Of course the use of loudspeakers and minarets was initially to inform and call Muslims to prayers, and not a call to God. But as we can see during the main Islamic holidays of Idul Fitri and Idul Adha, the use of loudspeakers at mosques has become more frequent or even massive. And to certain Muslims, the use of loudspeakers or minarets for these things becomes religious, and they are convinced the act is a “good deed” and therefore is rewarded by God.

Gus Dur surely made the above joke in the context of tolerance that Muslims should be considerate when living in a heterogenic society. If it was like in his village, for instance, where 100 percent of the population is Muslim, there is absolutely no problem. There, it has become a convention for minarets and loudspeakers to become features of mosques, which are useful in informing people about the time and what has to be done or scheduled in their daily lives.

In Jakarta, where the society is more diverse, mosque minarets are absolutely not an issue. But it is another thing if we talk about the loudspeakers. Many non-Muslims are bothered by them and therefore wish to complain if only they could. There are even Muslims who feel the same. But they are in the minority and risk going against the common practice if they convey their objections. They are in a situation where the majority dominates the constellation.

What about the current controversy of building minarets for mosques in Switzerland? Why the controversy? What does a minaret mean for the Swiss, then? Does it disturb their sleep and should therefore be banned? Has it ever been used to preach intolerance and therefore bothered the peaceful feelings of the people? What aspects of Swiss citizens’ lives are stirred up there?

I have never been to Switzerland or Europe for that matter. So I have never directly experienced how the majority plays the game there, whether the same as use here or not. I never directly experienced what my fellow Muslims do with the minarets or loudspeakers. What I know is what the media delivers, plus the geographical textbook stories.

Based on what I heard and read, first of all, as an Indonesian and a Muslim, I absolutely do not agree with the use of the word “ignorance” to label the cause of the Swiss people’s choice – as it was conveyed by the Indonesian foreign minister – since this word could contain something derogatory or offending. The result of the referendum, banning the building of more minarets in Switzerland, is not something unpredictable and can take place everywhere, including in Indonesia. Being in a majority in a society has its own logic that cannot be sidelined in any way.

My point then is that it is related to the problem of reception, how a majority behaves in accepting something different or uncommon in an already well-configured society. And it is not easy to change the way a society looks at something. Regarding the minaret case, it is related to how Islam is represented by any of the accessible sources, how the Muslims represent themselves, and at a decisive level, how the dominant Swiss society usually reacts to a minority’s issue.

Shortly, based on their current image about Islam and Muslims, the Swiss are likely to not be well prepared to accept the difference, since there is an infidelity of balanced information or the reality that minarets might have caused trauma.

Therefore I think my fellow Muslims should not feel outraged in this case. We have to try to be in their shoes and avoid reacting in an exaggerated manner, as the politicians usually do. A religious issue is very sensitive. If we step carelessly in a slippery area, we will only represent Islam in the wrong way. Let’s look inward, instead. There, hopefully, we will find a rational and better way to deal with this issue.

Nowadays, a mosque’s minaret is merely a cultural symbol. It is neither a part of religious teaching nor decisive about the quality of our devotion to God or our dedication to the people through good deeds. So, my Muslim fellows, let’s look ahead and think about what we can contribute to this already fraudulent world with the ceaseless conflicts and wars.

Prophet Muhammad himself, as far as I know, preferred praying under a shady tree rather than chopping it down to build a mosque or a minaret. The Kaaba, the place where we face in our prayers, was never decorated with gold and silver previously until the untrue thought saw it covered and surrounded with needles luxuries.

This way, my Muslim fellows, we can use our energy for something more fruitful for world citizens rather than disposing of it for the sake of nonsense. We need freedom, certainly. But we should selectively choose the one that suits the place where we are. There is more than road to Rome.


The writer is a teacher at the Lazuardi Global Islamic School, Jakarta.

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