Musdah Mulia
Foreword
Human being cannot be completely disconnected from religion, no matter what progress they manage to achieve. There is a spirituality within human, because they are not merely homo sapiens but also homo religious. Karen Armstrong, in her book entitled A History of God, reveals her apprehensions: “human is incapable of bearing the burden of emptiness; they will fill that vacant space by creating a new focus in order to attain a more meaningful life”. However, in the history of human, religion has two faces: one of peace and the other of violence. On the one hand, religion is the main contributor to wars, bloodshed, hatred and intolerance. Yet, it also promotes laws and concepts that have provided civilization with a cultural commitment to the pure essence of peace. The latter encompasses empathy, openness and love, sympathy for marginalized people, the articulation of human rights, forgiveness and absolution, reconciliation, and social justice.
How did this come about? John L. Esposito concludes that the global revival of religion is not only spiritual in nature, but also embodies social and political awakening. Furthermore, in his paper entitled Religion and Global Affair, he asserts that “the revitalization of religion can become not only a source for freedom, but also extremist violence.” He goes on to say that the present revival of religion can be construed as a search for identity, authenticity and community, as well as a need to bring meaning into personal and community life.
The reawakening of religion is not evidenced by a show of religious fervor, but also with religious symbols emerging in public life. Religious devotees return to the traditions of religion, while at the same time asserting that religion is not only relevant to later life, but also to present life. Consequently, it can be said that the revivalists from the three Abrahamic faiths are re-Islamizing, re-Christianization, or re-Judaization the people.
Among communities in developing countries such as Indonesia, this phenomenon is interesting to observe, because it poses a serious challenge to the expectations of theories in modernization or secularism. Religion becomes an ideological, social, and political force. In Indonesia, religious groups are overly pampered by the government, political parties and by the community.
During the course of history, politicized religion has seen the birth of cultural and legal constructions that tend to create sectarian and communal boundaries. This is evident, for example, in the Moslem community as concepts of ahl al-zimmah (non-Moslems living amongst Moslems), dar al-Islam (a region ruled by a Moslem state) and dar al-harb (a battle zone), jihad (religious war), etcetera.
In reality, the genealogical research of religion-based violence often ends in an exclusive concept regarding those concepts, for example, the concept of jihad or the obsession to establish a Moslem state. There is a strong indication that they construe these cultural constructions as a religious doctrine that must be defended. In fact, such constructions arise from the problems and needs confronting them during that period, or are resulted as a response to the socio-historical conditions of that era which is consequently deemed as irrelevant to the present times. Sectarian boundaries in any form shall be transcended; on the contrary, they will turn religion into a barrier for the development of a national identity. It may be the right time, perhaps, to tear down the legal construction that tends to create sectarian boundaries, and in its place, establish politics of tolerance.
The misused of religion in the post truth era
The fall of the New Order Regime in 1998 has brought about major changes. Those who were previously silenced by an authoritarian regime now found they had a voice to speak their opinions freely. Democracy grew and flourished. One evidence of this was the emergence of political parties with various ideologies, including Islamic ideology.
In paralel with the growth of Islamic political parties, a number of Islamic radicalism organizations began to emerge. It began with the Front Pembela Islam, Taliban in Tasikmalaya, Majelis Mujahidin Indonesia in Yogyakarta, and many others. Besides that, transnational Islamic Organizations also gave birth to Laskar Jihad, Ikhwanul Muslimin and Hizbut Tahrir who started to bare their teeth. The emergence of these Islamic Organizastions portrayed a new Islamic movement in Indonesia that differs from already present Islamic organizations like the Muhammadiyah, Nahdatul Ulama and others.
Islamic radicalism did not come about just like that. It emerged from a contextual background and was not formed by just one factor. There were many factors that played a part in the emergence of Islamic radicalism organizations. Political, social, and economic dimensions have become a significant context in the interpretation of freedom of expression, a prolonged economic crisis, and changes to the values of the people have become some of the reasons radicalism was born which was supported by a religious perception steeped in scriptualism.
