ASIA/INDONESIA - Indonesian Islam embraces Pope Francis: peace and fraternity among peoples, nations and religions

by Paolo Affatato

Jakarta (Agenzia Fides) - The main Indonesian Islamic organizations welcome with deep gratitude the visit of Pope Francis to Indonesia from 3 to 9 September and appreciate its important significance in the context of promoting tolerance, peace and fraternity among religious communities, peoples and nations. According to Indonesian Islamic leaders of various currents and schools of thought, his presence will have a positive and profound effect on the entire nation, reinforcing harmony between the country's religious communities and reaffirming the centrality of the spirit of fraternity and humanity that Islam in Indonesia constantly lives and promotes, with particular attention to educational processes and the fight against all forms of radicalism and extremism. "Nahdlatul Ulama" and "Muhammadiyah", the historic and prominent organiZations of "Islam Nusantara" ("Islam of the archipelago"), have always been active in promoting and practicing an Islam "that walks with democracy, is alive and promotes fraternity" in Indonesia. This role, often underestimated by mainstream Western media and culture, has recently acquired significant international recognition, thanks to the "Zayed Prize for Human Fraternity" 2024, awarded to both organizations on 5 February in Abu Dhabi. For these two associations, the Pope's visit represents a valuable opportunity for encounter, communion and collaboration around universal principles such as peace and fraternity.

Indonesia is the most populous Muslim-majority country in the world, with 86.7% of the population identifying as Muslim and more than 231 million faithful. The population follows traditional Sunni Islam, but with an interpretation in line with the “Pancasila”, i.e. the “Charter of the Five Principles” on which the Constitution is based: belief in God, humanity, national unity, democracy and social justice. This point of view is still promoted by associations such as Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah.

The oldest is the “Muhammadiya”, which has about 29 million followers in the archipelago. founded in 1912, it is considered a reformist movement. Following the teachings of the Egyptian Muhammad 'Abduh, who lived in Cairo at the end of the 19th century, it preaches a purification of faith and emphasizes the sense of moral responsibility of the individual, paying enormous attention to modern education in Indonesia, especially higher education, with 14,000 schools from primary to university and 7,500 kindergartens.
The Nahdlatul Ulama ('Renaissance of the Ulamas') or NU, was born in 1926 as a reaction to the expansion of Saudi Wahhabism in the international Islamic world. The ancient Indonesian religious schools, the "pesantren", run by NU, follow a traditional Islam, based on the classical writings of the Ulamas of the Middle East and Indonesia. The movement embraces pre-Islamic traditions and the Sufism of Abu Hamid al-Ghazali and today has some 50 million members.

Both organizations are expressions of civil society and have never turned their extensive presence in the archipelago into political or partisan activity. Both emphasize the "Indonesian" character of local Islam, recalling the teachings of the Wali Songo, the "nine saints", Sufi masters who arrived on the island of Java in the early 15th century, to whom the country's Muslims attribute the spread of Islam in the archipelago, through a spiritual and peaceful approach that, from the beginning, has coexisted with other pre-existing cults such as animism, Hinduism and Buddhism. What they practice is a tolerant and non-violent Islam with typically local traits: talk of "Islam Nusantara" has become a "trademark" accepted even at the state level and used by the government as well.
Islam has no official role in the Indonesian Constitution, but there is a widespread awareness in the nation that the State must deal with religion, a fundamental element of social and cultural life, and related issues. For this reason, a Ministry of Religious Affairs was created from the beginning of independence, with departments dedicated to Islam, Catholicism, Protestantism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism.

For the visit of Pope Francis, the two organizations will be "at the forefront." Muhammadiyah "will welcome Pope Francis with joy in September," said the president of Muhammadiyah for international and interreligious relations, Syafiq A. Mughni, from his headquarters in Jakarta. "The arrival of the Pope is a universal symbol of the construction of human fraternity, and his visit is full of meaning," said the leader, who met Pope Francis in the Vatican not long ago. The spiritual impact of his presence for the Islamic world will be important: "As Muslims we need prayer, we need the appreciation of people outside Islam," he notes, placing the meeting with the head of world Catholicism "in a broader framework of people’s religious life." He adds: "It would be very effective if we Muslims spoke in positive terms about Catholicism and, in the same way, Catholics conveyed something positive about Muslims." This approach of mutual goodwill "is a very powerful force to build a life in common" and to the benefit of all humanity. He also stresses the need for collaboration "between countries, peoples and religions to address global problems such as extremism, the climate crisis and the differences between rich and poor countries."

For his part, Ulil Abshar Abdalla, an intellectual and Islamic scholar, head of the executive committee of 'Nahdlatul Ulama' notes that "the visit of Pope Francis is something long awaited and which we all consider a historic moment." Ulil recalls and relates the Pope's visit to that of Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, in Indonesia (which took place a few days ago, in July, ed.), as "events that reinforce the spirit of interreligious dialogue in the country". "The visit of these two great figures comes at the right time and in the right situation, while a strong wind of interreligious dialogue is blowing," notes Ulil.

In addition to them, other Muslim leaders are very actively involved in meetings between Islamic organizations in interreligious forums: the daughter of a great Islamic leader such as Abdurrahman Wahid, known as "Gus Dur", Yenny Wahid today heads the "Wahid Institute", an Islamic institute firmly committed to cultural and social inclusion, dialogue, socialization and the dissemination of an Islam that promotes harmony: "We have the utmost respect for Pope Francis, a figure who inspires us in promoting compassion towards the weak and marginalized. Pope Francis has always shown concern for the poor and the excluded. "This has inspired many people, including myself, to do good," he said in an online meeting organized by the Indonesian Embassy to the Holy See. Professor Sumanto Al Qurtuby, director of the Nusantara Institute on Culture and Religion and professor of anthropology at King Fadh University, also appreciates Pope Francis’ approach to ecumenism, pluralism and peace, noting that his work aims to "unite divided realities, value diversity as divine expressions and promote peace at all times and in all circumstances," a necessary message for all humanity torn apart by conflict.

Indonesian Ambassador to the Holy See Michael Trias Kuncahyono agrees, noting that the Pope’s visit "is a historic moment not only for Catholics, but also for the entire Indonesian nation," and represents "an important symbol of tolerance and fraternity, principles that Indonesia must continue to promote, giving priority to the values of humanity, peace and fraternity." He added that the Pope decided to come to Indonesia "because he considers it an example, especially in terms of teaching love and fraternity between peoples and religions. We are grateful to him for this." (Agenzia Fides, 26/7/2024)

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