TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Religious conservatism, in this case for Islam, has become a source of optimism and concern as of late. There is the view that the growing numbers of Qur'anic study groups at many offices and even shopping malls, the wide use of Islamic garb like the hijab, and the increase in the number of people going for the pilgrimage to Mecca are evidence of increased piety in society--in its most extant form. Many hold that worship of the Creator is a source of goodness. It increases patience, social cohesiveness, and the desire to do good towards others.
On the other hand, conservatism has become a source of concern: it can become a doorway to intolerance and radicalism. Starting with routine religious study groups at schools, a number of high school students--respondents in a study done by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Wahid Foundation-- said they supported the concept of a caliphate. Others understood jihad as taking up arms against infidels. Over half of the respondents said they are ready to take up arms in conflict areas such as Palestine and Syria.
Conservatism is not an easy term to define. Some literature calls it a political understanding which maintains traditions and social stability, preserves existing institutions, and opposes radical change. In the religious context, conservatism is understood as the desire to preserve a 'pure' doctrine--which originated from and was practiced by those who brought religious teachings hundreds of years ago. Conservatives also want religious teachings to manifest themselves in state law. In Indonesia, this latter stance can be seen from the growth in the application of Sharia inspired laws in many regions.
The origins of Islamic conservatism in Indonesia can be traced far back. However, if it is viewed in a shorter time frame, according to Dutch anthropologist Martin van Bruinessen, such a stance surfaced as a result of the fading influence of progressive groups in Indonesia, since their entry into practical politics and abandonment of their involvement in social organizations. Another cause is the strengthening of the influence of the Middle East and graduates of their universities in spreading particular Islamic views in Indonesia. Another analysis says that conservatism is a part of the escapism on the part of the middle class, or a continuation of the religious fervor which occurred in Indonesia during the 1980s, when the New Order government gave more political space to the Muslim community to express themselves.
When understood as individual piety, religious conservatism is nothing to be concerned about. Qur'anic study sessions at offices are a good activity as long as they do not reduce productivity. Nothing is wrong with the increase in the number of women wearing the hijab, as long as those who wear it do not look down upon those who do not.
What is cause for concern is when the opposite happens, when conservatism leads people to force their will upon others. Those who think differently are considered misguided, and these 'others' are treated like foreign elements needed to be set straight or even eliminated.
Religious conservatism is also worrying when it rejects knowledge. The growth of the flat earth community and those who reject vaccines because they think it is abhorrent to the concept of divine destiny, are two examples. Conservatism is also dangerous if it gives emergence to individuals who go against the general consensus and laws: residents who refuse to pay taxes because they believe the government is un-Islamic, or doctors who reject patients who use the BPJS public health insurance because they feel any insurance contains usury.
Religious practices which give precedence to style over substance will push their followers to the abyss. They can fall prey to lies and manipulation. Based on fear of usury in the conventional banking system, a sharia-based system was formed. However, until now the debate over whether or not sharia banking is significantly different from conventional banking is far from over. What has occurred is that sharia banking continues to grow in line with the growth of the Islamic market. Many outlets now also sell toothpaste containing extract from a tree (Salvadora persica) mentioned in a hadith of the Prophet to be good for cleaning one's teeth, gums and mouth. There is interest in shariah hotels--which provide the Qur'an in rooms. On television and in movie theatres we see more and more religious soap operas and films.
On another point, conservatism can be perilous if exploited for short-term political interests. It is difficult to deny the 4-11 and 2-12 mass rallies at end of last year were utilized by certain politicians to influence the result of the Jakarta gubernatorial election.
The negative effects of conservatism can only be stemmed through law enforcement. There is nothing wrong with becoming pious, but if this 'piety' turns people into hateful individuals who break the law, legal action must certainly be taken against them. Conservatism cannot be allowed to endanger other communities and our democracy.
Read the full story in this week’s edition of Tempo English Magazine
