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By the way ... Who is the most Islamic of us all?
âMirror-mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?âThat was the question Ravenna, Snow Whiteâs evil stepmother, obsessed about
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'Mirror-mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?'
That was the question Ravenna, Snow White's evil stepmother, obsessed about. She consulted her magic mirror daily, always expecting it to confirm she was the fairest ' i.e. the most beautiful. What an insecure, egocentric little ninny!
It turns out that a number of Muslims have the Ravenna mentality: 'Muslim' terrorists bombing other Muslims who don't subscribe to their dangerous extremist beliefs; the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) issuing fatwas and edicts, most recently against the Gafatar movement, pronouncing it deviant and heretical; the Religious Affairs Ministry, and even non-religious institutions like the Home Ministry and the Supreme Court, which in 2008 issued a joint decree banning Ahmadiyah, and the government with its discriminatory and oppressive blasphemy laws (e.g. Presidential Decree No. 1/PNPS/1965).
And guess what? Even our own family members indulge in Ravennaism.
Recently, Emma, a lecturer and social activist, and a close friend, came to me deeply upset, enraged and saddened. She poured her heart out about the lifelong abuse she had suffered from her family. To keep the peace, she usually copped it, but she felt the recent incident was the last straw.
She told me she had always tried to be a devoted daughter to her parents, despite the fact that their worldview was basically patriarchal, in contrast to her egalitarian, humanist and open-minded view on life.
While she herself was basically a spiritual Muslim, she tolerated her family's adherence to a narrow and shallow interpretation of religion, and ritualistic practice of Islam.
Given their patriarchal beliefs, her parents had not contributed much to her education or success, believing that a woman's place was in the home, and her role to be an appendage to the men in her life. Emma was thus basically self-made, but nevertheless always happy to share her success, both material as well as non-material, with her family. And of course, her professional integrity and social reputation meant she was a credit to her family name.
Being basically a secure and confident person, she usually forgave her mother's favoritism toward her brother, as well as his abusive behavior toward her (a projection of his dissatisfaction with his own life), because she felt she had been endowed with greater intelligence, success and good fortune in life.
Recently, an aggressive outburst from her brother for no apparent reason (not an uncommon occurrence), shocked not only her, but also her mum. However, instead of the latter condemning her son's behavior, she asked Emma: 'Do you think that your brother has a problem with you because you don't abide by religion?'
That was really the last straw for Emma, after lifelong discrimination, abuse and bullying. Usually she just grit her teeth and swallowed it, out of love for her family. She was ready to forgive the past, even the recent past, but enough was enough. Her brother could get away with murder, it seemed, but anything Emma did was just never good enough.
Her mother didn't realize that her innocent (read: ignorant) remark was a defamatory condemnation of her daughter, and a dismissal of Emma's sacrifices and contribution to the family.
What is religion in Emma's mum's eyes? Simply praying five times a day, fasting and other ritualistic practices. But there were many Islamic precepts that her mum was oblivious to. For example, Islam forbids parents favoring one child over another as it creates discord between them. Discrimination and injustice always do. Islam also forbids us to judge other people's religious worship. Hablum-minallah is the notion of the relationship between humans and God, which is purely an individual responsibility.
Furthermore, in Islam, the pursuit of knowledge is held as the highest form of worship, especially if one shares it with others. So in her profession as a lecturer and scholar, Emma had actually been engaging in religious worship. When it comes to the study of Islam, there is the belief that 'Two hours of thinking about the Koran's meaning is better than one hundred years of praying.' Ijtihad (critical thinking) and reflection are also two of the highest precepts in Islam -- which Emma's mum is clearly clueless about.
Fundamental to all religions is tolerance, compassion, forgiveness and the quest for truth and justice. Ravenna's magic mirror reflects envy, discrimination, insecurity, egocentrism and, ultimately, evil.
Emma's mum Ravennaism is something she has in common with her fellow 'Muslim' terrorist compatriots. What a shock it would be for her if she realized it.
' Julia Suryakusuma
