Thursday, June 5, 2008

AkaR MaSaLaHnya AhMaDiyah

JAKARTA — Ketua DPR, Agung Laksono, meminta aparat tak hanya bertindak tegas dalam kasus bentrokan massa antara Front Pembela Islam (FPI) dan Aliansi Kebangsaan untuk Kebebasan Beragama dan Berkeyakinan (AKKBB) di Monumen Nasional (Monas), tapi juga berlaku adil.

Para pelaku kerusuhan Monas harus dihukum, tapi masyarakat jangan melupakan akar masalah, yakni Ahmadiyah yang hingga kini belum dibubarkan. ”Ini penyebab utamanya menyangkut Ahmadiyah. Harus segera diselesaikan Ahmadiyahnya, sementara pelaku kriminal diproses menurut hukum,” kata Agung, Selasa (3/6).

Masyarakat maupun politisi diingatkan agar tak emosional menyikapi bentrokan pada Ahad (1/6) lalu itu. Agung meminta politisi jangan hanya bisa berkomentar, tapi juga aksi nyata menyelesaikan masalah. Sedangkan masyarakat diminta tidak membalas teror dengan teror.

Akar masalah insiden Monas, diakui Ketua FPDIP, Tjahjo Kumolo, adalah ketidaktegaskan pemerintah menyikapi keberadaan Ahmadiyah. Pembiaran Ahmadiyah memicu keresahan karena surat keputusan bersama (SKB) soal Ahmadiyah terus diulur-ulur.

”Sayangnya, komitmen itu tak pernah muncul. Harusnya pemerintah tegas dan tidak ragu-ragu,” katanya. Ketua Umum PBNU, Hasyim Muzadi, menilai baik FPI maupun AKKBB salah. FPI salah karena melakukan kekerasan di luar prosedur hukum. AKKBB salah karena menempatkan Ahmadiyah sebagai kebebasan berkeyakinan dan beragama.

”Sebenarnya, masalah Ahmadiyah bukan soal kebebasan beragama dan berkeyakinan, tapi penodaan agama tertentu, dalam hal ini Islam,” katanya. Hasyim menyesalkan sikap pemerintah yang tak tegas terhadap Ahmadiyah. ”Pemerintah lebih banyak berwacana daripada melakukan tindakan preventif dan represif.”

Menanggapi beberapa pihak yang berupaya menggiring NU terlibat dalam kasus Monas, Hasyim mengimbau agar tidak menyeret NU dengan melakukan aksi unjuk kekuatan, bahkan bentrok fisik dengan massa FPI. Seluruh warga NU diminta tetap tenang dan tak terprovokasi adu domba. ”Ini tidak boleh terjadi dan harus dicegah. Kita ingin menyelesaikan masalah Monas, bukan memperluas,” katanya.

Di beberapa daerah, sejumlah massa yang tergabung dalam badan otonom NU, seperti GP Anshor, mengancam membubarkan paksa FPI. Usai demo di Mapolwiltabes Surabaya , Ketua GP Anshor Surabaya, Ali Suparto, meminta polisi membubarkan FPI.

”Kalau tidak, kami akan bergerak sendiri,” ancam Ali, kemarin. Di Tulungagung, Jatim, massa Barisan Anshor Serbaguna (Banser) siap dikerahkan membubarkan FPI. Di Majalengka, Jabar, ratusan massa dari sejumlah ormas, di antaranya GP Anshor dan Ikatan Pemuda NU, menuntut hal serupa.

Menyikapi memanasnya situasi, pimpinan pondok pesantren Al-Mizan, Jatiwangi, Majalengka, Maman Imanulhaq Faqieh, meminta semua pihak meredam emosi. Menurut Maman yang menjadi salah satu korban kasus Monas, pesantren mengajarkan damai dan menghargai rasionalitas serta perbedaan.

”Kami akan meredam massa di bawah,” kata Maman. Kekerasan, tegasnya, harus dihentikan kepada siapa pun dan atas nama siapa saja.

Kedubes AS
Kemarin, Kedubes AS di Indonesia mengeluarkan siaran pers yang mengutuk aksi kekerasan oleh FPI. AS menilai, aksi itu berdampak serius bagi kebebasan beragama dan dapat menimbulkan masalah keamanan. Namun, pernyataan Kedubes AS itu dinilai anggota Fraksi PKS di DPR, Soeripto, sebagai bentuk campur tangan AS dalam masalah dalam negeri. ”Itu tidak etis. Bahasa kasarnya intervensi. Seakan-akan pemerintah kita yang lemah,” katanya.

