By Prof. Dr. Jimly Asshiddiqie. SH.
INTRODUCTION
First of all, I would like to convey my appreciation for the initiative of the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM) to hold this important Global Madani Forum (GMF) in Kuala Lumpur, 10-11 July 2024. I am really honoured to be invited to this event, and very happy to be able to attend and participate in this important forum. This forum is held to initiate the revival of Southeast Asia as the new center of civilization, especially in the Islamic world, amidst the dynamics of multi-polarization of power centers in the development of global life of humanity in the present and future.
In relation to Muslims, I estimate there are 2 possible new centers of civilization of the Islamic world that will emerge, i.e. (i) Islam in the western world, especially in Europe as the new center of Islamic civilization; and (ii) Islam Nusantara or Islam in the Southeast Asia Region, as the new center of Islamic civilization in the future. In this important forum, what we will prioritize is the exploration of the second possibility: the rise of Islamic civilization from the countries with archipelago culture, where the majority of the population are Muslim. However, even though the majority of the population of these Southeast Asian countries adhere to Islam (sunny), we also have long experience of interacting with all major world religions throughout history, namely Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity, both Protestant and Catholic. Even now, apart from Islam, the population of Southeast Asia, especially those whose countries are currently members of the ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nations), also many adhere to Buddhism, Hinduism, Protestant Christianity and Catholicism due to the influence of India, China and Europe for a long time.
The people of the archipelago have a long history of interacting with Indian, Chinese, Arab, Persian and Western cultural influences, especially English, Dutch, French, German, Portuguese and even Spanish. The Philippines, which was previously mostly Muslim, due to Spanish influence, is now a country with a majority Catholic population (78.8%). Likewise, Timor Leste, because of Portuguese influence, the majority of the population is Catholic (97%). Meanwhile, the majority of the population of Thailand (93.2%), Myanmar (87.9%), Cambodia (96.9%), and Laos (66%) adhere to Buddhism. Islam is the most widely practiced religion in 3 Southeast Asian countries, namely Indonesia (87.2% of the 281.6 million population), Malaysia (63.7% of the 34.6 million population), and Brunei Darussalam (78.8% of 455.9 thousand inhabitants). The religion most widely adhered to by the population of Southeast Asia is Islam (40%), followed by Buddhism (23.66%), Christianity (21.92%), Hinduism (1.2%), and adherents of folk-religions and adherents of atheism (13.22%).
MULTI-POLAR CIVILIZATIONS TOWARDS THE 22ND CENTURY
It must be admitted that the world today is experiencing tremendous changes in all areas of life. The map of human civilization has also undergone massive changes. The polarization of relations between and among civilizations which is usually understood to revolve between the west and the non-west or “the west and the rest”, is now experiencing changes both in the internal environment of the western world itself (the west) and in the non-western world or “the rest”. Civilizations in former colonial powers, such as England, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, have experienced competition among themselves. Likewise, communism countries which originally developed from Eastern Europe, as the antithesis to the practices of western liberalism and capitalism, proved to be failures and metamorphosed into new social, economic and political forces today.
Civilizations among nations continue to grow increasingly diverse and influence each other. British, French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and other civilizations which are usually referred to as “the west”, which have been building their own front under the leadership of the United States in facing “the rest of the world” – now – must face a new reality with the emergence of the new powerful China which is moving very quickly, controlling the global economy. In fact, after World War II with the victory of the west and the end of the cold war era in the second half of the 20th century, with the collapse of the communist regime in Eastern Europe and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the developing world became centralized in western control under a single leadership of the United States of America.
However, with the emergence of new powers in Asia, marked by the resurgence of China and Russia, the world seems to be aware that new powers have emerged in the global economic and political system. In fact, more and more countries are currently trying to free themselves from the dominance of US dollar and the economic influence of the United States by forming a new front initiated by BRICS. Joining in this de-dollarization movement are not only former communist countries, such as Russia, but also several countries that are usually known as close allies of the United States, have also joined the BRICS, such as India, Brazil, South Africa and even Saudi Arabia. All are trying to free themselves from the dependence on the dominance of the United States and its allies, especially in the economic and financial fields. All of this will have a serious impact on the emergence of a wave of multi-polarism in competition and cooperative relations between nations in the world, both in the economic, social and global political fields.
