Jangan Mengkerdilkan Agama dengan ulah ekstrim

Oleh : Ali Syarief

Ketika seluruh Pendeta Hindu di Bali berkumpul, dalam rangka perenungan setelah Bom Bali meledak, disaksikan oleh para kepala negara asing waktu itu, dan disiarkan keseluruh pelosok dunia, Pendata tertinggi Bali itu dalam mengawali do’anya, Ia berkata seperti ini; “Alam Bali sudah kotor, marilah kita bersihkan kembali oleh kita semua, dengan masing-masing membersihkan diri”. Kemudian salah seorang keluarga korban Bom JW Mariot, dalam mengantar mendiang Mokodompis keliang lahatnya, beliau berkata; “jangan membalas kekerasan dengan kekerasan, marilah kita balas dengan kebaikan”.

Dua pernyataan tersebut itu, bagi saya sebagai seorang Muslim telah membuat diri ini merasa dijatuhkan kedalam derajat yang paling rendah, malu dan merasa terhinakan oleh mereka yang merasa telah berjuang mengatas namakan Tuhan dan Agama dengan membunuh orang-orang yang tak berdosa. Mereka biadab. Mereka telah meluluh rantahkan sendi-sendi kehidupan manusia lain. Berapa banyak keluarga yang akan menanggung derita akibat perbuatan keji itu. Isak tangis dan cucuran air mata yang tidak sepatutnya membajiri pipi mereka. Kerugian secara ekonomi pun, meluas. Bukan saja kedua hotel itu yang harus segara di rehabilitasi, tetapi nasib ratusan orang dan keluarga yang berkeja di kedua hotel itupun akan terganggu. Sementara saudara-saudara kita yang memiliki jiwa enterpreneur, ingin mengadu nasib untuk meraih keuntungan dari kehadiran kesebelasan Manchester United, harus gigit jari karena mereka urun hadir di Senayan, gara-gara hotel yang mereka akan inapi di hancurkan.

Kekesalan itu saya tulis dalam beberapa status saya, hingga aklhirnya saya menulis seperti ini; “Thus, if a Muslim decides to blow himself up and take innocent people’s lives with him, we cannot deem that such an act represents Islam,” Radicalism was born from individuals’ misinterpretations of religious teachings. Pada status sebelumnya saya turunkan seperti ini : “Extremists in any religion or culture are very frightened confused people”

Ada alasan yang melatar belekangi mengapa saya tulis status seperti tersebut. Saya menemukan dua kalimat kunci didalam kitab suci yang saya kagumi yaitu Al-qurnulkarim. Kalimat itu ialah; “ya ayuhaladzina amanu ittaqullah” dan “Ya ayuhannas ittakurobakum”. Artinya, yang pertama, tentu ini ditujukan kapada orang Islam, “hei orang yang beriman, bertaqwallah kepada Allah” dan yang kedua “Hei manusia semua, bertaqwalah kepada tuhan-tuhan kamu”. Saya memahami nya bahwa Tuhan telah meminta kepada semua manusia untuk mengikuti dan taat kepada aturan tuhan-tuhan sesuai dengan keyakinan masing-masing.

Inilah yang telah membuat diri saya tersenyum ikhlas; ketika melihat seorang Muslim beribadah di masjidnya, ketika seorang kristiani pergi ke gerejanya, ketika seorang Hindu membawa persembahan ke pura-puranya, ketika seorang Budha menyulut dupa di hadapan Patung Budha Gautama, dst.

Radicalism born from misinterpretation: Religious expert

The Jakarta Post ,  In the wake of attacks of two suicide bombers who detonated bombs at the JW Marriot and Ritz-Carlton hotels in Jakarta on Friday, a prominent religious figure said radicalism was born from individuals’ misinterpretations of religious teachings.

“Thus, if a Muslim decides to blow himself up and take innocent people’s lives with him, we cannot deem that such an act represents Islam,” Nadhlatul Ulama (NU) chairman Hasyim Muzadi said during an inter-religion prayer near the Friday bomb sites in Kuningan, Central Jakarta, on Monday.

“Indonesians are victims of misinterpretation that has given birth to acts of terrorism.”

Prabowo Subianto, the running mate of trailing presidential candidate Megawati Sukarnoputri said there were only a few radicals in Indonesia.

“But they are capable of brutally devastating the country. We must remain alert,” he said. (hdt)

Obama condemns Jakarta Bomb attacks

detikcom : Ada \’Cicak\’ di Tugu Proklamasi

title : Ada \’Cicak\’ di Tugu Proklamasi
summary : Serangan terhadap Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi (KPK) terus berdatangan. Untuk menyelamatkan institusi tersebut, CICAK (Cintai Indonesia Cintai KPK) siap dideklarasikan.

Megachurch pastor Rick Warren addresses US Muslims

Defying some of his fellow conservative Christian critics, one of the most prominent religious leaders in the country told several thousand American Muslims on Saturday that “the two largest faiths on the planet” must work together to combat stereotypes and solve global problems.

“Some problems are so big you have to team to tackle them,” evangelical megachurch pastor Rick Warren addressed the annual convention of the Islamic Society of North America.

Warren said Muslims and Christians should be partners in working to end what he calls “the five global giants” of war, poverty, corruption, disease and illiteracy.

Warren, founder of Saddleback Community Church in Orange County, California, is the author of “The Purpose Driven Life,” which has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. His willingness to show support for U.S. Muslims is a huge gain for the community, which has endured intense scrutiny since the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

A Southern Baptist, Warren has a record of upsetting fellow Christian conservatives by calling old-guard evangelical activists too partisan and narrowly focused. Ahead of his speech Saturday, bloggers who follow Warren had already denounced his appearance at the convention as cozying up to extremists.

Warren acknowledged the controversy during his 20-minute speech.

“It’s easier to be an extremist of any kind because then you only have one group of people mad at you,” he said. “But if you actually try to build relationships – like invite an evangelical pastor to your gathering – you’ll get criticized for it. So will I.”

In his speech, Warren also urged Muslims and Christians to speak out against stereotyping of any group and to respect each other even while disagreeing. Addressing Muslims who “have been in America for many generations now,” he urged them to help “the newcomers learn what it means to be American.”

Based in Plainfield, Indiana, ISNA is an umbrella organization for Muslim groups across the country. The annual convention, now in its 46th year, regularly draws more than 30,000 people for lectures, prayer and socializing.

Many in the crowd were drawn to the session by prominent Muslim scholars such as Sheik Hamza Yusuf of the Zaytuna Institute in Berkeley, California.

Ann Zahra, 42, said she had never heard of Warren before Saturday but agreed with much of his speech.

“The basics are the same,” said Zahra, of McLean, Virginia “No religion teaches cruelty or disrespect or hatred.”