Francis meets a moderate and tolerant Islam

Night has fallen on Jakarta, and the heat is less stifling. Her face wrapped in a pretty pale pink hijab, Alyah is enjoying a spicy beef stew in the halal restaurant Garuda. With her friend Aminah, her long jet-black hair loose over her shoulders, they are leaving the pharmacy college after a long day of classes. One wears a veil, the other does not. “I am free to wear it or notexplains AlyahI don’t feel any constraint even if my parents are rather traditional, and sometimes I even remove it depending on where I am.”

Smiling, Aminah points out that she “don’t wear it often”, except when she goes to the mosque, ” from time to time “. Surprised that they are asked such questions about the veil, they insist on the nature of Indonesian Muslim society, which they describe in unison as“open and tolerant, even towards women, far from the images of an oppressive radical Islam in the Middle East.” Behind them, on the terrace, girls without veils are vaping while laughing with friends.

In the Muslim world, Indonesian Islam, which Pope Francis is meeting from September 3 to 6, is an exception. Neither a secular state nor a theocracy, Indonesia (280 million inhabitants) presents a religious face with a Muslim majority (88%) but great ethnic and spiritual diversity. A mosaic of sensibilities, ranging from total tolerance to extreme rigidity. One of the singularities of this immense country, more than 4,000 kilometers long, divided into thousands of islands, which communicate with each other to weld national unity.

“An open society where women play a major role”

“We live a serene and tolerant Islam,” “We are not going to be able to do this,” says Farid Saenong, chairman of the education and research program at the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, the largest in Southeast Asia, which can accommodate more than 110,000 worshipers. “Although there is a wide range of sensitivities within the Indonesian Muslim family, continues this graduate in social anthropology, We have debates, and everyone can express their opinions, their differences and their disagreements. And we are fortunate today to have moderate political leaders.”

For Imran Mohamed Taib, founding director of the Dialogue Center institute in Singapore, a leading specialist in Asian Islam, “The more you study Indonesian Islam, the more you understand Islam and the less radical you become. This is the mystery of the Indonesian system which is an open society where women play a major role… This alchemy cannot tolerate radicals and terrorism, even though the danger always exists.”

For the highly respected theologian Mukti Ali Qusyairi, who teaches at the Grand Mosque, there are three main reasons for this singularity: “Within our Islam, even if there is only one dogma, there is a bubbling of ideas that allows a great variety of interpretations that avoid falling into extremism.”

Ancient traditions still very much alive

Referring to the multitude of ethnic groups (from the Bataks in Sumatra to the Papuans, including the Bugis or Torajas of Sulawesi), cultures and specific local histories, this former student of Al-Azhar in Cairo insists on the fact that “Indonesian Islam respects all its customs and traditions, which predate the arrival of Islam.” Adding: “We did not destroy them but integrated them into Islam, it is a strength and a solid foundation on which we have built our unique Islam in a universality of values.”

Here again, in his eyes, ancient traditions that are still very much alive protect against any Islamist radicalism. Finally, Mukti Ali is convinced that “The large number of Koranic schools throughout the country, traditional and sometimes even radical, produce well-trained imams and ulama who become more flexible with time and practice.” Concluding very clearly: “ Those who become terrorists have never been to these schools, are ignorant, can be manipulated and easily fall into radical extremism.”

In fact, the country experienced a wave of deadly Islamist attacks in the early 2000s, in Jakarta, Bali and the Moluccas, largely manipulated by local political movements and the army. “There is no denying that some Muslim groups are trying to import the ideology of hatred from the Middle East,” recognizes Ahmad Zainul Hamdi, a professor of Quranic studies from Surabaya, who today works at the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

“Very strong prejudices between different religious communities”

Despite a generally positive and tolerant image portrayed by the Indonesian government and religious authorities, Ahmad Zainul Hamdi admits that there are “Here, too, there are very strong prejudices between the different religious communities. Stereotypes die hard, mistrust is latent but does not cause conflicts. We can say that there is a peaceful coexistence between the different religions.” With sometimes unfair treatment and a certain form of segregation.

“Compared to Saudi Arabia or Pakistan, Islam here is moderate,” recognizes the Jesuit Setyo Wibowo, who studied for ten years in Europe. “But the civil code and Muslim law sometimes overlap and create problems, especially in the provinces,” he laments. Building a new church is an obstacle course, both with the administration and with the local Muslim populations, who must give their approval 90% of the time. An insurmountable barrier.

“Unless you build on a large uninhabited piece of land, says Father Wibonoit is almost mission impossible, just like getting your new religion registered on your identity card for converts to Catholicism… Permanent harassment, ordinary discrimination!” But everyone recognizes that tensions are stronger with regard to the Protestant Churches, which are much more proselytizing and active in the public space, perceived as an aggression by Muslims.

The fact remains that the Pope’s visit is seen as a great honour by the vast majority of Indonesian Muslim intellectuals. “We are not a predominantly Catholic country, but when the Pope chooses to visit us we are delighted to welcome him,” said to The Cross the great iman of the Istiqlal mosque in Jakarta, Nasaruddin Umar. “He knows that Catholics are respected and integrated in the country and I will be happy to meet him at the mosque on September 5th.he adds, This is a strong sign of a respectful and trusting dialogue between us.”