In the past, Islamic radicalism organizations found it difficult to assert their presence in public using such heavy religious language, but now in whatever genre they appear in, they are accepted widely. It is thus not surprising that Islam with a radical tendency is flourishing in a democratic environment that allows unlimited freedom. It was unimaginable in the past, that democracy would in fact become the point of entry for anti-democracy ideology. They are capitilizing on democratic instruments to spread their anti-democracy, anti-pluralism and anti-feminism ideology.
What is worse is that, women have become the main target of radicalism. And this situation is not only taking place among Muslims, but also within congregations of other religions. A number of cases has shown that in regards to radicalism, women generally become the main targets.
It is important to note, that in Islamic world whenever conservatives and radicals win, first to be affected are women. Why is this so? This is because, socially and politically, women’s domestication costs little and is easy to acheive. Cheap and easy because, within a patriarchal structure, the project to domesticate women faces no significant social political resistance. Muslims in general, including in Indonesia still implement a conservative Islamic perception, particularly in terms of gender issues.
In this context, a conservative Islamic perception co-exists with a radicalist Islamic viewpoint have religious legitimacy to constrain women’s freedom and discriminate them, and even impose religion-based violence against women. When those groups won, the first declaration was polygamy and child marriage will be legal.
Islamic radicalism viewpoint poses a threat against women. This is because their view rejects the principle of democracy, especially the principle of gender justice and gender equality. They also strongly reject family planning program with all its elements, such as the use of contraceptives. They are also against sex education and reproductive health with the result that women have no understanding of their sexual rights and reproductive health. They even consider HIV and LGBT people as sinners, so those people must be killed.
Islamic radicalism are of the view that Indonesian Muslims community is in a state of war emergency and is need of many soldiers to defend, those they label as Jundullah (God’s Army). That is why, based on the grounds of protecting family resilence, they promote child marriages.
To success the child marriage, they create a crazy program known as ITP (Indonesia Without Courtship) that intimidate young people into early marriage. After marriage, those young people are intimidated to have many children in oder to increase the number of fighters in God’s Army.
They also obligate polygamy and promote marriage and divorce to ensure that the number of wives taken never exceed four wives in line with the syari’ah that they believe in. It is not rare that some men can marry tens of women and have tens of children. More children, more prosperity is a saying that they believe in.
They promote misunderstanding about family planning and misconception about contraceptive. They state that Islam is against family planning. Islam doesn’t let people use contraceptives because the prophet says to increase Islam’s followers and on the judgment day the prophet will be proud of his huge followers.
All this is done to increase the number of Muslims so they can establish a caliphate and Islamic country that they believe in. Strangely enough, although some of them are highly educated, very few of them care nothing about population boom, demographic disaster, a decline in the quality of human resources, education, poverty, and a decline in natural resources and so on and so forth.
They are even more uncaring of the need to enforce human rights, particularly the basic rights of children, the sexual rights for women. They even consider that any demand to enforce human rights is in contradiction to Islam and accuse the promoters of human rights as thogut, murtad and kafir.
In the name of Islamic purification, Islamic radicalism makes a clear distinction between the rights of men and women. Women have no rights over their own bodies and wombs Women are merely a reproductive machine to give birth to as many children as possible. In their view, God intentionally created men and women differently and such a distinction is not a form of discrimation but a true creation for the happiness and continuance of human life. The conclusion is that, Islamic radicalism urges us to return to religion. However, in the context of women, it means returning to domestication of women and control over women’s bodies. That is a fact!
The importance of having the right understanding of religious teaching
Religion, including Islam, actually views human beings, both women and men, as creatures with dignity. Woman’s body is not a reproductive machine. Islam highly respects the rights of women who are considered free human beings.
Women have rights over their own bodies, own wombs, and therefore they have the right to decide when to marry and bear children. Women are not expected to suffer let alone die because of their very noble reproductive function. So high is the dignity of a woman that she is declared in the Prophet’s hadith as deserving of three times more respect as a mother than a father would.
