Civil Islam

10
CIVIL ISLAM AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM
Muhammad Machasin, Indonesia
1. Introduction
The 9/11 attacks shocked us into awareness of the fragility of the human system of relationships especially in the face of brutality by insane members of the community. Then there have been after-shocks, most of them reactions of the target of the attack and the failure of understanding the real problems leading to such an attack. Meanwhile, Islam is accused of feeding its adherents the teaching of holy war, making them ready to conduct the brutal destruction of civilization in the name of faith. This accusation was not without foundation. There were indicators that may lead many to make such an accusation. Here I will mention some of them, quite apart from the residue of historical tension caused by struggles between the adherents of this religion and those of others, especially Judaism and Christianity. Immediately after the news spread that Osama bin Laden was behind the attack, many youth in big cities of Indonesia wore T-shirt bearing the image of this bearded hero. Then, when American troops waged war
[in: HADSELL, Heidi, STUECKELBERGER, Christoph (eds.), Overcoming Fundamentalism, Geneva: Globethics.net, 2009 (Globethics.net Series No 2). 978-2-940428-01-4 (indonesian ed.)]
208 Overcoming Fundamentalism

in Afghanistan, some people tried to lock MacDonald fast food restaurants in big cities in Indonesia. There was even sweeping (meaning vigilantism) targeting white people in some places. The perpetrators of this brutality were Muslims proudly bearing Islamic accessories while conducting the destruction, and they claimed to have done their religious obligation by doing so. The bombings that terrorized people in Bali, Jakarta and several other places in Indonesia also wear Islamic clothing. Almost all those accused of this violence are Muslim and some confessed to doing so for religious motives.1 Is it true, then, to imply that Islam is a religion of violence? Going deeper into what lies behind this violence, one can find the truth claim that Islam is the sole true religion, the concept of the finality of Gods guidance in the form of Islam and that of the obligation for every Muslim to realise Gods laws in earth. Such kinds of concepts will certainly prevent their bearer from seeing the possibility of truth from any other source. We also see strong campaigns in some majority Muslim countries for the implementation of Sharia (Divine Law) and the reinstallation of the caliphate as the only legitimate political system for Muslims. The saying al-islm dn wa daula (Islam is religion and state at the same time) that obliges every Muslim to observe religious duties and to establish an Islamic state is taught by many Muslim preachers. Some Muslims took this seriously as fundamental teaching of Islam and do their best to bring
One of them even wrote a diary that then was published under the title of Aku Melawan Terorist (I am Fighting against Terrorists`) saying that killing Islamic enemy projected as Americans and their friends is a religious obligation. If we targeted the civilians it was because the enemy killed before our civilians, he wrote. Cfr. Sigit Indra Imam Samudra in Gatra special edition, 14-11-2004, quoted here through Think Global Act Local Http://tianarief.multiply.com/reviews/item/6. A portion of the book can be found in http://swaramuslim.net/EBOOK/more. When the three Bali bombers (Amrozi, Muklas and Imam Samudra) were executed, many Muslims in their respective home village congratulated them as martyrs in the way of Allah (shuhad) and a banner was hung over the first two graves reading This is the grave of martyrs.
1
Civil Islam as Alternative for Islamic Fundamentalism 209

it about. Likewise the phrase udkhul f-l-silm kffa is understood in such a way that you have to practice totally Islamic teaching.2 Some questions, then, may arise: Is Islam compatible with the idea of pluralism or in the case of Indonesia with multiculturalism - after the formal decision MUI (Majlis Ulama Indonesia, Indonesian Council of Ulama) prohibiting it? Can Muslims put aside their fudamentalistic views in living together with people of other beliefs? Can Muslims take part in the system of democracy while holding fast their religious belief?
2. Islam is not Monolithic