Sementara itu, kemarin, FPI yang dipimpin Habib Rizieq Shihab melaporkan 289 orang anggota AKKBB ke Polda Metro Jaya. FPI menilai mereka aktor intelektual kerusuhan Monas. Habib juga melaporkan adanya anggota AKKBB yang membawa pistol saat aksi di Monas. (Republika online : Rabu, 04 Juni 2008)

SeMua, DianGgap BerMuLa daRi PeTisi

Pantauan hidayatullah.com di lapangan saat aksi bentrok terjadi, karena emosi sebagian umat Islam atas “provokasi” iklan Petisi yang sebelumnya dimuat di beberapa koran.

Hidayatullah.com–Sebagaimana diberitakan sebelumnya, pantauan hidayatullah.com di lapangan saat peristiwa terjadi akibat emosi massa yang terprovokasi oleh aksi-aksi sebelumnya yang dilakukan kalangan liberal dan AKK-BB. Diantaranya munculnya iklan Petisi dukungan terhadap Ahmadiyah. Iklan Petisi bertajuk, “Mari Pertahankan Indonesia Kita!” yang dimuat di beberapa media massa itu memunculkan nama-nama tokoh pendukung. Diantaranya; A. RAHMAN TOLLENG , A. SYAFII MAARIF (Maarif Institute), Abdul Moqsith Ghazali (JIL), Abdul Munir Mulkhan (UIN), Ade Armando (Majalah Madinah), Adnan Buyung Nasution, Agus Hamonangan (Kompas), para aktivis JIL lain seperti; Ahmad Baso, Ahmad Fuad Fanani . Ahmad Nurcholish . Ahmad Sahal . Ahmad Suaedi . Ahmad Taufik . Ahmad Tohari dan Akmal Nasery Basral. Juga nama-nama lain seperti; Albertus Patty, Amien Rais, Anand Krishna, Andreas Harsono, Asmara Nababan (PDI), Ayu Utami, Azyumardi Azra dan Bachtiar Effendy.

Juga nama Christianto Wibisono, Daniel Dakhidae (Kompas), Fikri Jufri (Tempo), Gadis Arivia, Goenawan Mohamad, Gusti Ratu Hemas, Hamid Basyaib (JIL), Ihsan Ali-Fauzi, Indra J. Piliang, Jajang C. Noer, Julia Suryakusuma (aktifis feminis), Kautsar Azhari Noer, KH. Husein Muhammad (JIL), Imam Ghazali Said (dosen IAIN Surabaya), Lies Marcoes-Natsir, Luthfi Assyaukanie (JIL), M. Dawam Rahardjo, M. Guntur Romli (JIL), M. Syafi’I Anwar (ICIP), Marsilam Simanjuntak, Moeslim Abdurrahman dan Siti Musdah Mulia (ICRP).

Nong Darol Mahmada (JIL), Novriantoni (JIL), Rieke Dyah Pitaloka, Rizal Mallarangeng, Syamsurizal Panggabean, Toriq Hadad, Uli Parulian Sihombing, Ulil Abshar-Abdalla (JIL), Usman Hamid (Kontras), Wardah Hafiz (pegiat feminisme), Yenni Rosa Damayanti, Yenny Zannuba Wahid, Yudi Latif, Zainun Kamal (UIN), juga Zuhairi Misrawi (JIL).

Nama-nama ini, oleh massa elemen Islam, sebagaimana pemantauan hidayatullah.com di lapangan, dianggap telah memancing emosi massa karena dianggap membela Ahmadiyah. Di sisi lain, melaui iklan Petisi nya di berbagai Koran, mereka juga telah menyalahkan kalangan Islam sebagai biang kekerasan.

[Surya/cha/www.hidayatullah.com; Senin, 02 Juni 2008 )

Indonesia: Sharia and caliphate for a better Indonesia

Published in the Jakarta Post

The Jakarta Post recently published Prijosusilo's opinion "Comparing the Ahmadiyah and the Hizbut Tahrir" (The Jakarta Post, April 16, 2008). Obviously, there are critical points that ought to be addressed.

Prijosusilo has not backed up his statements with clear arguments or facts. For instance, he has accused HT of adopting Lenin's and Trotsky's styles of political movement. It is unfortunate that such an accusation did not cite any evidence gathered from any HT official literature. Rather, he cited largely an opinion of former HT activist, Ed Husain, without further references.

Furthermore, Prijosusilo has chosen to hide the fact that the verdicts of Muslim scholars against Ahmadiyah was due to Mirza Ghulam Ahmad's claim of messengership and prophethood, not because of being a messiah after the death of Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Accusation against Hizbut Tahrir is not new. In December 2004, The Nixon Center published a book entitled Hizb at-Tahrir: Islam's Political Insurgency by Zeyno Baran. Both Baran and Prijosusilo voice highly similar opinions regarding HT, including opinions that HT instigates hatred against the West, propagates anti-Semitic expression, supports terrorism and adopts communist methods of political struggle.

