Yogyakarta, NU Online

Merrik Bellen, academics from Leiden University in the Netherlands said, Indonesian Muslim has big challenges, namely, changing the Western perspection of Islam.

“So far, the West prejudices Islam as an extreme religion who like to do violence such as terrorism action,” stated Bellen on a panel discussion entitled Reinventing subculture of pesantren and Islamic moderation at The Santri Though Conference at Pesantren Krapyak Yogyakarta, on Thursday (10/11).

According to him, that perception was affected by some acts of terrorism which done by groups who claimed as part of Islam. 

“It is undeniable, the September 2001 action has affected the West perceptions,” said a man who is head of Leiden’s Indonesian Study Library in Jakarta. 

Moreover, he continued, several Islamic countries in Middle East until now still involved in prolonged conflict that seem not finished. “This further reinforce their perception that Islam is an extreme religion,” he said.

Nevertheless, he acknowledged that what was done by the West is a generalization to a few Muslim actions. “I have been living in Indonesia for long time and I feel the hospitality of Indonesian Muslim here,” he stated.

But, as said by Bellen, the problem is, the West has stereotyped that Islam is an extreme religion, a terrorist religion. “Therefore, this is your challenge, Muslim Indonesia to change the perception,” he finished the speeches. (Moh Salapudin/Kendi Setiawan)