The Indonesian Islam that Pope Francis will encounter September 3 to 6 during his trip to Southeast Asia is an open and tolerant Islam, respectful of other religious communities. Once plagued by Islamic terrorism, Indonesia now overwhelmingly rejects extremism.
https://international.la-croix.com/...ncis-encounters-a-moderate-and-tolerant-islam
Night has fallen in Jakarta, and the heat is less oppressive. With her face wrapped in a lovely pale pink hijab, Alyah enjoys a spicy beef stew at the halal restaurant Garuda. With her friend Aminah, whose long jet-black hair falls over her shoulders, they are just out of pharmacy school after a long day of classes. One wears the veil; the other does not. “I am free to wear it or not,” explained Alyah, “I don't feel any pressure even though my parents are somewhat traditional, and sometimes I even take it off depending on where I am.”
Smiling, Aminah pointed out that she “doesn’t wear it often,” except when she goes to the mosque “occasionally.” Surprised to be asked such questions about the veil, they insisted on the nature of Indonesian Muslim society, which they describe in unison as “open and tolerant, even for women, far from the oppressive radical Islam of the Middle East.” Behind them, on the terrace, girls without veils are vaping and laughing with friends.
In the Muslim world, the Indonesian Islam that Pope Francis will encounter from September 3 to 6 is an exception. Neither a secular state nor a theocracy, Indonesia (with 280 million inhabitants) presents a religious face that is predominantly Muslim (88%) but with great ethnic and spiritual diversity. It is a mosaic of sensibilities, ranging from total tolerance to extreme rigidity. One of the singularities of this vast country, over 4,000 kilometers long and scattered across thousands of islands, is that they communicate to maintain national unity.
"An open society where women play a major role"
“We live a serene and tolerant Islam,” acknowledged Farid Saenong, president of the education and research program at Jakarta's Istiqlal Mosque, the largest in Southeast Asia, which can accommodate more than 110,000 worshipers. “Even though there is a wide range of sensitivities within the Indonesian Muslim family,” continued this graduate in social anthropology, “we have debates, and everyone can express their opinions, differences, and disagreements. And we are fortunate today to have moderate political leaders.”
For Imran Mohamed Taib, founding director of the Dialogue Center in Singapore and a leading expert on Asian Islam, “The more you study Indonesian Islam, the more you understand Islam, and the less radical you become. This is the mystery of the Indonesian system, which is an open society where women play a major role. This alchemy cannot tolerate radicals and terrorism, even though the danger still exists.”
For the highly respected theologian Mukti Ali Qusyairi, who teaches at the Grand Mosque, three major reasons explain this uniqueness: “Within our Islam, even though there is only one dogma, there is a bubbling of ideas that allows for a great variety of interpretations, preventing us from falling into extremism.”
Ancient traditions are still very much alive
Referring to the multitude of ethnic groups (from the Bataks in Sumatra to the Papuans, including the Bugis and Torajas of Sulawesi), cultures, and specific local histories, this former student of Al-Azhar in Cairo emphasizes that “Indonesian Islam respects all its customs and traditions, which existed before the arrival of Islam.” He adds, “We did not destroy them but integrated them into Islam; this is a strength and a solid foundation upon which we have built our unique Islam in a universal set of values.”
In his view, these ancient traditions, which are still very much alive, protect against Islamist radicalism. Finally, Mukti Ali is convinced that “the large number of Quranic schools throughout the country, traditional and sometimes even radical, produces well-trained imams and ulemas who soften over time with experience and practice.” “Those who become terrorists have never attended these schools, are ignorant, can be manipulated, and easily fall into radical extremism,” he said.
Indeed, the country experienced a wave of deadly Islamist attacks in the early 2000s in Jakarta, Bali, and the Moluccas, largely manipulated by local political movements and the military. “We cannot deny that some Muslim groups are trying to import the ideology of hatred from the Middle East,” acknowledged Ahmad Zainul Hamdi, a professor of Quranic studies from Surabaya, who now works at the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
"Deep-seated prejudices between different religious communities"
Despite the overall positive and tolerant image presented by the Indonesian government and religious authorities, Hamdi admitted that there are “here, too, deep-seated prejudices between different religious communities. Stereotypes are hard to overcome; mistrust is latent but does not cause conflict. It can be said that there is peaceful coexistence between different religions.” However, there are sometimes inequitable treatments and a certain form of segregation.
“Compared to Saudi Arabia or Pakistan, Islam here is moderate,” said Jesuit Father Setyo Wibowo, who studied in Europe for ten years. “But civil law and Muslim law sometimes overlap and create problems, especially in rural areas,” he lamented. For example, building a new church is challenging, not only with the administration but also with the local Muslim population, who must give 90% approval—an insurmountable barrier.
“Unless you build on a vast uninhabited land,” recounted Father Wibono, “it is almost mission impossible, just like registering a new religion on your identity card for converts to Catholicism; constant hassles, ordinary discrimination!” But everyone acknowledges that tensions are stronger with Protestant churches, which are much more proselytizing and active in the public space and, thus, perceived as an aggression by Muslims.
Nevertheless, the pope's visit is seen as a great honor by the vast majority of Indonesian Muslim intellectuals. “We are not a predominantly Catholic country, but when the pope chooses to visit us, we are delighted to welcome him,” the Grand Imam of Jakarta's Istiqlal Mosque, Nasaruddin Umar, told La Croix. “He knows that Catholics are respected and integrated into the country, and I will be happy to meet him at the mosque on September 5,” he added. “It is a strong sign of respectful and trusting dialogue between us.”
