MODERATES AND RADICALS

By Akhmad Kusaeni

One of Indonesia’s finest boarding schools (pesantren), Al-Zaitun, may be what is needed to give Islam a new image in the aftermath of the Bali and J.W. Marriott bombings. Located in the District of Indramayu on 1400 hectares of beautiful parkland with an enrollment of 7300 students, Al-Zaitun is seen to be a model pesantren for other boarding schools in Indonesia.
“It is a center of excellence for modern and moderate Islam in Indonesia,” said Pandji Gumilang, the principal of Al-Zaitun.
While on the other hand, pesantren like Al-Mukmin in Ngruki, Central Java, led by cleric Abu Bakar Baasyir, is considered as a radical’s Islamic boarding school. International Crises Group (ICG) accuses Al-Mukmin as a place for breeding terrorists. On JW Marriot bombings in 2003, the suicide bomber, Amsar Latinsani, reportedly was an alumnus of Al-Mukmin as well as Imam Samudra and Amrozy, the perpetrators of Bali bombing.
Pesantren got its bad name after those bombings. Panji Gumilang said thousands of moderate pesantrens in the country, only a few are radicals.
“The radicals make up only a small group. They represent a minority group, but they are very outspoken. They’ve hijacked the image of moderate Muslim Indonesia,” he added.
The moderate and the radical pesantrens may look alike physically and by name. But, in terms of their teachings and moral values they are like night and day, Panji Gumilang said.
“Moderate Muslims embrace globalization with love and hope while radicals face it with hate and bomb,” Panji Gumilang explained.
Al-Mukmin promotes the hard line that globalization and Americanization are threatening the Islamic religious identity. Their interpretations are based on selective reading of the Quran and practices from a sacred past.
Al-Mukmin students wear the same clothes as their idol Osama bin Laden. They keep long beards adhere to strict religious teachings. They hate George Bush because they think America is against Islam. They believe that America, Israel and the Jews are conspiring to destroy Islam and dominate the world.
During Iraq and Afghanistan war, they burn American flags and shout “Bush is the King of Terrorists!”.
In Al-Zaitun, the students wear modern clothes and New York Yankees cap. They play basketball and hockey. They log on to Internet and set up their own website. They run Al-Zaitun Magazine and practise freedom of press and expression. They watch MTV and speak English as well as Arabic and Bahasa.
“English is the language of computers and globalization—and the future. I’m very excited about getting on the Internet,” said Muhammad Abror, Al-Zaitun student.
It is no wonder to see Al-Zaytun student, like Abror, humming a Michael Jackson tune as good as when they recite adzan (a calling to prayer).
Islamic scholar Lily Zakiah Munir said moderate pesantrens advocate three levels of brotherhood (among Muslims (ukhuwwah Islamiyah); among people of the same nation (ukhuwah wathoniyah); and among all human being (ukhuwwah basyariyah) regardless of their race, ethnicity, religion and nationality.
“Islam is the religion of peace, not religion of terror,” Munir said.
Komaruddin Hidayat of the Ministry of Religious Affairs says that radicalism is not typical Indonesian. Islam in Indonesia has been known as tolerant, pluralistic and adaptable to local and foreign cultures. But, the bomb attacks on Bali and JW Marriot have painted a radical picture of Islamic terrorism.
Dr. Jamhari from the Indonesian Muslim University, IAIN, said new research pointed to radicalism’s “growing intensity of their activities, training and media exposure” in the rural areas since Soeharto downfall in 1998.
The economic crisis in the country since 1997 has also intensified radicalism where “many poverty-stricken people have taken refuge in religion,” Dr. Jamhari said.
Poor and lowly skilled people are easy to manipulate and brainwashed to do jihad (holy war) with the slogan Hidup terhormat atau mati syahid (Life in honor or die as martyr).
Moderate pesantrens, as Munir said, should stay alert against this radicalism and focus their teachings on pluralism.