Meanwhile, new phenomena have also emerged in the world in relation to Islam. In almost all western countries, both in Europe and America, as well as Australia, there is a wave of hatred toward Islam (Islamophobia), to the point that the United Nations (UN) needs to designate March 15 as International Day to Combat Islamophobia starting in 2023. Why does it appear wave of Islamophobia everywhere around the world? First, of course because of the fear and hatred among non-Muslims which arose as a result of the behavior of many Muslim individuals who used to fight injustice against Muslims using violent means, up to actions which became known as terrorism. In general, people tend to ignore the causes of injustice behind the emergence of the hated wave of terrorism. However, in reality, it is commonly understood as the source of the problem of hatred towards Islam or the wave of “Islamophobia” everywhere throughout the world, especially in the western world.
Second, what cannot be ignored is the fact of rapid growth of Muslims throughout the world, especially in European countries, America, and even in Asia, Africa and Australia. The growth of the Muslim community occurred in part because (i) the large number of residents of Muslim countries who immigrated to European and American countries, either for economic reasons or because of conflict or war in their respective countries; (ii) high birth rates among Muslim families everywhere, both in Europe and America and in Asia and Africa, which exceed the birth rates of other religious groups; and (iii) waves of religious conversion and reversion or the large number of non-Muslims who become converts, both in Christian majority communities in Europe, in Hindu-majority communities in India, and in Buddhist majority communities, such as in Myanmar, Thailand , etc.
These three things, coupled with (iv) the emergence of a wave of atheism everywhere in Europe, America and Australia, have caused symptoms of empty church congregations, resulting in cases of selling church buildings and some even turning them into mosques. These new developments caused the growth of Islam in Europe and the United States to occur very quickly, giving rise to jealousy and even anger among non-Muslims as the majority population in their countries who felt that there was serious threat to the cultural identity of their people. Therefore, the PEW Research Center predicts that the number of Muslims in the world, starting in 2070, will exceed the total number of Christians, which includes Catholics, Protestants and Orthodox throughout the world. In fact, in almost all countries in Europe, the Muslim population has become the second largest adherent of the religion after Christianity or even after Atheism.
Moreover, Muslims in Europe and in western countries are growing at very high birth rates, so that in the next 25-50 years, the population of productive age, especially in Europe, will be dominated by the young Muslim generation who will play a determining role in their respective communities and countries. This means that Muslim civilization will have a great opportunity to grow and develop in the western countries in the future. What remains is to reflect on the importance of reorganizing relations that are more peaceful, harmonious and productive between Muslims and the western world. The key to progress and increasing the role of Muslims in building civilization in and from the western world in the future is the reconciliation of relations between “Islam and the west” which recorded bad experiences in the colonial era, from the 17th century to the 20th century. Even since the founding of Israel with the help of England and other western countries, until now, relations between the Christian western world have always treated the Arab people, especially the Palestinians, unfairly by continuously backing Israel at the expense of the Palestinian people.
Even though Jews and Muslims have never been violently hostile throughout history, as in the experience of Jews versus Christians, or Christians versus Muslims through the Crusades (1095-1291) in the dark times of relations between the followers of the prophet Abraham (Abrahamic religions). In social agreement known as Medina Charter made during the time of the Prophet in 622 AD, it is very clear how Muslims emphasized their attitude to protect the Jews in the city state of Medina in the 1st century Hijriyah or 7th century AD. When there was a massacre and expulsion of Muslims from Andalusia by Spanish Catholics in the 16th century, those who were also affected were the Jews who were also expelled from Spain. They fled with Muslims to North Africa, especially to Morocco, and were accommodated and protected by Muslims. Lastly, when the massacre or holocaust occurred between 1941-1945 in Hitler’s Germany, the majority of Christian society in Europe, especially the Catholic church, did not defend Jews at all. Those who accommodated Jewish people fleeing from Germany and its surroundings at that time were countries in the Middle East, especially the Turkish government.
Therefore, Islam is the one who always appears to help and defend the Jewish people, but it is also the Muslims who are always treated unfairly and become victims of injustice in the competitive relations among followers of the religion of Prophet Ibrahim peace be upon him. Thus, the future civilization of the western world is very dependent on efforts for peaceful reconciliation between nations that adhere to Christianity, Judaism and Islam in the future, with the willingness of Muslims to initiate the reconciliation agenda in question, solely for the sake of peaceful world in the future. One of the most important keys to resolving the problems between “Islam and the west” is a peaceful settlement between Israel and Palestine as two countries that are both independent and sovereign. The Islamic Ummah of Southeast Asia, and the Islamic world in general, especially through the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), and the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) could take the initiative so that such a reconciliation agenda can be realized.
