During the opening of the 5th Indonesian Muslim Congress in Jakarta on Friday, Yudhoyono said the international community had recognized Indonesia as a country where Islam and democracy were compatible, and the country therefore played an important role in leading the Muslim world.

“The world has witnessed how Islam, democracy and modernity can grow and develop together, supporting and strengthening one another in our country,” the President said before hundreds of participants at the congress.

“We have to believe that Islamic teachings about sociopolitical principles support the creation of prosperous, democratic and just communities,” he added.

Yudhoyono said that as the world’s most populous Muslim nation, Indonesia had a “historical mission” to bring back the glory of Islam.

He reminded them, however, the glory had to be aimed at creating a harmonious and peaceful world order.

“We must be grateful that in recent years our nation has been actively involved in bridging the gap between Islam and Eastern and Western civilizations. We need to continue this conciliatory effort.

We do not recognize the clash of civilizations and shall not let that take place.

“What we know and will continue to build is harmony among civilizations. We need to be at the forefront of developing a noble civilization as shown by Prophet Muhammad,” the President said.

The 5th Indonesian Muslim Congress that will run until Sunday is drawing hundreds of participants representing dozens of Muslim organizations in the country.

Sahal Mahfudh, chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama and the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), which organized the event, said in his opening speech the congress was expected to produce solutions for Muslim organizations on how to cope with new challenges in the era of globalization.

“Free trade agreements have forced developing countries to open their doors to the influx of goods from other countries. This condition is encouraging more open competition among nations, including Indonesia,” Sahal said.

“We must respond positively to the condition by empowering the mullahs in a more well-planned and measured way,” he added.

Nevertheless, the three-day congress has triggered protest from Islamic militant group the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), who distributed leaflets stating their disappointment with the event’s steering committee to the participants of the opening day.

The FPI is apparently angered with the committee’s  previous statements that it would not invite the group to the event, dubbing the FPI as a “controversial organization” that would “disrupt the greater interest”.

The invitation arrived at the last minute, but the FPI claimed it was too short notice.

“We thus assume the 5th Indonesian Muslim Congress would only be used as an event to show off the power of certain groups and political interests,” the FPI said in a statement.  

The committee initially did not invite the FPI, Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) and Majelis Mujahidin Indonesia (MMI). The committee finally invited the HTI but not the MMI.  

Hizbut Tahrir is an international Islamic movement that aims to establish a transnational caliphate, believing that democracy is contrary to the principles of Islam.

The group’s representative at the meeting, Muhammad Rahmat Kurnia, criticized the President for not mentioning the application of sharia-inspired laws in his discussion about Islam.  

“Do not say [nice things about Islam] and then apply secularism,” he was quoted as saying on the group’s website.

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