The meeting between Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Prabowo Subianto on Saturday (13/7/2019) was a pleasing surprise awaited by many leaders and citizens of the nation. The two former presidential candidates for the 2019-2024 term had been competing fiercely since before the presidential election on 17 April 2019 and continued until after the Constitutional Court rejected the demands made by Prabowo Subianto and Sandiaga Uno in the litigation over the results of the presidential election on June 27. The determination of Joko Widodo-Ma\'ruf Amin as elected president and vice president of the 2019 election by the General Elections Commission (KPU) did not necessarily lead to reconciliation.With regard to this, the meeting between Jokowi and Prabowo on 13 July at Lebak Bulus MRT Station, followed by traveling aboard the MRT Jakarta having lunch in Senayan Jakarta, must be greeted with gratitude and joy. The meeting of the two figures opened the door for the resolution of tension and polarization in the community as a result of the 2019 presidential election.
The Jokowi and Prabowo meeting was a big step in creating islah (reconciliation) , which linguistically means making things better. Etymologically, islah means eliminating conflicts or disputes that can cause damage and instead create peace that includes harmony and reconciliation.
With the existence of islah, people can avoid the condition of facades, damage, chaos and anarchy, which become antonyms of the condition of islah. Therefore, all leaders and citizens must always try to create and maintain the islah and instead distance themselves, the community, and the nation-state from the facade.
From the Islamic perspective, the will and action of islah are virtuous deeds that are very noble, as suggested by Allah SWT in His word (QS Al-Anfal 1; Al-Hujurat 9-10; Hud 88). On the contrary, denounce the deeds of facades (QS Al-Baqarah 205; Ar-Rum 41; Al-Qashas 77).
Accepting certain circumstances - including grief in politics - with sincerity and the state of having no grudge is the basis for the realization of islah among various parties that were previously involved in conflicts and unhealthy relations in political and social life. If the unhealthy relationship continues without any effort to improve it, it is not impossible that the community and the related nation-state fall into damages and destruction.
Imam al-Syaikh Muhammad \'Abd al-Azim al-Zarqani, an interpreter cleric of Manahil al-ʻIrfan fi ’Ulum al-Qur\'an (1988), mentions two types of islah, which are needed to be done to face disputes and conflicts in society. First, al-ishlah al-siyasi, namely political islah through the restoration of peace and harmony among various political groups; development of a commitment to justice, equality and compassion; and on the contrary moving away from lies, betrayal, fraud, and political tyranny.
Second, al-ishlah al-ijtima\'i, namely social-community islah or reconciliation. The creation of a better social situation can be done through the reduction of ta\'ashub or socio-cultural sectarianism as well as fiery political sectarianism that can burn and destroy the society and nation-state.
Philosophically, the willingness to do islah is a manifestation of empathy towards the reality of humanity; that everyone is an ordinary human being who can fall into the anger which is detrimental to the people and nation-state. This recognition of humanity\'s weaknesses is an attitude of empathy that opens the door to islah. Therefore, strengthening the attitude of empathy among people needs to be constantly strengthened — even in the political life.
Furthermore, with islah - which also includes the notion of reform and renewal - it can be led to the creation of a more solid government that is able to effectively and efficiently carry out various development programs to improve people\'s welfare. Development cannot be carried out properly if there is no islah or peace, harmony and political and social stability between the citizens and various groups and groups of people.
Islah-based government is also a government that can maintain peace and harmony between the citizens and various socio-political, socio-religious and socio-cultural groups. Indonesia, which is rich in diversity and plurality of its citizens, needs a government that is able to apply islah principles and values in various aspects of life.
In developing islah-based governance, should all political forces enter the government? Is for the sake of political islah it necessary to do "horse-trading" among various political forces, which were previously involved in political contestation?Answering to that question, another aspect of the concept of islah needs to be seen, namely the importance of balance, synchronization and harmony among various elements of society that form a nation-state such as Indonesia. Islah in this context is not about the creation of a "political choir" that chants the same song.
Therefore, political islah requires balancers and harmonizers which are often referred to as check-and-balance strengths. Strengths like this should exist outside the government to exercise control and criticism against the government measures and programs.
Based on the framework and value of islah, this counterbalance political power should also be able to propose alternative concepts and praxis of development programs. Therefore, the balancing political power is not an opposition that seeks to degrade and delegitimize the government.
If the issue can be comprehended and applied more comprehensively, optimism for the future of a more advanced Indonesia can grow and strengthen. Indonesian citizens can be proud, not only because they can carry out the political process of democracy in a peaceful and civilized manner, but also because they can develop islah for advancement.
AZYUMARDI AZRA, Culture and Humanities professor, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University; member of AIPI