According to the Alqur’an, all human beings: women and men were created by God and given the responsibility to manage life on earth or khalifah fil ardh. The meaning of khalifah fil ardh is the agents of moral. In a social context, a person’s duty as a khalifah is amar ma’ruf nahy munkar (enhance morals through transformation and humanization efforts). Transformation efforts (amar ma’ruf) is achieved through enhancement and improvement of personal quality to be more positive, constructive and productive.
While humanization (nahy munkar) involves all efforts to humanize human beings through education, publications, and advocacy, particularly towards those who are oppressed and are treated unfairly, in this case the oppressed people, the poor, minority groups, women and children, the disabled and People Living with HIV and others that the Alqur’an describes as mustadh’afin.
The concept of human being as khalifah fil ardh
Islam views human beings: women and men as the most noble creatures entrusted with the special task to be manager and be responsible of the life on earth. This explanation is important to trigger the Muslims’ awareness on the importance of their role as responsible human beings.
There are so many verses in The Qur’an talking about the important mission of human being as Khalifah fil ardh, such as al-Baqarah, 2: 30; Shad, 38:26; al-An’am, 6:165; Yunus, 10:14; Yunus, 10:73; Fathir, 35:39; al-A’raf, 7:69; al-A’raf, 7:74; dan an-Naml, 27:62. And all the verses mention that the most important task of human being as Khalifah fil ardh is upholding justice and fulfilling human rights.
As khalîfah, leader or manager on earth, human’s duty is very clear, which is called amar ma’rûf nahy munkar. It means to create virtue, piety, justice, prosperity, welfare, and peace in the universe. One most important factor towards attaining that goal is the awareness to uphold the truth, justice, endeavor to create virtue and mercy, and prevent evil and wrongdoings (amar ma’rûf nahy munkar).
All human beings: men and women of different ethnic backgrounds, skin color, languages and religions are ordered by God to work together, hand in hand and support each other in carrying out amar ma’rûf nahy munkar (do good things, prevent wrongdoings) in order to create a world that is right, good and beautiful with God’s blessings (baldatun thayyibah wa Rabbun ghafuur). One of the indications is that every person’s right is fulfilled and their basic needs are met and they are ensured of security. Such a condition is only possible in a country where the number of the population grows at a stable rate, and no explosion of population occurs.
Islam came and liberated all human beings from the shackles of injustice, oppression, slavery, money-lending practices, and all discriminative, exploitative, and violent acts. Islam has come to uphold peace, mercy, virtue, piety, and welfare of all human beings. Moral values on equal rights for human beings are clearly stated in the hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, such as:
الناس سواسية كأسنان المشط. لا فضل لعربى على عجمى الا بالتقوى
“People are equal like the teeth of a comb. There is no claim of merit of an Arab over a non-Arab, except for the quality of their faith.”
إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالىَ لاَيَنْظُرُ إِلىَ أَجْسَامِكُمْ وَلاَ إِلىَ صُوَرِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يـَنْظُرُ إِلىَ قُلُوْبِكُمْ وَأَعْمَالِكُمْ (متفق عليه)
“Verily, Allah does not look to your bodies or your faces, but Allah looks to your heart and your deeds.”
The essence of Islamic teachings is centered on commitment to the tawhid. Tawhid is a declaration of a Moslem’s commitment as God’s creature to dedicate his/her whole life to establish good, truth and justice. The tawhid teaching directs a Moslem’s life to be more meaningful for humans and for humanity. Tawhid also reminds human beings to always eliminate all forms of slavery, discrimination, exploitation and violence against other human beings for whatever reason. That is the core of a prophetic duty.
Islam’s ultimate aim is to spread blessings for all creatures in this universe (rahmatan lil alamin). Every Moslem has the obligation to spread the seeds of love and peace on earth through concrete and advantageous activities, such as promoting and advocating the enforcement of human rights, including reproductive rights and health.