Many believe that Islam - as it comes as guidance from God - is one, but the reality is that from the very beginning there have been variants of what constitutes the fundamental teachings of this religion. The Koran itself condemns as contrary to religion, one who while doing prayers refuses to give help to needy people. This is a strong indication that there were and are people who see the fundamental teachings of Islam as constituting formal obligations.3 Discussions existed in the formative period of Islamic theology on the question of whether acts were part of belief. The Kharijites - blamed as the first fundamentalist group in Islamic history - held the opinion that acts are part of belief, judging as infidels those who perform wicked acts. The Murjiites held the opposite view, refusing the inevitable relationship between belief and acts. For them when belief is there in the heart of a believer, no deed can ever
This expression actually means Go into peace, all of you. However, many will simply read al-islm (the religion of Islam) into al-silm (peace) shifting the quantity of all of you to the quality totally. 3 These formal obligations are called arkn al-islm in Arabic or Rukun Islam in Indonesian, the pillars of Islam, i.e.: (1) proclaiming in public that there is no god save Allah and that Muhammad is a Messenger of Allah, (2) doing the fivetime-a-day obligatory prayers, (3) fasting the month of Ramadan, (4) paying alms, and (5) doing pilgrimage to Mecca.

change it, other than the proclamation of disbelief; al-mn l yazd wal yanqus (the belief does not neither increase nor decrease).4 Not long after the establishment of the Islamic political system there arose two authorities, the religious and the secular. They have competed at times for the loyalty of believers and, when political power managed to take religious authority onto its side making orthodoxy, there were always individuals or groups of people who took a stance against them. It is true that theoretically there is no human authority in Islamic teaching, but in reality the religious opinions of those who have greater knowledge of Islamic sources of teaching will gain more adherents. Ijm or consensus is the third of the four sources of Sunnite Islam is the agreement of the majority of the Muslim community on one particularl opinion, usually formulated by a religious scholar and developed by his follower-scholars.5 It is thus only natural that Islam itself is actually plural in most of its teaching.6 Nevertheless, over the course of time a set of teachings may become the only legitimate one and even be sacralized, neglecting other options and making them unavailable to the community, although there is always the possibility to rediscover what is buried under the soil of negligence. The case of an Egyptian writer Al Abd al-Rziq is worth mentioning here. When the last Caliph of Islam Abd al-Majd II was over-
Cf. Fazlur Rahman, Islam (Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 2nd edition, 1979), pp. 85-87. 5 The four sources of Islamic teaching are (1) the Quran, (2) the Tradition of the Prophet Muhammad, (3) the Consensus and (4) the Analogy. Muslim scholars disagree about whether consensus is that generated by Islam, the religious scholars or the whole community. However, what has been agreed upon can sometimes can be annulled by the practice of the community. Anyhow religious scholars play a significant role in leading, directly or indirectly, to any consensus. 6 On the plural Muslim politics, cf. Robert W. Hefner, Civil Islam: Muslim and Democratization in Indonesia (Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2000), pp. 7-10.

thrown by Kemal Ataturk of Turkey and driven out from Istanbul in 1924, the Islamic world was shocked and tried to revive the caliphate. Up until then the caliphate had been the only political system of Islam for the Muslims. While leaders of the Islamic world were busy with meetings, gatherings, talks, international conferences etc. to reestablish the caliphate, our writer published a book saying that the caliphate system was not part of religion. There was no statement or allusion whatsoever in the Koran and the Tradition of the prophet to the obligation to establish it. For him, the caliphate system was only a result of Muslims struggle in the past to overcome their political problem.7 The publication of the book annoyed many ulamas and soon the writer was judged of blasphemy and kicked out of his position as professor at al-Azhar University. Another characteristic that deserves mentioning in relation to the non monolithic nature of Islam is the absence of authority in the system Islam. It is true that some organizations tried and managed to establish a kind of authoritative body that may make decision on religious matters, but no agreement has yet been reached by all Muslims on a person or body that may do this. There are always doors open to every Muslim to have and set out his or her personal opinion on any religious matter.8 Then, every Muslim may take whatever opinion of his/her coreligionist that fits his/her own situation. Since no system has as yet been worked out in Islamic communities for making decisions, many find personal judgment and decision legitimate. In addition to this, the main sources of Islamic teachings are in Arabic and preserved in such a form that only few can go to them directly
Cf. Azzam Tamimi, Can Islam be Secularized? written for La Vanguardia of Barcelona, November 2002, through http://www.ii-pt.com/web/articles. 8 Cf. my article Struggle for Authority between Formal Religious Institution and Informal-Local Leaders presented in the Final Conference The Dissemination of Religious Authority in 20th Century Indonesia, jointly organized by IIAS (Leiden) and UIN (Jakarta), in cooperation with the KITLV (Leiden/Jakarta), in Bogor, Indonesia, July 6-9, 2005.
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and make a thorough reading. The majority of Muslims just rely on those they believe have a good knowledge of Islam, although there is no actual requirement to fulfil for that. One consequence is that a brave and confident Muslim may be very liberal in deducing religious opinion from the reading of the references, however weak his knowledge or lacking his thoroughness and capacity to understand.9
3. Theological Support for Islamic Fundamentalism

