'I See Religion More as a Personal Sanctuary Rather Than a Public Identity'

Related articles

My Jakarta: Bang Kamaludin, Kerak Telor Vendor 10:57am May 25, 2012

My Jakarta: Astrid Wibowo, Candy Maker 10:10am May 26, 2012

My Jakarta: Aldwin and Willy, Tech Entrepreneurs 8:47am May 24, 2012

My Jakarta: Wibowo Basuki, Restaurant Owner 9:14am May 23, 2012

The Sunday Profile: Adnyani Dewi, Photographer and Full-Time Mom 1:20pm May 21, 2012

Fascinated by public policy and Islam, Jourdan Hussein delved into both issues when he served as president of the Muslim Students Association while he was a student at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut.

Raised Muslim and educated at Muslim schools, Jourdan was able to see and experience the religion differently while living in the United States. Along with his political studies and life experiences, Jourdan, 22, came to realize that what Indonesia needed was a separation of state and religion.

What initially attracted you to study Islam?

Born and raised as a Muslim, I was enrolled in Islamic schools my entire life. At school, religious studies was something I took for granted. It was not until college that my interest in Islam grew. Then I took classes pertaining to Islam and attended many workshops and events through my activism on and off campus. The good thing was that I got to see the religion objectively from a bird’s eye view.

Being a practitioner of Islam in the United States during your college years, what was their perception towards the religion?

I must say I have a very biased perception of how Americans perceive Islam. People at Wesleyan University were very open towards Islam. Depending on where you live, study, or work, this might not always be the case. Most Americans I’ve encountered had a different point of view, which was mostly caused by media propaganda and ignorance. But generally, states with big immigrant populations are more open-minded and welcoming to Muslims.

Do you think there’s such thing as one real Muslim identity?

There is no such thing as a real Muslim identity. Islam is a religion shared by more than a billion people from various walks of life. [Former President Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid] once said that the indigenization of Islam is part of the history of Islam. And after writing and reading a lot about so-called “global Islam,” I concur that Islam within nation-state borders adapts, interacts and stays inside, resulting in various identities.

What is your view on religion?

I see religion more as a personal and social sanctuary rather than a tool or public identity. It as a spiritual vessel to fulfill my dependence on a higher power.

Indonesia is the largest Islamic country and it is expected to act as a “role model” for the religion. Do you think we’re doing a good job?

We deserve some credit, but not too much because of the recent radicalization in the country. Most Muslims in Indonesia are pacifist but highly conservative. Only a fraction of them are radical and fundamentalist. Islam was meant to civilize men and women and spread peace, so if we want to be role models, then we should aspire to the teachings relevant to peace and higher dignity of human beings.

Many religion-based educational institutions in Indonesia are accused of being places that spread radicalism. Do you agree with this claim?

I think the facts are accurate and those places do play a major role, but they’re not the only determinant. There are other factors as well, such as the Internet, transnational networks, unemployment, lack of public trust in the government and many others.

Has Islam played a major role in Indonesia’s government or public policy?

Significantly, yes. Throughout history, Islam’s influence can be seen in Indonesian culture, social norms and socio-political values in both government and private institutions. Since the founding of the republic, there have been debates about the integration of the Jakarta Chapter into the Pancasila. Under it, Muslims would be obliged to practice Shariah law, which I disagree with due to its interpretation, which can be seen implemented on the local level. It has many restrictions for women such as prohibiting them from staying out late or demanding that they cover their bodies.

Then what should the government do?

The government needs to be neutral about religion. They should not acknowledge a state-recognized religion or display blatant favoritism toward a specific religion. Religion should be an autonomous entity with no intervention from the state. I’m not sure if we can change the role of religion in Indonesia, but we can sow seeds of change through education. Consistent effort and education infused with tolerance might influence future policy-making regarding religion.

Is there any message you’re particularly keen to express?

Many Muslims around the world are misled by the concepts of religiosity and conservatism in Islam. Being religious and spiritual are two different things, and being more religious or spiritual does not correlate with conservatism. You can be liberal and religious or spiritual at the same time. People often abuse the words liberal, secular, kafir (infidels) and others to label people who are different or question their strong beliefs. A weak imaan (faith) is mirrored with suspicion and a fear of questioning, but a strong imaan becomes even stronger through doubts and uncertainties. I highly encourage fellow Muslims and people of other faiths to think hard before they make remarks and judgements. More importantly, Muslims need to learn more about their religion to prevent from them being misled by those who preach hatred.

Jourdan Hussein was talking to Joy Citradewi.

Citra Graha Building 11th Floor, Suite 1102 | Jl. Jend. Gatot Subroto Kav. 35-36 | Jakarta 12950 | Indonesia

Phone: +62 21 29957500 | Fax: +62 21 5200072 | BeritaSatu Media Holdings