PIONEER IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ISLAMIC CIVILIZATION
The growth and development of Islam throughout history has provided opportunities for many nations to play important and decisive role in the propagation and progress of Islamic civilization. The nations that have recorded historical role with aggressive missionary or da’wah activities, trade and scientific activities, were firstly started by the Arabs in the Middle East. The Arabs, in collaboration with Swahili people in Africa, succeeded in expanding the influence of Islam, so that the African continent was once recognized as “the continent of Islam” in history. Since the time of the Umayyad dynasty, the expansion of Islam into Central Asia has also been very rapid because of the very influential role of the Persians. The Turkish people are also noted to have played important role and made major contribution to the development of Islam to Europe, especially under the rule of the Ottoman caliphate.
In the South Asian region, namely the Indian sub-continent and Sri Lanka, Islam has also developed very rapidly since the first century of the Hijriyah. Even though the majority of the population in this area is Hindu, Islam is growing very quickly. In fact, the Mughal Empire (1526-1857) or the Islamic-style Moghul empire was able to control South Asia, India and its surroundings for 331 years. One of the important remains of Islam in India is the Taj Mahal which is today still used as a tourism symbol for India, where the majority of the population is Hindu. This is in contrast to Indonesia, where the majority of the population is Muslim, but makes Borobudur, which is a legacy of the Buddhist-style Srivijaya kingdom, influenced by the Indian people as a symbol of Indonesia’s national tourism to this day.
In short, the Arabs, the Swahili, the Persians, the Turks, the Indians and even the Mongols have played important roles in developing Islamic preaching and the advancement of civilization of Islam in history. What has not been discussed much in history is the role of Muslims living in the Southeast Asia region who are now part of the ASEAN association. Indonesia itself is recorded as the country with the largest population in Southeast Asia, namely 279.59 million people and occupies the 4th largest position in the world, after India (1.44 billion), China (1.43 billion), and the USA (341 .64 million). In 5th and 6th place are Pakistan with a population of 244.77 million people and Nigeria with 228.64 million people.
Until 2023, Indonesia is the country with the largest Muslim population in the world, namely 229.0 million or 87.2% of the total population. The number of Muslims in Pakistan was recorded at 220.4 million, India 195.0 million, Bangladesh 153.7 million, and Nigeria 99.0 million. However, by 2024, it is predicted that the Muslim population in Pakistan will exceed the number of Indonesian Muslims. Pakistan’s Muslim population is recorded at 240.8 million while the Muslim population in Indonesia is 236 million. Moreover, if you add the Muslim population in India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and other countries in the South Asian region, the Muslim population there, is much larger than the Muslim population in Southeast Asia. The total Muslim population in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia and other ASEAN member countries is recorded at less than 300 million people. Meanwhile, the Muslim population in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh alone is recorded at around 562,500 million people.
However, as explained above, it can be said that Southeast Asian Muslims have not yet contributed much to the development of Islamic da’wah and civilization throughout history. Currently, a new wave of developments is developing in the global economic order, where the Asia and Pacific basin area is expected to become a new center for economic growth, industry and world trade in the future. The Southeast Asia region is the easternmost region of the Muslim community in Asia and Africa and beyond. Therefore, Muslims of this area, who have not played much of a role in the historical development of the Islamic world in the past, have the opportunity to rise and build themselves as the new center of civilization of Islamic world in the future. Moreover, the people of the archipelago live in a natural environment that is very rich in natural resources in the earth, water and on the air along with all the natural richness contained therein as an infinite gift from Allah. With a very large quantity of people, what is needed in the future is efforts to improve the quality of human resources to manage and make the best use of all the gifts of natural resources from God, the Almighty, the Most Merciful for the benefit of all people.
ISLAM NUSANTARA
As explained above, the total Muslim population in Southeast Asia region is recorded at around 300 million people with growth continuing to increase, either due to conversion or reversion to Islam, or because birth rate which is relatively higher compared to adherents of other religions. Southeast Asian countries where the majority of Muslim population are Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam. Meanwhile, Singapore, even though its Muslim population is currently still in third place, it is estimated that by the end of the 21st century, Islam will become the largest religion adhered to by Singaporeans.