We can find in the Koran and the Tradition of the Prophet Muhammad passages that can be used to support an attitude of intolerance, violence and exclusivity towards people of other beliefs. There are many believers who take seriously what is literally stated in this scripture without enough knowledge of its historical contexts at the time of revelation. For believers the Koran is Gods guidance and commandment for every human being, therefore the proper attitude to it, for some of them, is to take the guidance and to implement the order without any questioning. For them the guidance and the order are there in the very words of scripture that can be understood easily by those who know the language. It is stated in the Koran: It is not fitting for a Believer, man or woman, when a matter has been decided by Allah and His Messenger, to have any option about their decision: if anyone disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he is indeed on a clearly wrong Path.10 We may say that such an order has to be understood within its historical context, but in many cases it is simply taken as an obligation that needs no consideration save realising it without any ado. Such an attiCf. the argument of Imam Samudra supporting his opinion that killing civilians of a colonialist nation is natural (read as: legitimate) for it is under the title of qisas (retribution): blood for blood, life for life and civilian for civilian, in Indra, ibid. 10 Sura 33/al-Ahzb: 36.
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tude may come from a lack of knowledge of its historical context or due to reading the passage without any reference to other passages. It is usual that an order or a prohibition be given for a particular situation, while another order sometimes contradicting the first may also be in the same scripture. Read together, those different or contradictory orders will give balance in the attitude of the believer. In addition, we should not deny the fact that a certain attitude or interest of a reader may lead him/her choosing passages that fit his/her attitude, neglecting other passages that may give other guidance. The following verse gives a description worthwhile of consideration. Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; and those who are with him are strong against Unbelievers, (but) compassionate amongst each other. Thou wilt see them bow and prostrate themselves (in prayer), seeking Grace from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure. On their faces are their marks, (being) the traces of their prostration. This is their similitude in the Taurat; and their similitude in the Gospel is: like a seed which sends forth its blade, then makes it strong; it then becomes thick, and it stands on its own stem, (filling) the sowers with wonder and delight. As a result, it fills the Unbelievers with rage at them. Allah has promised those among them who believe and do righteous deeds, Forgiveness, and a great Reward.11 Some of the expressions in the translation could easily be used to support fundamentalist viewpoints, although we can find also some pious Muslims reading the same things without adherence to fundamentalism at all. A saying of the Prophet Muhammad is reiterated by some Muslims: It was narrated from Ab Sa`d that he heard the Prophet saying, If any of you see any abomination change it by your own hand; if you cannot do that by your hand, do it by your tongue; and if you cannot do
11
The Qur'an, chapter 49/al-Fath: 29; bold printing by the present writer.

that by your tongue, do it with your heart. However this last is the weakest faith.12 Since places of gambling, prostitution and other disobediences are forms of abomination, those who are capable of destroying should destroy them. This is what this tradition means for some people. They will refuse any effort to understand it by more peaceful understanding without any allusion to physical destruction. The present writer convinces the audience that what is ordered by the Prophet in this tradition is to change the abomination. To change abomination means to make it no longer an abomination, to correct the situation disturbed by the abomination. If this means to make extinct the abomination, it does not mean the destruction of the buildings or the order of the society. The destruction of buildings and social order is not always effective enough to stop abomination and may even cause other greater abominations. There are in the Koran passages that may be given more than one meaning. This constitutes an opening for different understandings rather than those which may endorse exclusive attitudes, uncompromising intolerance and the like that are sometimes considered as characteristics of Islamic fundamentalism. Here as well the condition of the reader is decisive in choosing one understanding and putting away the other. At times, options are selected on the basis of interest and aspiration of the reader or even one selects passages that may support for his/her opinion. Some Islamic scholars have drawn up rules and technical knowledge required for the reading of the Koran. However, the very nature of Islam where there is neither hierarchy nor privilege in understanding the scripture and formulating the teaching, the right to do so is in the hands of the congregation. Scholars can always propose rules, but the consensus of the congregation has the right to make the final decision. Being referred to orders that cannot be carried out, for example because of their rational contradiction with civility, moderate people will
12
Tradition narrated by Muslim.

