MADRID, Suara Muhammadiyah– In his talk titled “Peace With No Borders, No One Should Ever be Excluded: The Message of Islam For All” Muhammadiyah Chairman Haedar Nashir called for the realization of religious values in all aspects of life.
The event was part of The International Meeting themed “Peace With No Borders: Religions and Cultures in Dialogue” hosted by Community of Sant’Egidio in Madrid, Spain. The two days event, 15-16 September 2019 was attended by Din Syamsuddin, Aisyiyah Chairwoman Siti Noordjannah Djohantini and Muhammadiyah General Secretary Abdul Mu’ti.
“The religious follower are demanded for their moral commitment to seek for solutions in overcoming the problems of humanity. This is to prove that religions embraced possess the prophetic power that presents kindness, peace, salvation, prosperity, and benefit for all mankind and also the universe,” Haedar said along with other panelists such as Simonetta Agnello Hornby (writer, Italy), Grégoire Ahongbonon (writer, Founder of the Association Saint Camille de Lellis), Benin Eugenio Bernardini (Former Moderator of the Waldensian Table, Italy), Colette Quiebre (BRAVO Program Coordinator, Community of Sant’Egidio), Burkina Faso Johnnie Moore (U.S. Comissioner on International Religious Freedom, USA) dan Daniel Sperber Rabbi (Bar Ilan University, Israel).
Religion as a part of Human Rights
Haedar Nashir considered embracing a religion as a part of Human Rights that should be protected by all. In the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights was mentioned that “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status”.
He said that everyone has the right to life freedom from slavery and it should be guaranteed. Everyone should be guaranteed to be free from any kind of torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
That “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.”
Religious Commitment
Haedar addressed that religion universally important and fundamental for the life of all mankind. As Emile Durkheim said in his works that religion has a critical values in the middle of this profane life, such, “religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, … which unite into one single moral community called a Church, all those who adhere to them”. Religion, as to sociologist and theologian Peter Ludwig Berger, in particular functioned as a sacred canopy or nomos that freed human being from chaos or anomie.
Citing on Bryan Wilson, Haedar elaborated that even in a secular modern society, religion is still seen as relevant and important for the life of mankind. Even if there’s separation between public and religious domain in the national and state affairs that makes the way of expressing and aztualizing religion becomes indirect.
“The real challenge is about to ensure that religious followers are able to actualize the religion holy values into action building the just, peaceful, life order so that human and the whole universe can live a prosper and joyful life along with others.”
In reality, Haedar added, conflict, violence, and social discrimination on the face of religion still happening. It leaves various disintegration in the society. Further, in gobal level, world society in common is still facing racism, minority discrimination, gender bias towards women, human trafficking, harsh treatment to the poor, and other harmful treatment towards human existence and also environtment.
“In particular, as a manifestation of religion’s noble values, it is imperative to actualize them into the peaceful, with no border and discrimination life. Nowadays, religion and its believers should be able to strengthen their commitment in order to build more peaceful and prosper life for all mankind with no border and discrimination.”
The religious followers have to be commited on voicing the importance of harmonious, tolerant, full of respect, peaceful, just, and cooperative kind of life.
“Relogious followers all around the world have to push for the develeopment of universal moral value that prioritize the peaceful life with the absence of disctrimitation and violence. This ought to be kept inside our minds and actualized as everyday practice anywhere in the world.”
In this context, there are are three things should be implemented. First, pushing for the expansion of social-religious movement that uphold the value of peace and coexistence without discrimination. This has to be translated into practice and becomes the role model of religious life, that is more than just any normative religious preaching. Second, to actualize the values of peace with no discrimination as a social ethics and culture in the societal life that also contribute to the creation of global ethics. Third, puhing all nations and governance to strengthen their commitments on human rights enforcement such as ensuring that all people are treated with justice and peaceful without discrimination and any kind of violence.
Islamic Perspective
Haedar mentioned that in Islamic perspective, all of its followers are taught to be fair shown with an objective and just attitude. Including being fair with anyone coming from different religious, racial, ethnic groups, and any group background. The teaching about justice is very essential in Islam, as Allah said in Qur’an verse:
Believers! Be upholders of justice, and bearers of witness to truth for the sake of Allah, even though it may either be against yourselves or against your parents and kinsmen, or the rich or the poor: for Allah is more concerned with their well-being than you are. Do not, then, follow your own desires lest you keep away from justice (QS An-Nisaa’:135).
Beside the value of justice, every Muslim also taught to practice the good deeds (Ihsan). Ihsan is the principal virtue that goes beyond border in the entire human existence. The just attitude and Ihsan have to be applied towards anyone, including the one that we dislike. As Allah mentioned in Qur’an verse:
O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for Allah, witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. (QS Al-Maidah: 8).
Haedar also highlighted that Islam also teaches its believer to become the carrier of love for all human beings and god’s creature all over universe. Even the prophets are sent as a grace for the entire universe as said in Qur’an verse QS Al-Anbiya: 107. Like what the prophet said, “Love what is on earth, God in Heaven will love you”. As what narrated by Imam Thabrani, “Whoever does not love those who are on earth, then God who is in Heaven will not love him.” (ribas/th)