Indonesia in Combining Democracy and Islam

Indonesia in Combining Democracy and Islam

by Helka Pratiwi

(helka.pratiwi@gmail.com)

With a population of 240 million, Indonesia is the largest country in Southeast Asia and the most populous Muslim-majority nation in the world¹.The country has had a democratic constitution since the reformasi in 1998². With the largest Muslim population in the world, that is something possible if Indonesia imposed a whole Islamic law system. However, Islam gives tolerance for each race in choosing a belief, as stated in the Koran Al-Kafirun (109: 6), "To you your religion, to me mine". It can be concluded that the freedom of giving opinion, including freedom of religion, is a right given by God to every person. Indonesia imposed a democratic system to protect the rights of non-Muslim citizens. This condition go hand in hand without disturbing each other.

Democracy as defined by Abraham Lincoln is government of the people, by the people and for the people's interests. Democracy puts people directly occupy the government positions. In politics concept, democracy often associated with political or social concepts, such as the concept of equality before the laws, freedom of belief and faith, social justice, the guarantee of certain rights, such as right to life, work and its kind.

Because democratic principles take the part of majority votes, there are some Muslims who oppose democracy. The most votes is not absolutely a right choice. This is what some Muslims underlied to oppose democracy. The reason is democracy is the result of human thought that full blunder, whereas Islam is derived from Almighty God.

The Implementation of Democracy in Indonesia

The imposition of democracy has gone through a series of long discussions and involved many parties. The conclusion there is a positive in a democratic system, and the nature of democracy itself is not contradictory, instead corresponds with Islam. As we know that the essence of democracy is the right of people to choose their leaders.

Indonesia took a democracy in the methods, mechanisms and procedures, which is admittedly better than other systems; not a philosophy that glorifies individualism and freedom without based on religion. So far, Indonesia applies democracy based on religious values, promote good character and depth of knowledge, and prioritize the noble values over the values of democracy itself. Indonesia strongly opposed a legalized of same-sex marriage, because it contrary to the Koran and Sunnah.

A large number of laws and regulations clearly benefit the Muslim majority in Indonesia, granting Islamic legal and religious ideas a prominent position within Indonesian state and social systems. The province Aceh in the north of Sumatra represents a special case. Since it attained a special form of autonomy, Islamic legal principles have applied in most parts of the province. These compel women to wear a headscarf, for instance, prohibit alcohol consumption and gambling and enforce the payment of an alms tax (zakat). However, other provinces of the country, which do not have autonomy status, use so-called bylaws in order to circumvent national legislation and implement their own norms based on typically Islamic legal concepts – although they are generally not as rigidly implemented as is the case in Aceh³.

The Suitability of Democracy and Islam

In general, democracy is compatible with the universal values ​​of Islam, such as equality, freedom, deliberation and fairness. But in the implementation is inseparable from the problems. An example is when the democratic values ​​different with the results of ijtihad of the scholars. A small example is the case of those who convert from Islam. In the view of Islam, they have to repent first, if they do not, then they should be killed or combated. In a democratic system it should not be happened, because killing is a violation of their freedom and violate human rights. In democracy, there is the principle of equality among citizens. But in Islam, there are some things that are very clear explained in Koran that there are differences between men and women, for example, about polygamy, inheritance law, and  the witnesseth.

Prof.Dr.Azyumardi Azra said that democracy in Indonesia is compatible with Islam so that Indonesia can be used as a prime example in which adherents of Islam, Catholicism, Protestantism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism can coexist peacefully and mutually reinforcing.

In the Koran, the righteous are described as those people who, among other things, manage their affairs through “mutual consultation” or shura (42:38 Qur’an)⁴. As a concept, shura in Islam is no different with democracy. Both shura and democracy emerge from collective consideration as likely to deliver a fair result and it makes sense for the pint interest rather than individual choice.

One that could be explained here is the experience of the Prophet in the battle of Uhud and its relation to order deliberations. History informs that when they heard of the plans to attack the enemies of the Prophet from Makkah to Madina, he found better to wait for them to get to Medina.

However, the majority of his friends eagerly urged him to confront them outside of the city, exactly in Uhud. Because of this pressure, the Prophet finally approved. But, it turns out, dozens of the Prophet's companions died in the war. After that incident, Koran down to give instructions to the Prophet Muhammad, to keep doing deliberation and always exchanging ideas with his friends.

The principle of shura in terms of Islamic law is only in kindness things. Therefore shura prohibited for use in badness things. Therefore, democracy may be used during not to change something that has become the prerogative of Allah glory to Him.

While in case of disagreement on issues of social, political, economic and social that fall within permissible, the decision be pursued through deliberation to reach a consensus. The other way, it can be through taking opinions through a majority vote, because the opinion of two or more people closer to the truth than the opinion of one person. This is consistent with the logic of the Shari'ah. Messenger of Allah said, "In truth Satan with one person and he went away from the two of us". The Prophet has also been said to Abu Bakr and Umar, "If you both agree on an opinion, I certainly would not infringe the two of you" (HR. Ahmad)⁵.

Voting, the making decision based on majority voting, is the right way for it. None of the arguments of the Shari'ah prohibit the making decision process in this way. Although the democratic system is the result of human thought, it does not mean the system is flawed and should be rejected. Allah has commanded human to optimize the use of reasonable minds. We were instructed to think, read, study, reflect, take lessons and wisdom. Certainly the results of ijtihad need to be weighed first, whether contrary or consistent with the teachings of Allah⁶.

REFERENCES

¹ Bruce Vaughn. 2011. Indonesia: Domestic Politics, Strategic Dynamics, and U.S. Interests. Congressional Research Service. 7-5700 www.crs.gov RL3239.

² Jan Woischnik and Philipp Müller. 2013. Islamic Parties and Democrazy in Indonesia. KAS International Reports.

³ Ibid.

⁴ Humanities, November/December 2001, Volume 22/Number 6.

⁵ Faiz Almath, Muhammad. et.al. 1991. 1100 Hadits Terpilih. Jakarta: Gema Insani.

6 Al-Qardhawi, Yusuf. 1997. Negara Dalam Islam, terj. Syafri Halim. Jakarta: Robbani Press.

NOTE :
Meski cacat dimana-mana, karena bahasa Inggrisnya dibantu sama Go*gle, ini pertama kalinya saya punya kepercayaan diri yang cukup tinggi untuk mengikutsertakan tulisan ini bulan Juni lalu di FPCI International Internship Program (Germany, August 2016).

Karena ikutnya iseng-iseng, hasilnya pun biasa-biasa saja. Alhamdulillah gak lulus. Yeay! *Sok kuat

Tapi dari sini saya belajar, ternyata menulis essay itu sedap-sedap susah. Baru tau juga ada istilah ibid, op.cit, dan loc.cit. Heuheu. Saya sadar tulisan ini timpang sana sini, jadi bagi yang bertemu takdirnya untuk membaca tulisan ini dan tau ada banyak salahnya, jangan ragu-ragu untuk membenarkan ya. :D