T

he recent bombings in Jakarta and other places in the world claimed by the Islamic State (IS) movement might seem to confirm the controversial '€œclash of civilizations'€ theory put forward by Samuel P. Huntington 15 years ago of a '€œMuslim Middle East'€ culture against western domination. Nevertheless the export of hostile teachings from the region, along with such barbaric acts, may hopefully slow down with the collapse in oil prices drying up terrorist funding.

Another source of hope would be alternative sources of Islamic teachings, which have proven peaceful and tolerant of other cultures, whereby Indonesia'€™s Muslims could promote their brand of '€œmoderate Islam'€ much more strongly amid efforts to lure fellow citizens into extreme cults promoting violence.

The largest Islamic organization is Nahdlatul Ulama (NU); among various estimates of its mostly non-card carrying members, the Indonesian Survey Institute calculates its membership at more than 80 million '€” along with the second largest, Muhammadiyah.

NU, which celebrates its 90th anniversary on Feb. 6, kicked off its campaign of Islam Nusantara (Islam of the archipelago) last year, based on the diverse Islamic heritage across the country. Also at its congress last year, Muhammadiyah introduced Islam Berkemajuan (Progressive Islam), a vision of Islam based on its comparatively more '€œmodernist'€ teachings and practices than NU, in their general objection to traditional beliefs and rituals. Both organizations are the biggest advocates of Indonesia'€™s secular system and democracy, which has failed so far in the home of Islam in the Middle East.

The success of Indonesia in organizing free and peaceful elections is only one of many examples that prove Islam is compatible with democracy.

If democracy was a soccer game, the NU-Muhammadiyah team could play with Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindus and even atheist teams in a fair and friendly match. They could shake hands and hug each other after the game without fear of being bombed.

Today'€™s NU leaders in influential institutions include the recently appointed former deputy religious affairs minister Nasaruddin Umar, as the Istiqlal Mosque grand imam for the 2016-2020 term, replacing Ali Mustofa Yakub. Nasaruddin is also a former deputy rector of the Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN) and writer of Argumen Kesetaraan Gender: Perspektif Al-Quran (Arguments on Gender Equality: The Koranic Perspective). In his inauguration on Jan. 22 he pledged to uphold the principles of moderate Islam.

Young thinkers such as Syafiq Hasyim, who graduated with a PhD from a university in Germany, and Moqsith Ghazali of UIN and a former activist of the Islamic Liberal Network (JIL), are current board members of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI). Since its establishment in 1975 under the Soeharto regime until the era of president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the council, which was filled by conservatives, has issued many fatwa (edicts) sidelining minorities. The council also ridiculously banned secularism, pluralism and liberalism, the prerequisite values of democracy. Can the new board members change this tendency? Democracy is not only about elections. It'€™s also about protection of minorities, an issue that is still problematic in Indonesia.

Last month about 2,000 members of the Fajar Nusantara movement (Gafatar) were evicted from their settlement in Mempawah regency, West Kalimantan after thousands of locals besieged the settlement. The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has deplored the police failure to prevent the mob from destroying property belonging to Gafatar members and from protecting their rights to live peacefully.

The Attorney General'€™s Office even asked MUI to issue a fatwa declaring Gafatar as heretical; but as Syafiq reminded the public, edicts are not legally binding.

Gafatar executives have repeatedly denied that their organization is linked to any religion, but rather that it is based on the state ideology Pancasila. Many news outlets linked Gafatar with Al Qiyadah al Islamiyah, founded by Ahmad Mussadeq who was sentenced by the South Jakarta District Court to four years in jail in 2008 for defaming Islam.

Besides minorities, such as Gafatar, Ahmadiyah, Shiites and Christians, Indonesian Islam faces diverse contemporary challenges, including how to deal with minorities regarding sexual orientation '€” specifically lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.

The LGBT issue hit the headlines recently after conservative reports highlighted a support center for LGBT people at the University of Indonesia and prompted comments from officials. Research, Technology and Higher Education Minister Muhammad Nasir said LGBT people should be banned from campuses. Nasir, who was nominated to the Cabinet by the National Awakening Party (PKB), one of a number of parties founded by NU leaders, eventually withdrew his statement amid mounting criticism. Some LGBT activists have said the incident is a blessing in disguise as the issue is being discussed openly and they have received wide support, at least on social media.

Several years ago, NU youths in Semarang proposed acceptance of same-sex marriage as an acknowledgement of LGBT rights. Advocates of this proposal cited religious teachings that urged protection of the weak and oppressed (dhaif) groups and discouraged people from becoming oppressors (dhalimin).

If NU could become a pioneer in protecting minorities '€” despite controversies over sexual orientation and differences in theology among members and among other Muslims (akidah) '€” the organization would survive in facing challenges. NU surely would last longer, stay relevant and celebrate many more anniversaries in the years to come. Amin.

Happy 90th anniversary, NU!
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The author is a staff writer at The Jakarta Post and a cofounder and chairman of the Journalist Association for Diversity (Sejuk).