Likewise, the development of Islam in the Philippines, Thailand and also in Cambodia can be said to be very fast and requires careful attention among leaders of the surrounding Muslim countries. In fact, Islamic preaching is considered very minimal and complete in Vietnam, which has resulted in many Muslim adherents there whose practice of religious worship is mixed with the religious traditions inherited by the local population from their ancestors. Likewise, da’wah in rural areas and inland areas of Indonesia was also very much influenced by the arrival of missions from Europe and America which were very actively funded with a cultural approach that really attracted the interest of indigenous tribes in remote areas of the archipelago.
It must be acknowledged that the historical development of Islam’s arrival in the archipelago and the ease and speed with which Islam spread throughout Southeast Asia is partly due to the cultural and economic approaches which are very influential among the people of the archipelago. Islam was first introduced to the archipelago in 31 AH/651 AD, during the reign of the caliph Uthman bin ‘Affan. Arab traders, also recorded in 674 AD, had established trade relations on the coast of the island of Sumatra, especially in Padang and Aceh. Since then, Islam has continued to be introduced and slowly many residents of Sumatra and then the population of Java began to embrace Islam. In fact, between the 13th and 16th centuries AD, followers of Islam had surpassed the number of followers of Hinduism and Buddhism as the dominant religion in Sumatra and Java, where previously the majority adhered to Hinduism and Buddhism. During the Sriwijaya era (6th century to 11th century) the dominant religion, especially in Sumatra, was Buddhism with lingua-franca which later became known as Malay written in the rencong script or “ka ga nga” letters which were influenced by Palawa script from India.
With the increasing expansion of the population of the archipelago who were Muslim, this had an influence on political developments which gave birth to many Islamic kingdoms on the islands of Java, Sumatra, the Malaysian peninsula, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, as far as Ternate and Tidore until the influence of European nations from Portugal, Spain, England, France, Germany and the Netherlands in the era of colonialism, from the beginning of the 17th century until the end of World War II in the mid-20th century. During the long colonial period, the Muslim population of the archipelago remained strong in maintaining their faith so that until now, the majority of the population of Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam still adhere to Islam.
The Muslim population of the archipelago is classified as very strong in their faith, because Islam was introduced as a peaceful religion that brings solutions to life happiness for its adherents. Islam was spread not through violence and armed war, but through cultural approaches and trade activities. Islam was preached through the cultural system of the Indo Malay people by adapting to the traditions and customs of local communities. Because of this, there are more or less elements of syncretism, especially in society on the island of Java, in the Islamic culture of the archipelago which adheres to the ideology of ahlussunnah wal jamaah (Aswaja). In the science of ushul fiqh, it is known that there is a maxim “al’adatummuhakkamaat”, that customs, as long as they do not conflict with Quran and Sunnah, are also seen as a source of law in religion.
Therefore, it must be understood that the characteristics of Islam in the archipelago region do not have to be 100 percent the same as the religious practices of Muslims in the Middle East, or in other countries. Archipelago Islam or Islam Nusantara has a more inclusive spirit, accepting and respecting all differences, even among people of other religions, such as Protestant, Catholics, Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, and even adherents of religious beliefs before the arrival of Hindu religious influence from India in the past. From recent researches, there are quite convincing evidence that adherents of religious beliefs (folk religions) in Indonesia, for example, do not adhere to the teachings of Hinduism as is generally misunderstood up to now. In general, folk religions in inland or remote areas in Indonesia apparently adhere to their own teachings which are also monotheistic, believing in the Almighty God as is meant by Tawhid in Islamic teachings. However, the expression of their beliefs in the practice of religious worship is completely far from the practice of Islamic, Hindu or Buddhist teachings.
Therefore, it can be said that the characteristics of Islam in Southeast Asia can be used in inclusive relationships in a global world that is growing increasingly diverse in the present and future. Indo-Malay Muslims can be the pioneers in building truer world peace in the future based on mutual respect for differences. In fact, Indonesian and Malaysian Muslims who live dynamically in the midst of diversity can also pioneer a world that is no longer focused on the paradigm of games, competitions and competitions, but is more oriented towards developing a paradigm of collaboration with a spirit of mutual cooperation between fellow groups of humanity, or fellow children and grandchildren of the prophets Adam and Eve. This is what is called “gotong-royong” in Indonesia. The perspective of religious communities in the future must be inclusive and recognize that all religions originate from the teachings of the prophet Adam peace be upon him until deviations occurred in their respective religious worship practices and then new prophets were sent by Allah SWT to straighten out human understanding of life. This is the prophetic task, Muhammad peace be upon him, as the ruler and at the same time the last prophet sent by Allah SWT, to straighten out and direct world life in a better, more advanced, free, more just, and physically and spiritually prosperous direction in the bonds of human brotherhood that increasingly high quality and integrity.