seek options of understanding or refer to the historical context of passages where the commandments are found, to avoid their literal implementation. This attitude may use logical reasoning or properness in social living together as supports. However, those who tend to take literal understanding of the scriptures and are psychologically predisposed to take action in compliance with such attitudes, will just take that literal meaning. Take for example the following verse: But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war); but if they repent, and establish regular prayers and practice regular charity, then open the way for them: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.13 Another verse in the same Surah orders killing of other kinds of peoples and states clearly by when this has to be done. Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the Religion of Truth, from among the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.14 In certain psychological situations believers can take seriously such an order neglecting any logical consideration. For example when he or she is facing the fact that the Islamic community is marginalised in the distribution of political and economic power. Another example is when one realises the failure of modern state in making justice operative, offering adequate protection to the citizens and ensuring the prosperity. Likewise, when evil is everywhere and disobedience to religious obligation is spreading, while no serious action is taken by the government. Some believers are then led to remember the majestic time
13 14
Sura 9/al-Tauba: 5. Sura 9/al-Tauba: 29.

when Islamic umma was the most developed nation in the world. A Muslim writer even came forward with a formula: the West managed to develop modern civilisation by leaving aside their religion, while Islamic nations lagged behind because they do not take seriously the teaching of their religion. Accordingly, many conclude that to regain the majesty of Islam, Muslims should come back to the fundamental teachings of Islam. A verse of the Koran (surah 2/al-Baqara:208) is used to establish the notion of totality of Islam: Y ayyuh alladhna man-dkhul f-l-silm kffah. Some Muslims read this verse as saying: O believers, enter totally into the religion of Islam, although the word al-silm actually has more the meaning of peace and than that of Islam. It is true that some interpreters give other options for meanings such as obedience (al-t`ah) and peace treaty (al-sulh, al-mu`hadah), but they are refuted. A famous exegete, al-Qurtub, even said that the meaning of peace treaty was refuted for another verse stating: But if the enemy inclines towards peace, do thou (also) incline towards peace.15 Thus, concluded this exegete, it is not allowed for Muslims to initiate peace! The order is that you should enter into peace with the enemy if they call you to do so and not the way around.16 What a conclusion! It can be said that one can find a basis for fundamentalistic attitude in the Koran and the Tradition of the Prophet. However, these sources of Islamic teaching, like other scriptures, can be interpreted in multiple ways. Any reader can find support for almost any attitude in scripture. A wholistic reading may gave balance, but the problem with scripture is that sometimes the reader seeks legitimation of what they have in mind rather than guidance for what should be done.
15 16
Sura 8/al-Anfl: 61. Quoted from CDROM al-Quran al-Karm Sakhr edition, release no. 6.3.1.
Civil Islam as Alternative for Islamic Fundamentalism 217 4. The Call of Fundamentalism
Islamic fundamentalism arises as a result of the failure of modernity or because of its negative sides. We cannot deny that modernity has come with many advantages for humankind, but it has also caused much disappointment, especially for those who cannot cope with it. The practice of political democracy, for example, has made many individuals, groups and families lost their power for the good of others who otherwise will never have it. Modern systems of governance cannot always ensure the establishment of justice and prosperity to all citizens. It is only natural, then, that some people raise questions about modernity and try to find another option. For Muslims, this other option lies in past majesty. The basis of that majesty for some of them is the implementation of Islamic teaching in all instances of life. As for the question of attractiveness of fundamentalism some answers can be put forward. The first answer is the above mentioned failure of modern solution for human problems. Democracy in its modern sense is a solution for management of political which was before in the monopoly of the king and his family, but later it is abused by elite to play with peoples loyalty. Modern democracy cannot distribute the prosperity to all citizens. When an official of Indonesian government gave a five billion house to his daughter as a wedding present many questioned on how he earned that amount of money. Second, the fact that in some cases the majority Muslim community represented by big Islamic organizations, especially Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah - reacts very slowly to contemporary problems of the umma. This makes believer disappointed by situations they feel to be desperate seek out leadership that may lead them to take any measures. When pious people come offering help, they welcome them clamorously. The piety here is indicated by fluency in reciting the Koran and Islamic terms, humbleness in daily life, sincerity and the like in contrast

