H. Agoes Salim's View on Nationality and Religious Freedom

 

MINISTRY OF RELIGION IN THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA

The basis of our country is actually based on three main points of unity: one homeland, one nationality, and one language.

In essence, from the three main points of unity, only the unity of the homeland is the original one. Regarding national unity, various opinions have been put forward by various scholars of knowledge at different times.

There is one thing that is odd in the meaning of nationality. This oddity is very evident in the Arabic word, which is closer in meaning to the words nation and nationality, namely the "sha'b" accent. The word, which is used for large qabilah (ethnic groups), so that they can stand alone, contains two contradictory meanings: (1) the meaning of "gathering" and (2) the meaning of "separating". Indeed, these two contradictory meanings are included in national character.

A person who feels belonging, meaning gathered, to one nation automatically considers "foreign", that is, separate, each person, who does not belong to his nation. On the other hand, we also feel ourselves "foreign" or separate, if we are among other nations, not ours. This feeling at an exaggerated level is usually called an "ant character", because ants, who are very harmonious and very disciplined in their own "nation", namely friends of ants in the same nest, remain hostile and fight when they meet ants from other nests.

More or less the same is the case with each animal race, for example coyotes and so on which in the wild congregate in one herd.

From this information, we can conclude that the feeling of nationality becomes as if part of our character, even though it is not innate from birth, but grows in social life.

The third point of unity, namely one language, is not actually a requirement for national unity. For example, the Swiss nation has one homeland and one nationality and since centuries they have always united to defend the independence of their homeland and their nation against every foreign nation who wants to dominate it. Even then, the Swiss still speak three languages: French in the west, German in the north and east, Italian in the south. The Beldjika or Belgians speak two languages: Vlaming in the west and north, French in the east and south.

But our nation, Indonesia in its independence movement has felt the need to have a language of unity in its political struggle to oppose the division, which was deliberately carried out by the colonialists; and again to expedite our movement efforts to cover all nations in our entire archipelago. So we have made the unity of language as a material for unity and the national language as an obligation which we have recognized together with the strength of the oath of our youth movement in 1928, and further strengthened by the youth movement from year to year, so that it is made law in the constitution. law of our country.

Our national anthem is in Indonesian. Our declaration of independence is pronounced in Indonesian. And our young generation has published sound arts and literature in Indonesian.

But apart from the three points of unity, we admit, we even guarantee the independence of the citizens and residents in religious and political beliefs, in the way of earning sustenance and happiness in life, in words giving birth to thoughts and opinions, orally or in writing or in print. With only one condition, namely as long as it does not violate the rights of association or the rights of each person, and also does not violate the civility of the public, and does not violate the order of security and peace.

In this essay we want to manifest an interest in religious freedom. How independence should be understood in our country, which is based on belief in the One Godhead.

Can we recognize the independence of the belief of people who negate God? Or a religious belief that recognizes a multiplicity or division of God?

Sure and sure! Because our constitution, as well as the constitution of every country that has manners and decency, recognizes and guarantees the freedom of religious belief, only with the aforementioned limits, namely as long as it does not violate the rights of association and each person. , do not violate the etiquette of public decency, orderly security and peace.

The principle of Belief in One God is the principle of our country, as a result of democracy, which is the main pillar in the Constitution of our country. Our nation is almost entirely Muslim, the religion of monotheism which is as strict as possible. Those who are Christians or Christians, with differences in aqaib teachings, at least not many people, including religions based on the oneness of God (monotheism).

Now faced with the absolute freedom of belief, what is the position and what is the task of the Ministry of Religion in our country which is a unitary state and takes the form of a republic?

To answer that question, we must examine whether the basis for the establishment of the Ministry of Religion, or more specifically the Ministry of Religious Affairs, which probably does not meet such a ministry in most independent countries in the world.

In this examination, we will find that when Japan entered, he found the office of worship affairs (Eeredienst) in the Department of Teaching and Worship Affairs (Onderwijs en Eeredienst) within the structure of the Dutch East Indies colonial government. He also obtained the office of the Advisor on Islamic Religious Affairs and the Arabs (Adviseur voor Islamietische en Arabische Zaken).

During the Dutch rule, the Office for Worship Affairs had the task of supervising, first of all, the Protestant church and the Catholic (Missie) church, it also had an official position and the priests received recognition from the government and were paid a salary from the state treasury.

In addition to that, the office also had matters relating to various Christian religious broadcasting institutions (Zending) which were not directly included in the official church environment and which, apart from undertaking the broadcasting of their religion, provided teaching and treatment, with schools and hospitals, by obtaining expenditure assistance (subsidy) from the state treasury.

In general, affairs with the church (missie and zending) and so on are purely technical in nature (money matters and areas of work), not about religious teaching or politics.