The next problem is how best Muslims in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, and even Muslims in Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia and others can work together to develop initiatives for the revival of the Muslims of Indo-Malay nations or Muslim Nusantara in the Southeast Asia region in the future? Muslims in the archipelago are separated into different political regions of respective independent states. Indonesia, as a newly formed nation with its own language since the Youth Pledge on October 28, 1928, makes it very difficult to call itself a Malay nation and speaks Malay language. For Indonesians, the Malays are just one of the ethnic groups that live on parts of the islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan. Likewise, Malay language is only recognized by most Indonesians as one of more than 700 regional languages throughout Indonesia. Besides, if it is related to the issue of religious identity, Malays are often only associated with Islamic identity. In fact, the number of non-Muslim believers in Indonesia today is far greater than the population of Malaysia and Brunei put together. Therefore, Indonesian identity as a national identity and bahasa Indonesia as the unifying language of the Indonesian nation are very difficult to compromise with the term Malay-ness as being understood by Malaysian people. Therefore, efforts to revive the spirit of the region as a new center of Islamic civilization in the future require a fundamental cultural agreement among the leaders of the Indo-Malay tribe in the Southeast Asia region to unite the steps necessary to move forward.
The center of civilization must also be equipped with the conditions necessary for it. Indo-Malay or Nusantara Muslims in the Southeast Asia region, apart from being able to rely on (i) the quantity of the Muslim population, and (ii) the quantity of natural resource wealth found in the earth, water and air of the region, (iii) also need to improve the quality of human resources who master and apply modern science and technology, above the average quality index at the global level, who can be expected to (iv) be able to manage and make their own use of abundant natural resource wealth for their own communities in the region. Another factor that is also very determining is (v) the quality of social, economic and political institutions in countries with a majority Muslim population in the region. Because in principle, as Sayyidina Ali ibn Abi Thalib once stated, “Al-haqqu bila nizhom, yaghlibuhu al-bathil binnizhom”. Something that is true but not well organized will definitely be defeated by something that is false but well organized. Therefore, the final key to the revival of the center of Islamic civilization in Southeast Asia is organizational quality, both in the field of state politics, in the economic and business or corporate world, as well as regarding the quality of social and community organizations or civil society organizations in the Muslim community in general of the Asian region. Southeast.
NUSANTARA INITIATIVE FOR ISLAM AND WORLD PEACE
To mobilize initiatives for the revival of the archipelago as a new center of civilization in the Islamic world, firstly, it can be proposed that Muslim leaders throughout Southeast Asia can hold regular meetings to discuss the agenda for building a new center of civilization as a follow-up to this forum we are currently attending; Second, it can also be considered that there is a serious need to unify the global Islamic calendar system, especially in determining the schedule for the Hajj and Eid al-Adha, and the schedule for the months of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr each calendar year. This is important for uniting the Islamic world, at least starting with unifying the Hijri calendar system. This decision regarding the unification of the Islamic calendar should be officially adopted as part of the OIC Summit Meeting agenda in due course. But the first initiative to propose it must come from the Muslim countries of the new center of Islamic civilization to be, that is from Islam Nusantara; Third, among countries with the greatest economic performance, it is also necessary to hold strategic cooperation forums in the economic and financial fields in the medium and long term. Ten to twenty countries with the largest economic performance among OIC member countries can build strategic alliances in the field of sustainable mining and energy economics, so that their natural resources are not exploited by other parties who do not care about problems faced by the Islamic world.
Fourth, to initiate various agendas for world peace, Nusantara Muslims can propose reconciliation efforts between state leaders and leaders of Abrahamic religions, namely Sunny and Shiite Islam, Catholicism, Protestant, Orthodox Christian, as well as Jews together with leaders of countries with a majority population of these religions. Dialogue and multi-alogue between state leaders and religious leaders can bridge the feuds between adherents of the three religions of Abraham peace be upon him. This started by resolving the long-standing conflict between Israel and Palestine. If the Israeli versus Palestinian conflict can be resolved well and peacefully, then half of the problems facing humanity in the world be resolved. All of this can start with a religious and cultural approach among fellow followers of the prophet Abraham and the children and grandchildren of the descendants of the prophet Adam and Siti Hawa.