to luxury, dishonesty, individuality etc. that they find in some modern people. The most important thing these people bring with them is an Islamic identity as against the secular disappointing sort of life brought by modernity. When conflict happened in Ambon and the surroundings and many Muslims became victims, nothing was heard from the side of NU and no action was taken to protect them. The NU leadership at that time did nothing to protect their religious fellows, perhaps feeling that the conflict was not essentially religious. However, for the victims what was needed was protection, which did not mean at all destroying the other side in the conflict. What was needed was fast action to prevent people no matter what their religion - from being killed. There we witnessed the coming of those who raise the Islamic banner to protect the Muslim victims. These people represented a small group that was not known before by the public. So such a situation is also an opportunity for such a group to become known and later become part of the elite of the Islamic community The use of Islamic identity is effective in gaining peoples belief. Third, the unfairness of some political authorities in their dealing with many kinds of religious disobedience (maksiat from Arabic masiya, pl. mas). Many assume, not without justification, that some of local authorities back up the practice of maksiat in return for money. At least they do not do enough to stop it. Then vigilantism arises bearing the religious banner of nahi munkar (or prohibiting bad deeds, from Arabic al-nahy an al-munkar). The case of burning down of a whorehouse and a cinema in Purworejo a couple of years ago is a good example. Long before the incident many complained of the existence of the house of ill repute and the increasing number of youths who consumed drugs and drank alcoholic drink, even in surrounding villages known as kampung santri (village of pious people of Islam). Meanwhile rumour had it that the cinema had become the central point for drug distribution.

When the tense situation continued without any significant action by the political authority, the vigilantism arose under leadership of a kiai, burning down both places of disobedience. An interesting question may then be raised: Until when will religious fundamentalism be attractive? Can we stop it by any means? We cannot stem it as long as there is severe disappointment caused by injustice, unfair treatment, marginalization etc. As long as modern solutions and the government fail in solving the problem of injustice, poverty, poor distribution of prosperity and power, and so forth, fundamentalism will continue to live. There will always be individuals who seek solutions themselves and take whatever action they can to solve the problem, and religion is always attractive to give support.
5. Civil Islam
I used to hesitate to use the word civil Islam for two reasons. First, the notion of civil religion used by Jean Jacques Rousseau and developed by Robert Bellah and others as a form of social cement, helping to unify the state by giving the state sacred authority, that is usually practised by political leaders who are laymen and whose leadership is not specifically spiritual.17 Civil Islam is for me a way of practising Islam within a pluralistic society in a polite manner. This pluralistic society is formed by or as a result of the establishment of state - or perhaps society came first and then the state - and therefore there is a kind of protocol or etiquette respected by both. Civil Islam, too, respects this protocol in expressing its aspirations and practising its teaching. In Indonesia where Muslims constitute the majority of the citizens, the incorporation of Islamic aspiration in the states administration is only natural, while in the Islamic system there is no church. The Islamic community therefore needs the state to help implement some religious
17
Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_religion (August 14, 2006).

obligations that in other religious communities might be done by the church. However, there are also state regulations that may be seen as interference in religious private matters. The case of marriage registration is a good example. The Indonesian law of marriage requires any marriage to be registered in the state office, but the office will only register legitimate marriage, i.e. marriage sealed by a religious institution. Since there is no religious institution in Islam, the office of religious affairs takes the function of making marriage. It is true that a religious leader (kiai, tuan guru, buya, tengku etc.) and the wal (literally protector, i.e. father, grandfather, brother, fathers brother etc.) of the bride may make marriage, but it will only be considered legitimate in the eyes of the office if done before an official of the office. Moreover, in many cases what has been practised by government that is usually led by lay people - changes some religious tenets as in the case of family planning. When the government introduced family planning programme, many ulamas opposed saying it was against the tenets of Islam. The Prophet said, they quoted often making argument, Marry and make children, for I will compete other communities with you. In the course of time, however, the objection fades and many try to interpret the quoted saying by competition in quality instead of quantity. Such an example bears witness that even lay person and secular institutions can call for a change in religious understanding. Thus, civil Islam is a kind of Islam that is open to and appreciates some proposals of change for itself. One of the theological arguments is a saying of the Prophet Muhammad that reads, Put the wisdom and it will not harm you that it comes out of any place, and another, Wisdom is a lost property of a believer and so he/she will take it wherever he/she find it.18
18
As reported by Tirmidh and Ibn Mja.