Strengthening the role of ulemas
The role of religious leaders is an important key to this success. In Islamic teaching, religious leaders or ulemas are considered warasatulanbiyaa (heirs of the Prophet). The main duty of the religious leaders is to refer to the duties of Prophets, in seeking solutions for problems of humanity present in society.
Religious leaders must be sensitive towards humanity problems so that they are able to provide guidance to their congregation in order to resolve social problems such as injustice, social inequality, ignorance, poverty, unemployment, corruption, drug abuse, prostitution and violence including problems related to health, and especially reproductive health.
In regards to gender issues, like reproductive rights, the ulemas need to be aware of the various factors that can have an adverse effect on reproductive health, particularly among women and young girls. And in terms of gender issues, ulemas must know the importance of the principles of gender justice and gender equality. Therefore, before asking for the participation of ulemas, they should first be provided with a short course so that they understand what they need to do in efforts to ensure the success of the human rights program.
On our part, through the ICRP (Indonesian Conference on Religions for Peace), our experiences are based on best practices through the involving of ulemas in democracy and gender justice program. Their method was to incorporate into their daily sermons some explanation on the importance of the principle of gender justice, sexual and reproductive rights in family life. It is important because ulemas delivering Friday Sermon; Pre-Marriage counseling; Wedding Party; Islamic Community Learning Program (Majlis Ta’lim) and Islamic Education Centers and so on.
We have also issued guidelines on how to conduct sermons in the form of Modules on Reproductive Health, A Book on Guidance for Ulemas regarding Prevention of Child Marriages, Women’s Circumcision and Unwanted Pregnant, A Module on Education of Human Rights, Democracy and the Constitution. A Fiqh Book on Gender Equality and so on. Such methods are also used by non-Muslim religious figures.
The problem is that the number of such enlightened ulemas is still limited. The other problem is majority of ulemas and moderate Muslims are afraid to speak out on family planning in public, especially if their views are contrary to majority. They fear controversy or being labeled as anti-Islam. So, they choose to remain silent. They are not militant on the issue, and they are also dispersed among many group interests so they do not represent a solid group. As a result, the public domain is still dominated by conservative and radicals ulemas, although they are not the majority but they are very militant and control advanced digital technology.
Conclusion
In future, religious communities need to initiate a genuine collaboration based on inclusive theology in order that other groups are respected and appreciated. An inclusive theology can also become the basis for the vision to develop a global political construction that is more humanistic and prophetic. The inclusive theology here comprises a model for religion that is humanistic and intrinsic in nature as has been previously explained.
Firstly, Cultural reconstruction efforts through education in its wide sense, from education in family life to formal education in school. To reconstruct the culture, particularly the culture of justice and egalitarian, peace and tolerance is very important. These efforts are absolutely very much needed because culture of justice and egalitarian, peace, tolerant and inclusive cannot emerge naturally and spontaneously in society, instead it must be arranged in such way through education system, particularly in family education.
Secondly, religious reinterpretation, especially Islamic reinterpretations. Some efforts have been done regarding promoting humanistic, inclusive and progressive Islamic interpretations which are more conducive for the fulfillment democracy and the principles of human rights. In Islamic teachings, the concept of Tawhid reminds human beings to eliminate all forms of discrimination, exploitation and violence. That is the core of Islam.
Last but not least, law reform efforts. Many efforts have been done in line with amending and revision of some important laws and public policies which are not conducive to the establishment of democracy and the principle of gender justice and equality, peace and tolerance.
As a closing I would like to remind you one verse in the Qur’an: “I found a woman reigning over them, and she has been favoured with every thing, and she has a throne that is magnificent“ (Q.S. al-Naml, 27:23). Subhanallah, in urîdu illa al-ishlâh mastatha’tu. Wa mâ tawfîqiy illâ billâh. Wa Allah a'lam bi al-shawab.
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