Minarets are not an essential part of religion, proven by the fact many Indonesian mosques have no domes but a multi-tiered roofs, and no minarets. Is it possible that Indonesian Muslims, by not having minarets, are not good Muslims and cannot worship properly?
With its 200 million Muslims, Indonesia should “lead” and not follow Arab customs, like the trend of wearing Arab-looking garb (as if Indonesians are now ashamed of their Javanese, Sundanese or Batak identities?).
Now we have a proliferation of mosques and mushollas (and more and more Arab-financed maxi-mosques with tall minarets), all equipped with high-powered loudspeakers, competing against each other not only for a louder azan (which could still be bearable) but also for prolonged prayers, sermons and chanting that can go on for hours: the louder and the longer, the holier?
The Swiss minaret issue and the traditionally widespread absence of minarets in Indonesia could actually be a good opportunity for Indonesian Muslims to start exporting their traditionally moderate version of Islam.
And the Western world could learn from the Indonesian experience — if only Indonesians really cared about implementing and promoting moderation.
Unfortunately, political correctness is what will destroy Western civilization, which, like it or not, is based on 2,000 years of Christianity (as proven by the presence of the cross on many European flags).
Now, Christianity is scorned in most Western countries, and Christian-bashing has become a popular sport, while alien religions are praised and protected in the name of freedom of expression and of worship.
Left-wing governments in Europe have paved the road for what they claim is a more inclusive society, at the expense the indigenous populations and in excessive favor of immigrant groups who, instead of accepting the host country’s rules and habits, are trying to impose their own. Even the Archbishop of Canterbury had the bright idea of suggesting the introduction of sharia in the UK!
While if my wife or daughter went to Saudi Arabia or Iran they would have to fully cover themselves or be jailed or expelled, in most of Europe the burka is allowed, even if for security reasons it is negative — not allowing for recognition of a person’s features. (I wonder if a local man went around, maybe entering a bank, wearing a ski mask, would he be compelled to take it off? In the trigger-happy US he would probably be shot dead by police and security guards.)
Some quarters accuse the Swiss of using the minaret issue to fight Islam. Indeed, it is true that posters and right-wing political propaganda have put an emphasis on a general fear of change in Europe, spearheaded by the expansion of Islam and its conservative and extremist fringes, still limited but very vocal and influential.
This loud political strategy, from extreme-right groups aimed at attaining immediate results, is somehow the same as the silence (when there is not an outright agreement) of Indonesian Muslim parties and government when churches are destroyed; worshipers including some nonmainstream Muslims are harassed and forbidden to exercise their constitutional right; and non-Muslim schools are forcibly closed — all under the watchful but passive (therefore supportive) presence of police and government inaction.
While the general Muslim reaction on this issue has been rather moderate, and the corresponding reaction in the West has often been critical, it is a fact that the Swiss as well as the Europeans are not fighting Islam.
The ones who are concerned are simply afraid of potentially drastic changes caused by ever-increasing immigration, mostly from Muslim countries, and would like to reduce its negative impacts and allow a gradual adaptation from both sides.
And to those Americans who insist on the need for Europe to open its doors to immigration and unconditionally accept alien cultures and habits, I remind them that the US has always been an immigrants’ country where the indigenous population has been exterminated.
Meanwhile, the indigenous population in old Europe amount to around 500 million and are alive and kicking!
Benito L. Curtaz
Jakarta
