Most Islamic studies teachers oppose pluralism, survey finds

Abdul Khalik ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Wed, 11/26/2008 7:06 AM  |  Headlines

Most Islamic studies teachers in public and private schools in Java oppose pluralism, tending toward radicalism and conservatism, according to a survey released in Jakarta on Tuesday.

The study shows 62.4 percent of the surveyed Islamic teachers, including those from Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah — the country’s two largest Muslim organizations — reject the notion of having non-Muslim leaders.

The survey was conducted last month by the Center for Islamic and Society Studies (PPIM) at Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University in Jakarta, involving some 500 Islamic studies teachers throughout Java.

It reveals 68.6 percent of the respondents are opposed to non-Muslims becoming their school principle and 33.8 percent are opposed to having non-Muslim teachers at their schools.

Some 73.1 percent of the teachers don’t want followers of other religions to build their houses of worship in their neighborhoods, it found.

Some 85.6 percent of the teachers prohibit their students from celebrating big events perceived as Western traditions, while 87 percent tell their students not to learn about other religions.

Some 48 percent of the teachers would prefer for female and male students to be separated into different classrooms.

PPIM director Jajat Burhanudin said the teachers’ anti-pluralist views would be reflected in their lessons and contribute to growing conservatism and radicalism among Muslims in the country.

“I think they play a key role in promoting conservatism and radicalism among Muslims nowadays. You can’t say now that conservatism and radicalism only develop on the streets like what has been campaigned by the FPI (the Islam Defenders Front), but rather deep within the education (system),” he said, referring to a radical Islamic group.

Jajat said such intolerance threatened the civil and political rights of citizens of other religions.
The survey also shows 75.4 percent of the respondents ask their students to call on non-Muslim teachers to convert to Islam, while 61.1 percent reject a new Islamic sect.

In line with their strict beliefs, 67.4 percent said they felt more Muslim than Indonesian.

The majority of the respondents also support the adoption of sharia law in the country to help fight crime.

According to the survey, 58.9 percent of the respondents back rajam (stoning) as a punishment for all kinds of criminal and 47.5 percent said the punishment for theft should be having one hand cut off, while 21.3 percent want the death sentence for those who convert from Islam.

Only 3 percent of the teachers said they felt it was their duty to produce tolerant students.

With 44.9 percent of the respondents claiming themselves members of Nahdlatul Ulama and 23.8 percent supporters of Muhammadiyah, Jajat said the two moderate organizations had failed to establish their values at the grassroots.

“Moderation and pluralism are only embraced by their elites. I am afraid that this kind of phenomenon has contributed to increasing radicalism and even terrorism in our country,” he said.

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Jack Edwards (not verified) — Wed, 11/26/2008 - 8:51am

What a very sad commentary on the people who are teaching Indonesia's young people. The dream of Indonesia's founders of forming a multi-cultural, multi-racial, multi-religious nation that would respect and take into consideration all of the interests of the various peoples across the archipelago appears to have faded. Indonesia has endured because of its willingness to accept all the different faces of her peoples. If the majority chooses to ignore the interests of other groups, they risk that others will find it better to create their own nation. Pluralism is our best defense against fractures in the nation. One can only hope that our teachers are not teaching our children to tear down the structures that the founders of Indonesia spent so much time, effort and blood to build.

David, Jakarta (not verified) — Wed, 11/26/2008 - 9:16am

The results were hardly surprising. I think anyone who has lived in Indonesia for some time would expect those kind of numbers. 'Unity in Diversity' today is a slogan used only to persuade religious minorities that it is their duty not to question the Muslim majority.

Tian (not verified) — Wed, 11/26/2008 - 10:51am

Is this even a news? Of course muslims don't want to have non-muslim leaders, just like non-muslim leaders don't want to have muslim leaders! the last US presidential campaign showed how Americans, as citizens of a country that promotes democracy and pluralism, have some big problems with the Muslim issue. I mean, come on, this is a natural behavior of the majority in most countries. India is an exception to the rule, yes, but after how many Hindu prime ministers throughout its modern history? Indonesia is a majority muslim country, deal with it.

Norman Master (not verified) — Wed, 11/26/2008 - 10:54am

As an American convert to islam I do agree that Islamic schools should have principals and teachers that are Muslims. There are in America and Europe some non-Muslims that can teach Islam to Muslims, but not too many that can be totally impartial in discussing Islam as a Religion and Way Of Life. However, I strongly feel that students in Islamic schools should be taught about other religions. Therefore, there will probably have to be some additional training of Muslim teachers about other religions, as it appears that there is a lack of knowledge by these teachers on other religions (and also people that are not Indonesians). The Indonesian students of today HAVE to be prepared to live in a GLOBAL WORLD Society.

