Sufi congress in Jakarta against Islamic extremism
by Mathias Hariyadi
More than 11,000 Muslim mystics meet for their 11th annual congress under the wing of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU). They instil a spiritual character to their faith, and become an “essential” model for the development of society and interfaith dialogue. Muslim scholar calls on the government to do more for religious freedom.
Jakarta (AsiaNews) – Sufi presence is essential for Indonesia because their lifestyle and practices based on “peace and tolerance” show the true face of Islam and are a decisive factor in the fight against radical groups. With such spirit, the annual meeting of Muslim mystics belonging to Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) opened in Malang, East Java Province. The 11th congress of the Jam’iyah Ahlith Thariqah Al Mu’tabarah An Nadliyah brought together 11,000 Sufis under the aegis of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. High-ranking officials from the central government and East Java took part in the event.
The NU is the largest of Indonesia’s many Muslim movements with 60 million members. It has always promoted interfaith dialogue and fought against Islamic extremism.
The presence of Sufis brings to the movement a spiritual and mystic content that is “essential” for a harmonious development of society.
Zuhairi Misrawi, head of the Moderate Muslim Society (Mms), an intellectual and NU leader, explained that Muslim mystics contribute to the government fight against fundamentalism. However for him, this fight is too often only words and empty slogans that lack concrete application.
A graduate of al Azhar University in Cairo (Egypt), Misrawi criticised the government’s Anti-terrorism Department because of its silence vis-à-vis sermons by some imams during Friday prayers that promote hatred and terror in society.
In his view, the government and President Yudhoyono himself shoulder some of the blame. Their slogans may show an intention to fight extremism but they end up protecting those who sow violence and division.
Citing some Sufis as models of dialogue and full spiritual life, he slammed widespread confessional violence in West Java. About 61 per cent of the 81 recorded cases of clashes between members of different religious groups occur in this province.
In particular, he noted attacks against Christian communities (the Batak Christian Protestant Church Bekasi, the Yasmin Church in Bogor and the St John the Baptist Catholic Church in Parung) as well as the persecution of the Muslim Ahmadi community, considered heretical by mainstream Sunnis.
The NU is the largest of Indonesia’s many Muslim movements with 60 million members. It has always promoted interfaith dialogue and fought against Islamic extremism.
The presence of Sufis brings to the movement a spiritual and mystic content that is “essential” for a harmonious development of society.
Zuhairi Misrawi, head of the Moderate Muslim Society (Mms), an intellectual and NU leader, explained that Muslim mystics contribute to the government fight against fundamentalism. However for him, this fight is too often only words and empty slogans that lack concrete application.
A graduate of al Azhar University in Cairo (Egypt), Misrawi criticised the government’s Anti-terrorism Department because of its silence vis-à-vis sermons by some imams during Friday prayers that promote hatred and terror in society.
In his view, the government and President Yudhoyono himself shoulder some of the blame. Their slogans may show an intention to fight extremism but they end up protecting those who sow violence and division.
Citing some Sufis as models of dialogue and full spiritual life, he slammed widespread confessional violence in West Java. About 61 per cent of the 81 recorded cases of clashes between members of different religious groups occur in this province.
In particular, he noted attacks against Christian communities (the Batak Christian Protestant Church Bekasi, the Yasmin Church in Bogor and the St John the Baptist Catholic Church in Parung) as well as the persecution of the Muslim Ahmadi community, considered heretical by mainstream Sunnis.
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