Public life cannot be built healthily if narcissism continues to grow in society. We need to break through narrow and exclusive bubbles and build bridges that can connect all groups in “shared space.”
By
ULIL ABSHAR-ABDALLA
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PANDU LAZUARDY PATRIARI
Ulil Abshar Abdalla
Today Muslims begin the annual sacred ritual of fasting. Although this ritual is practiced in almost every world religion, each has its own unique way of practicing it. The same can be said for every Muslim community in the world. While the basic procedure for fasting is uniform everywhere, these rituals are practiced in a variety of cultural contexts. Muslims from all over the world give this ritual their own color.
In other words, fasting is one form of the well-known phrase unity in diversity, diversity in unity. In Indonesia, fasting is also practiced with its own distinct cultural traditions. One of which is bukber (short for buka bersama; breaking-of-the-fast together).
Indeed, this tradition can be found in many countries. In the West, for example, it is known as iftar dinner. Due to the increasing number of Muslims in Western countries, this tradition of iftar also began to be adopted by the government. Iftar dinners have even been held at the White House in the United States.
All of this is done to grow multiculturalism politics in the West. Moreover, holding iftar dinners is seen as part of the politics of inclusion that has recently been growing in the West.
In Indonesia, bukber is not a special time for only Muslims, but also non-Muslims.
I still remember in the 1990s there was a bukber held by the Reboan Council, a discussion forum initiated by a number of figures, such as Utomo Danandjaja, Usep Fathuddin and Amidhan. This event was very unique because even non-Muslim figures were in attendance. After the Tarawih prayer (Ramadan evening prayer), the bukber resumed with a discussion that involved intellectuals of various religions, including Pastor Franz Magnis-Suseno, Pastor Mudji Sutrisno and the late Victor Tanja.
For students who grew up as activists in the 1990s, bukber moments like these held by the Reboan Council played a crucial role in expanding what I like to call “shared spaces.”
People of various religions and traditional backgrounds can meet in this space. In a space like this, people of other faiths can experience the religious atmosphere of the Islamic community. In this space, we can hope that there will be a process of enrichment between traditions.
Shared spaces
In an era defined by rampant polarization, cancel culture and echo chambers, these spaces are needed so that people that practice different traditions, have different views and thoughts, and are from different sects can meet without falling deeper into an echo chamber, which poses many risks.
For years, Sinta Nuriyah Wahid, wife of former president Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid, has spearheaded an important initiative: having sahur (pre-dawn meals) together, rather than an event to break the fast together. There is certainly something unique about this activity which is held in several cities throughout the country.
Sahur with non-Muslims. In other words, sahur with an inter-religious perspective.
We must continuously encourage initiatives toward establishing “shared spaces,” especially amid postmodern social trends that lead to symptoms of social narcissism, in which there is a tendency to view everything as revolving around one's own group while ignoring other groups. Public life cannot be built healthily if this narcissism continues to grow in society. We need to break through narrow and exclusive bubbles and build bridges that can connect all groups in this “shared space.”
Indonesia’s democracy would be better rooted with these shared spaces in society.
Meanwhile, threats to democracy can also emerge from social trends that compartmentalize people’s lives in narrow spaces that can only exclusively accommodate certain groups. Spaces like these do provide a sense of security, but it can also be deceiving. This is because in the long run, this could be a danger for the imperative to build a shared space.