Nairdah (not verified) — Wed, 11/26/2008 - 11:30am

The report that "87 percent tell their students not to learn about other religions" is sad and not consistent with traditional Moslem scholarship. If people don't learn about other religions they forfeit the right to offer opinion on those religions. This is not a case of 'ignorance is bliss', ignorance is dangerous.

Knowledge of each others religions is a foundation for creating harmony in a civil society - locally, nationally and internationally. Ignorance of each others religions is a recipe for further division and conflict in Indonesia.

Don't let Diversity become Division or there can be no Unity.

Joko (not verified) — Wed, 11/26/2008 - 11:40am

Hopefully those teachers would not likely to transform our young Indonesian generations into 'Amrozi Jr' or ' Mukhlas Jr.' Never let those fundamentalists or radicals muslims teachers take power in our society.

I am wondering why is it hard for those fundamentalists and radicals teachers to accept the idea of pluralism, the idea of unity and diversity, the idea of Pancasila !? Those ideas provide a 'huge'space for moslems and non-moslems to live together in this our beloved Indonesia, to work together each other productively for the sake of Indonesia's development.

Hatred and suspicions against non-moslems teachers or leaders would never unite us to face our challenges now and ahead, to work together for our dignity, welfare, and a society based on the rule of law.

Every presidential candidates in 2009 should take serious concerns upon educational issues. I am bored already with promises of making educations free for all, or fulfiling our constitutions obligation to povide 20% fund for education. The very urgent conditions to fulfill is that we need a new system of education which teach th younger generations of how amazing if every persons in Indonesia work together to bring Indonesia greatness, regardless of their religions, racial, ethnial, groups,etc. The systems should able to provide knowledges on how beatiful diversity is, to accept the notion f pluralism.

hopefully, our adoreship to religion never make us blind of how potential we are. We must bring this country from greatness into greatness.

Andi Made (not verified) — Wed, 11/26/2008 - 1:17pm

This survey is questionable. 500 teachers were not enough and couldn't represent the conclusion. I live mobile in many region of Indonesia as public servant. I meet and live with different people (moslem, hindu, budha, christian), and there is no problem.

we could read in surah al mumtahanah:8

Allah does not forbid you to respect those who have not made war against you on account of (your) religion, and have not driven you forth from your homes, that you show them kindness and deal with them justly; surely Allah loves the doers of justice.

So, welcome to nusantara, land of peace that we must keep all together..

Andrew (not verified) — Wed, 11/26/2008 - 1:35pm

It is sad and disturbing that so many young people across this nation are being taught to isolate themselves from the real world and reject/destroy anything slightly different to what their teachers tell them is the "only" way.

We should beware...throughout history and across the world, many ruling elites have tried very hard to keep their populations in ignorance, to wipe out free thought, teaching them to fear and hate diversity. They have justified this in terms of nationalism, racism, and often religious bigotry too. The reason is simple. That way the population are easier to control and easier to mobilize into mobs or militias whenever the ruling elite feel the need to do so to further their own interests.

Look around you. God created a beautiful and diverse world. Let's go out into it, and not hide from it.

While being strong in our own beliefs, we need to embrace the diversity that we see around us, to learn from others, to teach others what we know, and by doing so develop into better and stronger human beings.

Dodikst (not verified) — Wed, 11/26/2008 - 2:34pm

No body has got right to blame others to keep practicing and learning their own faith. This is a matter of personal right in front the law. Christian can practice and learn their teachings. So do these Budhist, Hindu, and Moslems. Given the result of this research, it is unnecessary to be surprised. We will find more severe phenomena in the US or other countries wherein certain religion are dominant in number.
To conclude that respondents' preference will lead to the so-called conservatism and even radicalism is too early. Though such preference depends on someone's understanding and opinion, it just reflects the most expected condition to have in accordance to each belief upheld. Islam will stay complete as a set of belief teaching both transcendental and social noble values of life. Jajat and his circles might be simply influenced by few tragedies either bombing terrors or other violence on behalf of certain religion.
The point over here is whether those teachers will safeguard the so-called conservatism and radicalism or not. It should be what those teachers have done to build prophetic and productive generation of young students for the sake of this country. The points concerned by this research has contributed to critical and discursive topic of discussion. But it doesn't give any productive and constructive point toward a better social-construction of society.

Iain (not verified) — Wed, 11/26/2008 - 3:04pm

David Jakarta;

you couldn't have said it any better. Exactly the case.

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