This is believed to be important because our social and religious life is increasingly colored by the strengthening of divisive identity politics, intolerance, the weakening of the ideology of the nation and the like. Various elements of society are exposed to destructive radicalism. Not only ordinary people, there are also many state civil servants (ASN) who are infected with radicalism. Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu even said that there are 3 percent of TNI (Indonesian Military) members who are exposed to radicalism (19/6/2019). If the TNI as a state fortress is exposed, we can clearly imagine how strong this radicalism current is.
Finance Minister Sri Mulyani has also dared to speak out loudly to his ranks not to become exclusive leaders, voice hatred, and become parasites for the state and society (17/6/2019). Several ministries also have the same anxiety and there is even a confusing condition as to how to deal with civil servants who are starting to be affected by the radical teaching. Researches and surveys conducted by various institutions, both from the campuses and NGOs, have provided adequate data that radicalism and intolerance continue to surge in our social life. The joints of national life continue to be shaken.
If the Pancasila is interpreted as the glue of the nation, this data also indicates the unity is starting to melt.
The 13-year surveys (2005-2018) conducted by the Denny JA’s LSI institution that measured community support for the Pancasila as a state ideology also showed a continuing decline. If in 2005 the Pancasila supporters were 85.2 percent, in 2018 the support fell to only 75.3 percent. This means that a part of our people who question the Pancasila as the basis of the state continue to increase over time. If the Pancasila is interpreted as the glue of the nation, this data also indicates the unity is starting to melt.
Religious moderation pillars
The religious moderation can be mapped in three important pillars that are interrelated. First, moderation in religious thought. In the context of Islam in Indonesia, moderation of thought, among others, has been formed through the history of the Islamization process which has later formed intellectual genealogy.
Apart from the academic theoretical debates about when, where, how, and by whom the process of Islamization in Indonesia was carried out, Islamization in Indonesia provides a basis for thinking, both on theological, fiqh, and moral/tasawuf (mystical) aspects as the implementation of ahlussunnah waljamaah.
Moderate religious thinking, among other things, is characterized by the ability to combine text and context, namely religious thinking that is not solely based on the truth of religious text and imposes submission of new realities and context on the truth of the text, but is able to dialogue both of them dynamically. In other words, moderation in Islamic thought is in a non-textual position, but at the same time is not trapped in a too liberal way of thinking and ignores the signs.
The process of the spread of peaceful Islam forms the character of the people who are tawasuth (moderate), tawazun (balanced), and tasamuh (tolerant). These characters eventually form a way of thinking and acting that emphasizes harmony and not extreme in responding to various social developments.
The complexity of issues can be solved without bloodshed. Indonesian people do not like an extreme attitude (tatharruf), which is usually difficult to negotiate in solving problems. Extreme characters only know "lose" and "win". While moderation will prioritize win-win solutions, all feel victorious. Such an attitude is recorded in the wisdom of the Javanese people as menang tanpo ngasorake, winning without degrading others.
The second pillar is the movement (harakah), which is based on the spirit of dakwah (preaching) and amar ma\'ruf nahi munkar based on the principle of doing improvements, but must be done in good ways. The dakwah movement in the process of Islamization in Indonesia is carried out by prioritizing love (bil hikmah wal mau\'idhatil hasanah), not by using methods of violence.
Inviting to goodness (al-amru bil ma\'ruf) must be done in a good way, and so is preventing disobedience (an-nahyu \'anil munkar), which must also be done in a way that brings a new munkar (defying God’s laws -- an-nahyu ’anil munkar). This is the principle of dakwah that underlies the development of Islam in Indonesia, which up to now has been embraced by 87.3 percent of the Indonesian people.
The third pillar is tradition and religious practice (al-amaliah al-diniyah), which opens the space for creative dialogue between Islam and the tradition and culture of Indonesian society. Even though religious practices require legitimacy from primary Islamic sources, the Koran and Hadith, Islam in Indonesia does not necessarily forbid the tradition and practice of Islam that are based on respect for the tradition of the people.
Such religious practice is what later became the tradition of religious diversity of the Indonesian people.
Tradition or culture which in the fiqh proposal are called al-’urf or al-‘Ãdat are not just repressed, but are treated as long as they do not deviate from the values of Islamic teachings. Such religious practice is what later became the tradition of religious diversity of the Indonesian people.
Implementation of religious moderation
There are at least three frameworks for implementing religious moderation in Indonesia. First, moderation related to state commitment. State commitment is a very important indicator to see to which extent the loyalty to the basic national consensus is mainly related to the acceptance of Pancasila as a state ideology, its attitude towards the challenges of ideology that are contrary to Pancasila.
A part of the state commitment is the acceptance of the principles of nationhood contained in the constitution and the following regulations. If someone loses commitment to national agreements, it can be predicted that the person loses his moderate temperament.
Second, strengthening tolerance socially, politically, and in a religious way. Tolerance is an attitude to provide space and not interfere with the rights of others to believe, express their beliefs, express opinions, even though those are different from what we believe. Therefore, tolerance refers to an open, graceful, voluntary, and gentle attitude in accepting differences.
Agree in disagreement (agreeing on differences), accompanied by respect, acceptance of different people as part of us, and the ability of positive thinking and trustworthy towards different people, are important values which exist in tolerance.
As an attitude in the face of differences, tolerance becomes the most important foundation in democracy because, democracy can only work when someone is able to hold his opinion and then accept the opinions of others. Therefore, the maturity of a nation\'s democracy, among others, can be measured from the extent of the nation\'s tolerance. The higher the tolerance for differences, the nation tends to be more democratic, and vice versa. The tolerance aspect is actually not only related to religious beliefs, but can be related to differences in race, gender, differences in sexual orientation, ethnicity, culture and others.
Radicalism is often associated with terrorism because radical groups will do anything so that their wishes are achieved, including terrorizing those who do not agree with them.
Third, anti-radicalism. Radicalism here is understood as an ideology and understanding that wants to make changes to the social and political system by using violent/extreme approaches. The essence of radicalism is the attitude and action of a particular person or group that uses violent methods in carrying out the desired change. Radical groups generally want these changes in a short time and drastically and in conflict with the prevailing social system. Radicalism is often associated with terrorism because radical groups will do anything so that their wishes are achieved, including terrorizing those who do not agree with them.
Radicalism can appear because of the perception of injustice and threats experienced by a person or group of people. The perception of injustice and feeling of being under threat does not necessarily give rise to radicalism, but if managed ideologically it will generate hatred towards groups who are considered as makers of injustice and those who threaten their identity. Injustice has external dimensions, such as social injustice, economic injustice, political injustice, and so on.
Xenophobia and also Islamophobia appear from such a condition. Injustice and feeling of being threatened can appear together, but can also be separately. The perception of injustice and feeling of being threatened can lead to support for radicalism, even terrorism, even though the person is not necessarily willing to take radical actions and terror.
The religious moderation policy that will be carried out by the government -- at least -- must be implemented on these three issues. If doing moderation, but there is no impact on state commitment on the strengthening tolerance, and anti-radicalism, it will be able to easily be said that moderation has failed.
Rumadi Ahmad, Executive Board chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama’s Human Resource Research and Development Institute (Lakpesdam PBNU); Lecturer at the School of Sharia and Law of Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University, Jakarta