With regard to the accusation of instigating hatred, one must see the object of the hatred itself. As a political party, HT has vehemently opposed Israeli occupation in Palestine and the American brutal invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. One must ask again, is it wrong to hate those clear oppressions?

Prijosusilo seemed oblivious to the reason why HT has expressed certain opinions, conveniently accusing HT of merely spreading wholesale hatred against America and its western allies. Prijosusilo must know that HT has maintained consistent opposition against capitalism.

Furthermore, hatred against American capitalist policies has become commonplace in different parts of the world as shown by massive demonstrations against capitalism and the "war on terror".

One must also be clear that HT resisted the formation of the Israeli state at the expense of the Palestinian people. Furthermore, Islam has never been interested in purging Palestine from its Jewish or Christian inhabitants. Therefore, anti-Semitic accusation is misplaced, since the Islamic mission is ultimately providing justice to humanity.

History has witnessed the coexistence of Jewish and Muslim populations under the shade of the Islamic Caliphate for 13 centuries. Jewish citizens of the Islamic state enjoyed living standards that were at par with their fellow Muslim citizens. Non-Muslim and Muslim citizens both had protected access to welfare, peace, tranquility and security, as documented by Will Durant in his book The story of civilization.

Second, HT has adopted a nonviolent method to changing society, which begins with changing prevalent thoughts in society itself without the threat of violence. HT is an intellectual political entity seeking to challenge the current societal frame of thought via public discussions, seminars and debates. HT forbids the use of violence and armed struggle to overthrow current rulers as methods to reinstate the Islamic Caliphate.

Acknowledgement of this nonviolent method was expressed by Craig Murray, former British ambassador to Uzbekistan in an interview with Al-Jazeera on May 17, 2005. Moreover, Bill Rammell, who served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, also stated there is no incriminating evidence of HT involvement in violence or with al-Qaeda (Hansard, 19/4/04). There is not a single European state banning HT's existence on the grounds of terror involvement.

Third, HT's method is clearly different from the communist movement. There will be no armed struggle or violence to justify the acquisition of power.

Baran has fallen into the fallacy of composition (a misplaced generalization). Obviously, the hierarchical structure of any organization cannot be said to be an exclusive trait of communist party structure. Following Baran's logic, military and parochial organizations should be labeled communists as well.

In addition, Baran also pointed out that both HT and the Communist party have pursued utopian objectives, as stated in their manifesto. Baran's statement may be true for communism, which never established a true communist state from the very day of its inception. However, Islamic ruling system (the Caliphate) is not a utopian dream, since it has existed for 13 centuries and has been led by many successors (Caliphs) of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.

Fourth, Prijosusilo has not disclosed the facts that the majority of Muslim states banning HT are repressive and dictatorial states like Uzbekistan, Egypt, and Syria. Dictatorial regimes have killed, tortured and imprisoned HT activists for criticizing injustice and calling for a just Islamic system of governance.

Fifth, the duty to reinstate a Caliphate cannot be compared with the deviancy of Ahmadiyah. The obligation to have an Islamic State is a mainstream opinion adopted by well-known orthodox Sunni scholars. Shaykh Abdurrahman al-Jazairi stated, "Scholars of the well-known Sunni school of legal thought, such as Abu Hanifah, Malik, Syafi'iy and Ahmad, have reached a consensus that the existence of a Caliphate is a must. The Muslim community must appoint a ruler (Caliph), who has duty to propagate the Islamic call and empower the frail and downtrodden."

Similar thoughts are also stated by Ibnu Hazm in al-Fashlu fil Milal wa al-Ahwa wa an-Nihal. The rest of the classical scholars have also expressed similar opinions in their books, such as Ibnu Khaldun in Muqaddimah, Imam Al-Mawardi in Ahkbm as-Sulthoniyah, Imam al-Qurthubi in his tafseer al-Jami li Ahkam al-Qur'an al-Azhim and Imam An Nawawi in Syarh Shahih Muslim.

Last but not least, does HT present a clear and present danger to the Republic? Within the Indonesian context, HT's call for Caliphate symbolizes a resistance to neocolonialism imposed by western capitalists in this nation. Therefore, the call for sharia and Caliphate is a civic duty of the HTI (HT Indonesia) to implement true independence from exploitation in all shapes and forms.

Asked about national sentiments and territorial integrity, HTI has maintained an unapologetic stance to resist any separatist movements. If national commitment means siding with national interests and its people, HTI has voiced loud opposition against policies that are not in favor of our citizens, such as legislations regarding oil and energy, water resources and capital investments.

Those legislations are heavily ladened with capitalist interests and exploit Indonesia's natural resources. However, if nationalism means unconditional allegiance to secularism, HTI takes a firm opposition for a simple reason -- secularism has failed Indonesia time and again. To embrace a better Indonesia, sharia and Caliphate is a strategic choice.

The writer is spokesperson of Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia