Muslims celebrated Eid and pluralism in Islam

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Thu, 10/26/2006 9:19 AM  |  Opinion

Endy M. Bayuni, Jakarta

Muslims in Indonesia were divided once again this year over the timing of Idul Fitri (Eid), the big holiday marking the end of the Ramadhan fasting month. Some marked it on Monday, most on Tuesday. But whichever day they chose, the overall mood remained one of peaceful communal celebration.

Many government and religious leaders went out of their way to caution people not to make a big issue out of this difference, fearing that it might split the Muslim community.

They obviously underestimated Muslims in Indonesia.

For most people, the issue remained one of principle and emotion. Therefore it was a big deal, worthy of lengthy discussion.

Many who were convinced that Ramadhan ended Sunday went ahead and celebrated Idul Fitri on Monday, in spite of the government pronouncement the night before that, as far as it was concerned, Ramadhan ended only on Monday.

Confusion about the date of Idul Fitri was much more pronounced this time than in years past, such that it was not rare to find members of a small or extended family in Jakarta celebrating the end of Ramadhan on different days.

But since this is a matter of faith -- and Islam categorically teaches that ""there shall be no coercion on matters of faith"" -- everyone respected each other's decisions.

So, while it was a big deal for many people, it did not spoil the goodwill, peace and festive mood that Idul Fitri always brings. Those who celebrated it on Monday did so in a low-key fashion to respect those who still fasted. And many even postponed Idul Fitri prayers in order to do them together with the other camp on Tuesday morning.

Pluralism in Islam is alive and kicking. Muslims in Indonesia were able to celebrate together despite their differences. That's pluralism at its finest, and it carries a powerful message for others still struggling with the concept of pluralism itself.

The government and the Muslim elite who feared the issue would divide Muslims forgot one thing about Indonesians in general: We have always lived in a pluralistic society. We have learned to live with our differences, whether they are a matter of race, ethnicity, religion, language or gender. Pluralism is in our blood.

This episode also reveals that pluralism exists not only across religious lines but also within Islam itself.

Not only do differences of interpretation exist in Islam, but they are widely respected by Indonesian Muslims in general. They have not necessarily driven a wedge between Muslims. On the contrary their differences have helped strengthen their sense of community.

They are one step ahead of the Muslim elite on the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), which last year issued a fatwa (religious injunction) pronouncing pluralism to be haram (unlawful).

And they are one step ahead of the Muslim elite who are trying to impose conservative Wahabism, with its strong emphasis on Arabic cultures, on all other Muslims in Indonesia.

Differences of interpretation in Islam are almost as old as the religion itself. What we saw this week is just one of many areas of contention among Islamic scholars in interpreting the religion and its teachings. They believe in one God, they believe that the Prophet Muhammad is His messenger, and they read the same Koran. Yet, while Islam is one, there is more than one interpretation.

Differences of interpretation led to the division of Muslims into Sunni and Shiite camps, as well as to the creation of smaller sects like the Ahmadiyah and many others.

The Islam that developed and evolved in Indonesia and Southeast Asia is also the result of centuries of adaptation to local tradition and cultures, so that it is now a much more moderate and tolerant version than the one found in the Middle East.

In Indonesia, Muslims are further divided into two large camps: the largely traditional and rural-based Nahdlatul Ulama, and the urban-based Muhammadiyah, plus a few other smaller groups. One can throw into the pot the Islamic Liberal Network (JIL) and other groups that have emerged to challenge the conservatives' interpretation of Islam.

In short, Islam comes in different colors and shapes, and Muslims in Indonesia by and large have come to accept that.

Tolerance and mutual respect, two principles underpinning pluralism, remain the order of the day. Without them, Muslims would be at war, not only with people of other faiths, but also with themselves. The current bloody sectarian conflict between Sunnis and Shiites in Iraq serves as a reminder of what happens when you abandon pluralism.

Muhammadiyah used astronomical calculations to determine that Idul Fitri was on Monday. Nahdlatul Ulama made its decision based on the physical sighting of the new moon, and when it failed to see it on Sunday evening, decided that Idul Fitri fell on Tuesday. The government went along with Nahdlatul Ulama.

But even within Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama there are differences.

Muhammadiyah allowed its followers to decide with their own conscience when to end the fasting month, and many heeded the government's advice. In East Java, many Nahdlatul Ulama followers celebrated Idul Fitri on Monday because their leaders claimed to have sighted the new moon on Sunday night.

What matters most here was not so much that Idul Fitri was marked on two different days in Indonesia, but that it was celebrated together in good spirit.

That is probably the most valuable lesson from this year's Idul Fitri. Muslims and non-Muslims should cherish and celebrate their diversity, be that in race, ethnicity, religion, language and gender, or in how we interpret our faiths.

Pluralism still has along way to go in Indonesia to ensure equality for every member of this diverse country. But this year's Idul Fitri was an encouraging sign that pluralism is widely observed in this country.

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