Muslim Politics in 2013

In his recent article entitled “Who is Muslim” that published in Al-Jazeera Online, Hamid Dabasi arguing on the common ground perspective about political tension in Egypt. According to Dabasi, voting for Morsi is nothing to do to vote for Islam, and vice versa. Dabasi main argument is the secular is also Muslim, and Ikhwanul Muslim is not represent the Muslim interest, it represent specific group with specific political affiliation, based on specific experience.

Even though the Ḥizb Al-Ḥurriya Wal-’Adala the Ikhwanul Muslim political wing won the election they still faced a huge political tension, not only against the secular but also conservative Salafy that well funded by the Saudis. In 2013, Ikhwanul Muslim will be in the hot spot of political debate among scholars and politicians. Even though Debasi is right that Ikhwanul Muslim is not represent all of the Muslim community in Egypt, but the Ikhwan represent the modern Islamic politic in post Arab Spring country.

For long-time, political organization such as Ikhwanul Muslim gain benefit through engaging their political slogan with Islam, it happened in other countries such as Pakistan, Iran, Malaysia and Indonesia. Even though some organization gain political support by their popularity in supporting Islamic nuance, some other are not.

In Indonesia for example for the last five years Indonesian has becoming more religious than before. Muslim is often gathering for collective ritual such as Majelis Taklim in Mosque or other public spare, the Sharia Banking product is also increasing, more and more youth Muslim expressing their religion through social and political activity. Islamic organizations such as Muhammadiyah, NU, DDII gains so many supporters. Those organization is involved directly into the major problems of Muslim community, they build school and education centre, empowering the Muslim community in rural area, they becoming very popular among the Muslim community in Indonesia. However the Rising of Islam in Indonesia does not follow by the Islamic Political Party.

The Islamic Parties in Indonesia are considered failed in 2009 national election. From the share in the parliament PKS (Prosperous Justice Party) gain 7% and PPP (United Development Party) gain 5%, the other parties PAN (National Mandate Party) and PKB (National Awakening Party) prefer to stay as secular-nationalist party with Islamic nuance. The problem of Islamic Party in Indonesia is they don’t really touch the fundamental issue among Muslim community, which are poverty and access to education. In daily political practice, the Islamic party is seems to stay away from that issue and also from national issue such as corruption, labour issue, and democracy. The Islamic parties often focusing their work on implementing Sharia Law.

Sharia Law whatsoever is a product of political experience from 20^th century in era of postcolonial in Mid East. The establishment of Sharia Law is different, depending on the Islamic Political experience and Islamic teaching in each country. Iran, Pakistan and Saudi are practicing different system of Sharia Law.

The focus of Islamic teaching in Indonesia is quite different from the spirit of Sharia Law that spread in Mid East, Islamic teaching in Indonesia focusing on Fiqih (four Mazhab) and Adab (Self Ethic), that already been taught before 20^th century. Indonesia has a different Islamic experience with Mid East, that’s why the Sharia law is unpopular in Indonesia. However the spirit of Islamic teaching is indeed influencing Indonesia constitution and administration, the first point of Pancasila and the establishment of Religious Court are the example.

This unique condition of Indonesian Muslim is failed to recognize by the most of Islamic Political Party. The PKS has the best cadres program among other parties, most of the scholars from Tarbiyah Party (PKS) failed to recognize this situation.

The PKS its self is formed with the spirit of Ikhwanul Muslim, most of the PKS Scholars is well familiar with the Ikhwanul Muslim thinker, the next issue is they cannot reproduce the Ikhwanul Muslim thought into Indonesia context. On the other hand the party elites becoming too pragmatic. However if we talked about the Islamic Political Party, PKS still the strongest Party with loyal and well-trained cadres.

The other Islamic Political Party, PPP, is struggling to go out from the image of pro-government party in post new order era. The PPP seems hard to find new and young figure, frankly speaking they doesn’t even have a figure.

However the decline of Islamic Political Party will not affected the Muslim Politicians, Scholars and public intellectuals. Muhammadiyah and NU is getting more popular among the Muslim Community, even to the non-Muslim. Muslim intellectuals such as Komarudin Hidayat, Anis Baswedan, Din Syamsudin, famously known as National figure rather than Islamic Figure.

Muslim voters also getting sure on their political perspective and interest, the DKI Jakarta Governor election is the proof on how Muslim community used their voice, not based on unrealistic sentimental reason, but based on ability and performance of the candidate.

In 2013, we may see another significant progress on Islamic Politics. The Islamic Political Party will repair their image and looking for more significant program toward the Muslim community. Meanwhile the Muslim community will enter the stage where their interest will be politicize by the politicians for national election in 2014. That’s where the Indonesian Muslim will exercise their political maturity to resist any form of political commodification.

At international level, the Muslim community also faced similar things, Palestine now non-state observer in UN, Ikhwanul Muslim still struggling to run democracy in Egypt, Iran-Israel tension and Arab Uprising in Mid East, all will allure a debate among Muslim Scholars around the world. There will be many challenges to the Muslim world upfront. Moreover there is a huge probability that the Muslim self-political identity will change, scholarship and intellectuals movement will plays a major part rather than an Islamic Political party.

Just like what Debasi mention at the end of his article: “This world and its fragility require a renewed pact, a planetary self-reflection, a manner and mood of entrusting itself to itself. Thinking through this possibility requires a new agency I wish to identify with the category of a Muslim intellectual, rooted in a renewed organicity that must be conscious of its worldliness.”