The second reason is that I found a dictionary giving the word civil the meaning of polite in a formal way but possibly not friendly.19 I do not mean by civil Islam a polite, unfriendly Islam. This kind of Islam must be polite in the sense of complying with the rules and active in doing whatever possible for the betterment of living together. The book of Robert W. Hefner brilliantly outlines the way Muslims live democratization in Indonesia (see note 6), and his writing encouraged me to use this term. I mean by civil Islam the kind of practising which is ready to enter any social frame while taking part in the process of filling and making necessary change for it, with politeness and confidence. Politeness here does not come from an external "must" to act in accordance with rules, but from the fact that the rules do not always collide with Islamic principles and that - if at any point the rules do collide with some of the principles - there is always the possibility to negotiate. This latter part can only work if one has confidence. Past Islamic scholars bequeath an adage meaning: if you cannot take the whole thing, do not leave it at all. Therefore, in the history of the introduction of Islam to the archipelago appreciation of some local customs was always conspicuous. Local, pre-Islamic wisdom can even be found in the body of Islamic tradition in this region. Of course one could say, that such an eclectic Islam is only acceptable as an interim stage in the process of Islamization and that it needs to be left when the process is completed. However, then we may disagree on the time of completion and which part of the interim practice that should be left. Besides, is it also a fact that from the very beginning Islam incorporates traditions of its adherents while orienting them to its orientation?
A. S. Hornby, Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary of Current English, Sixth edition, edited by Sally Wehmeier (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 5th impression, 2003), p. 224.
19

Civil Islam is actually a way of taking one of many options available from Islamic heritage. The teaching of tawassut, (taking the middle path and going through with people), tawzun (balance), itidl (moderation) and tasmuh (tolerance), that characterises civil Islam is there beside that of jihd (holy war), shumlya (totality), shidda al al-kuffr (harshness against the infidels), self separation of the people etc. These seemingly contradictory attitudes were taught by the Prophet himself to different people in different situations, but sometimes they are recorded in Tradition literature without their concomitant context. Unfortunately, there arose an ahistorical reading in Islamic history, making texts lose their historical contexts. An Islamic legal maxim reads that what matters in a text is its universal meaning, and not the meaning related to the particular situation that brings about its existence.
6. Promises and Limitations

Civil Islam is one of many variants of Islamic expression. In the beginning, it was not the intention of the Prophet of Islam to build a religious system apart from the existing social system. When the turn came for him to build a new system, he did not demolish the old one, but added new elements to the old construction and by doing so gave it energy to be a wider system of civilisation.20 Thus, appreciation to local culture and working within the existing social systems is actually a genuine practice of Islam itself. The problem is that many Muslims pay attention to Islam as a complete system, forgetting the long process resulting in it. The genuineness of Islam is then confined to that system. This is actually a delicate point on which Muslims differ significantly. The genuineness of Islamic teaching for many is measured by the existence of support from the main sources especially the Koran and the
20 Arab culture and Abrahamic system of faith were the most conspicuous frames to which Muhammad launched his restoration.

Tradition. Civil Islam has the capacity of finding such support, but when the problem is dissatisfaction of the people towards the considerate, polite teaching and practice of Islam, the point at stake is not genuineness. It is only natural that for careful individuals who are aware of the complexity of social problems, thoroughness and patience are very important. Thoroughness will always mean taking more time, whereas in many cases some people just cannot wait. With its appreciation of any system it may encounter, civil Islam will prevent cultural conflict. It is rather an effort of betterment from within a cultural system rather than a revolution coming from without. With the openness to valuable heritage and findings of other existential human experiences, it will at the same time enrich its own self understanding and strengthen the confidence of human beings about their ability to live the human life responsibly. Nevertheless, civil Islam may not satisfy many Muslims in certain situations. When you feel abandoned, treated unfairly and neglected in the process of decision-making about public matters, you need something that gives or promises to give you what you deserve but is absent for the time being, such as care, identity, proud and bargaining power. It is better if you can get such things immediately. It would seem that civil Islam cannot give such things in a short time and in a form that can easily be seen. Islam has long been present without needing to exert itself as the only religion, not neglecting the fact that there are some passages in the sources of Islamic teaching that may be used as support for fundamentalism. Muslims do not feel any lack so far of their ability to practise Islam. They felt secure and capable of realising their mission in life in the frame of state and culture that did not bear formally Islamic name. Civil Islam is the reviving of this practice of Islam that will prevent internal conflicts of different groups within the community. By doing so,

