Islamic scholars ask for religious flexibility

Islamic scholars from predominantly non-Muslim provinces say they want Muslims living in these areas to be given some religious leeway so as to help them integrate with local society better.

About 30 such scholars from provinces such as Bali, East Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, North Sulawesi and Papua shared this and other related concerns during a Feb. 18-19 meeting in Jakarta.

The International Conference of Islamic Scholars (ICIS) organized the event, which had the theme, “Creating a moderate Muslim community in the context of national integration.”

Abdul Kadir Makarim, from predominantly Catholic East Nusa Tenggara, said he regrets that fellow Muslims have not been able to participate in Christmas celebrations, organized by their Christian neighbors, since 1981. The Indonesian Islamic Scholars Council (MUI) had issued an edict then that forbade all Muslims in Indonesia to attend such events.

The province has 4.2 million people. Catholics form 52.9 percent, Protestants 33.8 percent, and Muslims make up only 8.8 percent.

The scholars appealed to MUI to issue a fiqh for Muslims who are minorities in certain areas. Fiqh is an expansion of the Islamic Shari´a law and includes evolving rulings from Islamic jurists.

In order to promote Islam as Rahmatan lil ´Alamin, or as a blessing to the world, and to involve Islamic scholars in promoting peace and preventing conflicts, it is necessary to have Islamic concepts on relations among individuals, groups and nations, they said.

One such concept would be “the relation between Muslims and non-Muslims in a society or nation which has a small number of Muslims,” they said, adding that this would include Muslims´ involvement in social, economic and political life.

“Muslims, wherever they are, must show affection, tolerance and love of peace and unity,” they stated.

The scholars acknowledged that Islamic concepts of relations between Muslims and non-Muslims, particularly in places where Muslims are in the minority, has been lacking. This is because Islamic scholars in the past used to live in predominantly Muslim areas.

Only recently have scholars introduced the concept of a fiqh for minority Muslims in their books, they noted.

“Muslims living in predominantly non-Muslim areas should interact, maintain good social intercourse, and avoid conflicts with non-Muslims,” meeting participants stressed. However, they should maintain their own cultural identity and Islamic values.

“It is hoped that every Muslim be able to make the distinction between aqidah (faith) and social intercourse, and adapt themselves without sacrificing aqidah,” they said.

Spokesperson of the meeting, Yunahar Ilyas, explained to participants that the fiqh for Muslim minorities would be an Islamic law pertaining to specific issues such as definitions of halal (permissible) food.