President Joko Widodo (right) shakes hands with the Saudi Arabian Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Foundation\'s chief patron, Prince Khalid bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, at a meeting between the President and participants of the eighth Quran and Hadith Recital Championship at the State Palace in Jakarta on Thursday (4/5/2017). In his speech, President Joko Widodo said he hoped Muslims would promote a form of Islam that benefited all people.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS – Indonesia has always been an example of how to manage diversity. In regards to this, the Muslims of Indonesia need to continue to show the world that Islam is a religion that loves peace and condemns violence.
“Muslims have and need to continue to show the world that Islam is a religion that condemns violence, a religion that is rahmatan lil alamin (merciful),” said President Joko Widodo to the participants of the eighth ASEAN and Asia Pacific level Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Alu Su’ud Quran and Hadith memorization Musabaqah (competition) at the State Palace in Jakarta on Thursday (4/5) afternoon.
President Jokowi, accompanied by Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin and the chairman of the Saudi Arabia Kingdom Sultan Social Foundation’s board of supervisors, Prince Khalid bin Abdul Azis al-Saud, welcomed 83 Quran memorization musabaqah participants and 13 Hadith memorization participants, along with their companions. The competition was held at the Istiqlal Grand Mosque, Jakarta.
Before welcoming the musabaqah participants, the president and Lukman welcomed Prince Khalid bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud at Merdeka Palace.
Lukman said Prince Khalid expressed Saudi Arabia\'s appreciation of Indonesia for being a reference in the Asia Pacific, particularly on the matter of implementing Islamic values of peace and harmony.
Moderate
Separately, when opening the Majelis Taklim (Islamic mosque congregation) Contact Agency’s national working meeting in Jakarta, Vice President Jusuf Kalla said that Indonesia, the population of which is 87 percent Muslim, is in a peaceful condition.
“Things that we need to be grateful for is that we are safe from conflict, murder, death and destruction. This is because Islam in Indonesia has the same concern for all its followers because its history is very moderate and takes the middle road,” Kalla said.
Things that we need to be grateful for is that we are safe from conflict, murder, death and destruction.
In the discussion themed “Moderate Islam as Element of Indonesia’s Foreign Policy” at Hotel Santika, Semarang, Central Java, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University political observer Bahtiar Effendy Umar said moderate values were linked to democracy and respect for human rights. Every element of the nation acknowledges gender equality, economic justice and upholds pluralism and tolerance. This allows Islam and democracy in Indonesia to coexist.
“The Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia exists because of the result of compromise by the nation’s founding fathers. Various differences can be talked through together without having to eliminate one another,” Bahtiar said.
Chairman of the Central Java branch of Nadhlatul Ulama, Abu Hapsin Umar, added that moderate understanding must not only be developed by Islam alone but also by other religions. Religion can develop without eliminating local aspects.
Separately, Deputy Assistant for Foreign Relations at the Vice Presidential Office, Mohammad Siradj Parwito, said Indonesia was an example to the international world amid the rise of global radicalism. The challenge, Siradj added, must be faced by maintaining moderate values as a national asset.
Meanwhile, in the meeting of vice rectors of student affairs from Greater Jakarta in Jakarta, Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto stressed that the government would disband mass organizations that threatened the values of Pancasila.
“If any organization has an ideology that contradicts Pancasila, it must be disbanded. If any organization teaches an ideology other than Pancasila, that opposes and contradicts Pancasila, we will definitely ban it,” Wiranto said.