Muslim identity will be absorbed by the larger identity of the community; something some Muslims in need of self exertion will surely deny. The same is true of some pious Muslims who see evil conduct and disobedience to religious norms everywhere, while no significant measures are done to ameliorate the situation. They may conclude that the majority should be blamed for that and that the proper way open for them to go out of the situation is to be different. In religion they may find holiness that will make them different from the rest of the people whom they accuse of being dirty for encouraging disobedience. Sometimes I have trouble with the fact there are many legitimate options in Islamic teaching, the soft one and the harsh one. The problem is how to find an opinion which fits my current situation. I tend to propose the use of rational consideration. However, it is good to know that even Imam Samudra21 said, while comparing different fatws(religious legal opinions of a person or a body having a kind of religious authority), on holy war, that he always sought points of convergence between those fatws if possible, but if not, he would read thoroughly the arguments of each fatw and take the most reliable to his opinion to be implemented.22 Here we need a kind of decision-making body to prevent individual decision that may lead to vigilantism. Civil Islam considers the democratic state capable and legitimate of undertaking such a task, although some Muslims will say the opposite for it is, in their opinion, only Islamic authority that may function as the decision maker.
7. Conclusion
Gentleness and consideration are actually normal expressions of religion, the essence of which is a deliberate response to Gods call, but these expressions cannot help some people of religion. At times they
21 22
One of the actors of the first Bali bombing that killed more than 200 people. Cf. Indra, ibid.

need harsh, non-compromising performance for an abnormal situation. Such oppositional options are inherent in almost every religion and therefore it is not suggested that we erase the options that we do not like but rather that we improve the conditions that may compel people to take such options. At times one is not aware about the goodness of a practice that has long been with him/her and when comes a new suggestion that may promises a solution for his/her frustrating situation, he/she will accept it easily. Therefore, civil people of religion have the obligation to spread the idea of moderate and peaceful practice with a tone of voice that cannot be less loudly than that of those who are campaigning exclusiveness, reason weakening, repudiation of differences and the use of violence in the name of religion. Fundamentalism is actually also a legitimate form of self-expression, especially for those who are neglected and marginalised in the life of society. It rises up from below and can mean that there is something wrong in the order of things in a particular society. Therefore, readiness to talking to the fundamentalists, making dialogue and trying to understand what is lying behind their persistence with the truth they think they have, is not just very important but a must for the betterment of our living together. Furthermore, forms of religiosity which promote such dialogue should be encouraged. In the case of Islam, isnt it a polite, considerate and tolerant religion that will be civil Islam?

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CIVIL ISLAM AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM

Muhammad Machasin, Indonesia

208 Overcoming Fundamentalism

Civil Islam as Alternative for Islamic Fundamentalism 209

2. Islam is not Monolithic

210 Overcoming Fundamentalism

Civil Islam as Alternative for Islamic Fundamentalism 211

212 Overcoming Fundamentalism

3. Theological Support for Islamic Fundamentalism

Civil Islam as Alternative for Islamic Fundamentalism 213

214 Overcoming Fundamentalism

Tradition narrated by Muslim.

Civil Islam as Alternative for Islamic Fundamentalism 215

Sura 9/al-Tauba: 5. Sura 9/al-Tauba: 29.

216 Overcoming Fundamentalism

218 Overcoming Fundamentalism

Civil Islam as Alternative for Islamic Fundamentalism 219

Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_religion (August 14, 2006).

220 Overcoming Fundamentalism

As reported by Tirmidh and Ibn Mja.

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222 Overcoming Fundamentalism

6. Promises and Limitations

Civil Islam as Alternative for Islamic Fundamentalism 223

224 Overcoming Fundamentalism

Civil Islam as Alternative for Islamic Fundamentalism 225

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