The position of the office of the Advisor for Islamic Affairs and the Arabs is very different. This office is very much about politics. His first task is to spy on all movements regarding religion and politics among Muslims, both regarding their teachings and worship, as well as political movements based on Islam.

As for the Japanese power from the start, it was very interesting to see the influence that the work of the two offices could have. Indeed, the Japanese power, especially because it was facing a state of war, wanted to control and influence all the affairs of the people. Therefore, from the beginning, the Office of Religious Affairs was immediately established to continue the work of the offices from the Dutch period.

He did not pay much attention to the churches, missie and zending, which generally include foreign affairs. Most of the people who carry out the affairs of the agency belong to the "enemy" nation, most of whom are taken prisoner or internment and generally have very limited freedom of work.

But against the Islamic religion the Japanese held their own politics. With a very obvious intention, the Japanese gave extraordinary attention to the religion of Islam by using existing Islamic organizations and leaders, MIAI (Madjelis Islam A'la Indonesia) was given a special position to be able to oversee the movement and teaching of Islam in all areas. country by including all kyai and santri under the supervision and under the leadership of the MIAI.

But just as people's organizations outside of religious affairs in PUTERA (People's Power Center) cannot be turned from their spirit and spirit of love for the homeland and nation on the basis of Indonesian nationality and populism, so it turns out that MIAI cannot be turned away from religion. Sheer Islam. Courses were held for kyai under the name "Ulama Training" to include as much propaganda as possible and finally MIAI from the leadership body was turned into a consultative body under the name Masyumi (Majelis Shura Muslimin Indonesia).

The Japanese-made Masjumi automatically disbanded with the fall of Japan and almost all of its letters were destroyed by Japanese officials. Masjumi which was established later in independence as a union of all Islamic parties and associations had absolutely nothing to do with the former Masjumi.

The only result that can be achieved is to increase the influence of religion on the people, but not to dedicate the people to Japan's aims and objectives. Islamic high schools can stand to become the seeds of Islamic universities that exist today. An Islamic library building was built which also continued in the republic. Thus by divine destiny the Japanese rule over our homeland, resulted in real progress for the Islamic religion in the way of organization and teaching.

The attention that was ingrained in the government was not allowed to go unnoticed again when our Republic was founded. This was the beginning of the Ministry of Religious Affairs which welcomed the legacy of the former Dutch rule and later Japanese rule.

But the politics of religion in our republic is different from the politics of the past. In the first place, it does not aim to help exaggerate the efforts of other religions to convert Muslims from their original religion. On the other hand, he did not prohibit, let alone punish religious life.

Regarding Islam, our government's politics does not look at it with jealousy or suspicion like the Dutch used to and does not intend to exaggerate the hatred and hostility among Muslims towards the "religion of the colonialists".

But as it is fitting, as a government over a nation of which approximately ninety percent or more, born in and living in the hereditary Islamic customs, the government's politics shows as much attention and exaggerates efforts to promote religious education. Islam and encourage and support the progress and development of all the traits and natures desired by Islam for virtue (islah) and achieving glory (falah) for the homeland and the nation as a whole.

All of this is carefully guarded by the authorities, so as to respect the absolute independence of each person with regard to his religion, whether Islam or another, whether in aqaid or worship or the Shari'a, regarding each individual person or religious associations. . And all this by keeping in mind the conditions that limit absolute freedom, as explained earlier.

As a result, the Ministry of Religious Affairs of our country still has to remember that even though the majority of our nation is Muslim, our country does not stipulate Islam as a state religion that is obligatory on all people.

Agreeing with the principles taught in Islam, we must admit that the existence of these various religions in the world is indeed desired by Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala as stated in the Quran Surah Al-Maidah, verse 51; second part: (And for each We have provided a way and a guide. If Allah had willed, surely you would have been made one people, but (he has destined it as that) so that he may try you in the (religion) that he has given you. So compete -compete in virtue).

Even to those who negate God and who are religious in divinity in numbers or sharing, God does not want us to do coercion, nor is it justified for us to face reproaches and insults, remembering the word of Allah Ta'ala in Surah Al-An'am, verse 108 , the first part which means: (Do not insult anyone whom they call other than Allah).

In both cases it is stated that the final decision is only Allah Ta'ala who will give it in a way that can no longer be denied or avoided by anyone concerned. It is clearly stated in a verse that follows later (verse 111), that choosing a religious belief is not based on evidence and not by human will, but solely depends on the will of Allah:

While remembering the teachings of the Islamic religion, which has many more verses to explain and confirm it, we can understand that it is a very big and noble position and task in the field of the Ministry of Religious Affairs. It is especially important, because to his wisdom and skill very much depends on the maintenance of our national unity which is necessary to preserve and defend the unity of our homeland.

One in a solid solid unity, cannot be divided, separated or divided by anyone. Stay free! Stick together!