ISLAM AND POLITICS

Liberal Islam Networks (JIL): A Promising Phenomenon?

Established in Jakarta in 1999, firstly known as Islam Liberal or Islib, was initiated by a group of Jakarta-based intellectuals led by young Indonesian Muslim scholars (ages between 25 and 35 years old) such as Ulil Abshar Abdalla and Luthfi Assyaukanie. In March 2002, they established the Liberal Islam Network (Jaringan Islam Liberal or JIL) to disseminate their views through the media.

The birth of this group was a response to the emergence of religious extremists and fundamentalists groups in Indonesia which are very militant and radical.

As commonly known that after Soeharto's downfall in 1998, the ensuing euphoria of freedom brought renewed vigor and hope not only to political parties in Indonesia but also to various socio-religious organization including radical ones. They believe that Soeharto?s resignation is a good chance for them to express their interest particularly their aspirations to implement syaria (Islamic law) in Indonesia. Unlike the Islamic political parties, it was not through the ballot that the more radical Muslim groups expressed their agenda but through street politics.

The name of "Liberal Islam" illustrates their fundamental principles; Islam which emphasizes on "private liberties" and "liberation" of socio-political structure.

JIL believes that ijtihad (the rational thinking of Islamic texts) is the main tenet that enables Islam to hold out through any seasons.

JIL stands behind Islamic interpretations that withstand on minorities, oppressed, and marginalized. Every social-political structure that preserves injustice practices upon the minorities is against the spirit of Islam.

JIL considers that the matter of "being religious" or "being not religious" is a personal right that should be protected. JIL does not abide any prosecution on the base of an opinion or belief. Moreover, JIL believes in the very nature of separation between religious power and political one. JIL does not withstand any notion regarding the religious state whereas the authority of ulama (religious leader) or kiai (Javanese-Indonesian term of religious leader) is observed as the highest authorities that could not be wrong.

Thus the group might be assumed as a promising and convincing group which promotes democratization process in Indonesia. JIL?s agenda could become synthesis between principles of democracy and Islam due to its belief that the entire corpus of Islamic teaching needs to be contextually reinterpreted. As Ulil Abshar Abdala (a director of JIL) suggests that reworking the necessary Islamic foundations for Indonesia?s democracy would be difficult, if not entirely impossible, without radical interpretation.
It is also important to note that backing up by young Indonesian Muslim scholars who not only have an Islamic studies background but also western educated background and experiences and their well media syndication, the JIL network would likely to grow.
If Islam Liberal networks could maintain its development and consequent enough to its platform and agenda, one might assume that the group could change an established stereotype on study Islam and democracy which was commonly assumed that Islam was a treat for democracy. JIL appeared to be a group which will be well known for its moderate stance of Islam.
Although JIL?s discussed myriad themes of Islamic issues, one might argue that the most important and the central of their argument were so called separation between Islam (religion) and state (politics). Politically speaking, it seems that JIL will be also well known as a group which oppose any attempt to establish Islamic state in Indonesia as what Islamic fundamentalist and radicals group in Indonesia promoted.
JIL argues that speeding up the enactment of sharia in Indonesia would only lead to paradox and conflict among Indonesian Muslim in particular and Indonesian people in general. To push sharia to be enacted in Indonesia without considering its visibility and viability would only make Islamic sharia counterproductive for Indonesian people. Thus, sharia will not achieve its objective to become a rahmatan lil alamin (blessing for all people), conversely it even will destroy humanity.

JIL promotion on the idea of pluralism, women equality and civil liberties also could have a significant impact on building a moderate Islamic image. The negative image of Muslims which are routinely portrayed by the media as being fundamentalist, conservative, extremist, uncivilized or despotic and male dominated religion could be reduced by presenting a nonviolent Muslim image. This in turn will not only influence Islamic image in Indonesia but also give a peaceful image of Islam in Southeast Asian countries.

If JIL is successful enough in promoting a peaceful Islam and the image of Islam that can accommodate modernism and bring a prosperous democratic state in Indonesia. It is not doubt that other countries, at least in Southeast Asia, will look at Indonesia Muslim as a model for the Muslim development in the future. Who knows?

posted by Alin at 7:50 PM