Muslims. It is exemplified that many ulama and ustaz are criminalized and da'wah is limited. Men who have a beard and women wearing shorts or wearing a hijab are accused of being radical.

Where in Indonesia is there a policy that hates and fears Islam? Where are there people who are afraid and ashamed to profess Islam?

Young people who join the hijrah movement are labeled “kadrun” (desert lizards). I emphasize that the views of government policies that are phobic towards Islam is just nonsense and contrary to the fact. Islamophobia is an attitude of hatred and fear of Islam so that Muslims feel afraid or ashamed to admit to being Muslim. Where in Indonesia is there a policy that hates and fears Islam? Where are there people who are afraid and ashamed to profess Islam?

In fact, BI’s extended family and government offices, from the head office to the regional offices, are diligent in organizing Islamic recitations. Many military agencies, the Kodam headquarters, the Korem headquarters and the Kodim headquarters within the Indonesian Military (TNI) have become places for the taklim assembly. Likewise, there are many police headquarters in the provinces and regencies under the National Police which are often the place for sema'an Qur'an study and tabligh akbar (mass gatherings).

I once addressed the tabligh akbar at the Gunung Kidul police headquarters with Comr. Gen. Ahmad Dofiri when the Head of the National Police Intelligence and Security Agency was head of the regional police in the special province of Yogyakarta.

The execution of the verdicts of the Islamic court, which originally had to get a fiat executie (approval) by the general court, now takes effect immediately without a fiat executie. Islamic universities, which used to be considered second or third-class universities, are now aligned and given the same civil effect as advanced public universities.

Muslim scholars are proud because apart from having a State Islamic Institute (IAIN), there are 17 Islamic state universities with good campuses and academics. The government has also established the International Islamic University of Indonesia (UIII), which is projected to become a center for Islamic studies and a laboratory for religious moderation in the international community.

At various levels of education, there is religious education and the provision of civil effects on Islamic religious schools such as various madrassas. In fact, the government has enacted a law on Islamic boarding schools with a large provision of funds. Where is Islamophobia?

Muslim social mobility

Today's Muslim officials, leaders and communities are not afraid to show their identity as Muslims. In fact, it has become a way of life. If it is time for prayer, yes, then do the prayer, in the month of Ramadan they fast, on major Islamic holidays offices are closed. No one is bothered.

Many Muslim intellectuals hold important positions in public universities.

Muslims in Indonesia have experienced extraordinary upward social mobility since Indonesia's independence. They can freely continue their education, attain higher education and occupy political and government positions as well as professions in various sectors. Many Muslim intellectuals hold important positions in public universities.

Various state institutions are led by Islamic figures. Political contestation always takes into account the support of the Muslims. Where is Islamophobia? What has happened is that the social mobility of the Muslims has soared from what was once only a complement and an object, to now a subject that has a significant role in protecting the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia with cosmopolitanism and Islamic wasathiyyah.

In society there are often accusations of kadrun (radicals) against Islamic groups, but this does not mean that there is Islamophobia. Those who often make accusations like that are only certain people in society, not the state or government policies.

And if there is hate speech that uses the words kadrun, cingkrang (related to pants), beard or veil of desert creatures, then we can conclude that there is islamophobia, which means then that there is also christianophobia, hinduphobia, buddhaphobia and other phobias. If there are christians doing social services, there are those who accuse them of christianization.

There are also those who accuse people of practicing syirik religious rituals from using incense.

Statements like that are as phobic as using labels such as kadrun, madrenges (madrasah), desert clothes and so on. However, once again, this only happens in the community individually (privately) and in very small numbers. The state does not have a policy for phobia in any group.

Allegations of the criminalization of ulama or ustaz are also baseless. Indeed, there are a small number of ulama or ustaz who have been convicted of committing a crime, but there are hundreds of thousands of clerics and ustaz in this country who are free to carry out da'wah activities. Where is islamophobia?

For the record, currently there are more than 263,000 people in prison, but are there any ulama, except for a few ustaz, who actually commit crimes? Where is islamophobia?

Radicalism and spirituality

It must be admitted that anti-radicalism policies do exist in Indonesia, stated in Law No. 5/2018. While the numbers are very small, there is indeed radicalism that is carried out by means of terrorism. In the constitution and law, radicalism is defined as an understanding or view which wants to completely dismantle the ideology and constitution that has been agreed upon by the people through an open mechanism. Expression of radicalism appears in three forms, namely intolerance, the development of anti-ideological discourse of the constitution and terrorism.

The government handles radicalism according to the form it appears. When dealing with intolerance and anti-ideology that is discourse in nature, it is done through education on ideological and constitutional awareness by, among other things, developing counter-narratives, deradicalization and strengthening ideological and civic education.

The muslims’ support of the policy of antiradicalism and the war on terrorism precisely show that in a state and society Islam is not a radical religion, let alone a terrorist one.

Regarding radicalism that appears in the form of terrorism, the government's action is firm, namely creating anti-terrorism policies with legal mechanisms. The muslims’ support of the policy of antiradicalism and the war on terrorism precisely show that in a state and society Islam is not a radical religion, let alone a terrorist one.

Islam is a religion of rahmatan lil alamin that teaches peace and tolerance and whose adherents position themselves in Islamic wasathiyyah.

It must also be admitted that sometimes in the reality of people's lives there are people who cannot distinguish between radicalism and spiritualism. For example, there are accusations of radicals and kadrun against people who often recite bismillah, subhanallah, astaghfirullah or show up in certain clothing which they call Muslim clothing, such as robes, hijabs and turbans.

There are those who are labeled kadrun, people who diligently pray in the mosque or always carry the holy Quran. To be honest, these people are not necessarily radical, but are expressing good spirituality. It is the same with the chancellor or minister who has a place for prayer, has a prayer mat and keeps the holy book of the Quran in their office. They actually express more spirituality than radicalism.

In the relationship between state, religion and society, they are actually Pancasilaist cosmopolitans who show that Islam is full of mercy and wasathiyyah their guidance and lifestyle. Nowadays, among the intellectual youth of Islam and professionals, spirituality and Islamic lifestyle are growing.

They are adaptive to the demands of digital-based professionalism, but at the same time diligently to perform religious rituals showing various cultural symbols, such as wearing the hijab, diligently fulfilling the call to prayer, diligently reading the Quran and practicing Monday and Thursday fasting. These are not radical expressions, but a spiritual expression.

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

Moh Mahfud MD

Moh Mahfud MD,Professor of Constitutional Law, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs

(This article was translated by Kurniawan Siswo)