Radicalism
Petaliling Jaya, NU Online
The Secretary General of the Advisory Board (Katib Aam) of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) KH Yahya Cholil Staquf, popularly known as Gus Yahya, blamed the rise of radical Islam on Muslims who follow discourses on Islam that have been overtaken by historical events, freemalaysiatoday.com reported.
Gus Yahya said many Muslims viewed these discourses as authoritative references besides the two foremost sources of Islam, the Quran and hadith.
“While most Muslims still see these classical discourses of Islamic teachings as one of the most authoritative references of Islam, we will always face the problem of Muslims being radicalised,” Gus Yahya said in his keynote address at an international conference on democracy and the Muslim world convened by the Istanbul Network here.
Yahya, who is NU’s general secretary, said these classical discourses took place during a period of conflict between Muslims and non-Muslims.
He outlined several aspects of these classical discourses which he said must be addressed.
They include the idea that Muslims and non-Muslims are enemies, as well as the belief that Muslims must join in conflicts affecting other Muslims in different parts of the world.
Another aspect, said Gus Yahya, is the rejection of the concept of nation-state in preference of a single Islamic political entity.
He said the call for shariah to take precedence over other laws is also part of this old discourse.
Gus Yahya said there was a need to recontexualise Islam to suit a world which is different from the time of past Muslim scholars.
“Today we are living in a reality where Muslims live together with non-Muslims everywhere in the world.
“If we allow Muslims to continue following these classical discourses such as that there should be conflict of the religious world, then there will be genocide of non-Muslims in the Muslim world and the genocide of Muslims in the non-Muslim world.
“Without recontexualisation, having democracy in the Muslim world will create actors who use these classical discourses as a weapon to gain support and legitimacy.
“This will be dangerous to society because when Muslims hear these calls, they will be willing to sacrifice everything as they see it as a divine call.”
Gus Yahya said Indonesia is a good success story of how classical discourses not suitable to the times were replaced.
He said Muslim leaders were able to produce “alternative discourses”.
“We still have challenges and they keep coming and we have to deal with them, but up until now we’ve managed to keep this alternative view dominant.” (masdar)
The Secretary General of the Advisory Board (Katib Aam) of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) KH Yahya Cholil Staquf, popularly known as Gus Yahya, blamed the rise of radical Islam on Muslims who follow discourses on Islam that have been overtaken by historical events, freemalaysiatoday.com reported.
Gus Yahya said many Muslims viewed these discourses as authoritative references besides the two foremost sources of Islam, the Quran and hadith.
“While most Muslims still see these classical discourses of Islamic teachings as one of the most authoritative references of Islam, we will always face the problem of Muslims being radicalised,” Gus Yahya said in his keynote address at an international conference on democracy and the Muslim world convened by the Istanbul Network here.
Yahya, who is NU’s general secretary, said these classical discourses took place during a period of conflict between Muslims and non-Muslims.
He outlined several aspects of these classical discourses which he said must be addressed.
They include the idea that Muslims and non-Muslims are enemies, as well as the belief that Muslims must join in conflicts affecting other Muslims in different parts of the world.
Another aspect, said Gus Yahya, is the rejection of the concept of nation-state in preference of a single Islamic political entity.
He said the call for shariah to take precedence over other laws is also part of this old discourse.
Gus Yahya said there was a need to recontexualise Islam to suit a world which is different from the time of past Muslim scholars.
“Today we are living in a reality where Muslims live together with non-Muslims everywhere in the world.
“If we allow Muslims to continue following these classical discourses such as that there should be conflict of the religious world, then there will be genocide of non-Muslims in the Muslim world and the genocide of Muslims in the non-Muslim world.
“Without recontexualisation, having democracy in the Muslim world will create actors who use these classical discourses as a weapon to gain support and legitimacy.
“This will be dangerous to society because when Muslims hear these calls, they will be willing to sacrifice everything as they see it as a divine call.”
Gus Yahya said Indonesia is a good success story of how classical discourses not suitable to the times were replaced.
He said Muslim leaders were able to produce “alternative discourses”.
“We still have challenges and they keep coming and we have to deal with them, but up until now we’ve managed to keep this alternative view dominant.” (masdar)
