Page 1 of 11

568

Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol.7, No.9

Publication Date: September 25, 2020

DOI:10.14738/assrj.79.9047.

Saleh, A. J. (2020). Indonesian Islamic Moderation for National Defence. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 7(9) 568-578.

Indonesian Islamic Moderation for National Defence

Ahmad Junaidi Saleh

S. Sos, Total Defence Strategic,

Faculty of Defense Strategic,

Indonesian Defense University.

ABSTRACT

The phenomenon movement of Moslems on early 21th century is shown

hight intensitily. This is indicated by Islamic political movements which

are dominated by non-mainstream Islamic movements which have

influence many maps of Islamic movements, include in Indonesia. On

moderate side Islamic groups as mainstream still appear with their old

patterns of displaying open harmonious variants of Islam, tolerant and

modest locality of Islamic traditional and building Islamic civilization

and humanity in Indonesia. As the majority of the world's most Moslem

population in a pluralistic and pluralist community, existence of

moderate Islam is very important in the national defense system. This

article uses a qualitative approach with data sources from references

and literature relating to Islamic moderation. The validity and

reliability of the data is done by triangulation reference. The method on

this study is a qualitative method. Data collection techniques are

literature and documentation. From this study, the results are obtained

that the presence of moderate Islam will be able toward off the dynamics

of threats, which move from a national defense system.

Keywords: Islamic moderation, State Defence.

INTRODUCTION

The development of the geopolitical environment, both globally and in a rapidly developing and

dynamic region, has made the world full of worry and anxiety. Post-cold war global liberalism

cannot be separated from the presence and role of non-state actors. Their presence is increasingly

clear and becomes a consideration for countries that have been dominant with state apparatus both

to achieve prosperity (prosperity approuch) and maintain the defense and security of their country

(security approuch). The use of physical or military violence by both state and non-state actors was

an inseparable part of human civilization even before the concept of a state in Europe in the mid- 17th century (Jemadu, 2014, p.106). This phenomenon is growing over time in line with the

increasingly dynamic situation with various models and spectrum. At certain moments, it is not

uncommon for this to escalate and potentially become a threat.

The world today has experienced a shift in threats (Threat) in human life from traditional

(conventional) to non-traditional with various types and models. Post-cold war 1991 "the collapse

of the Soviet Union" marked the end of the western ideological war of liberalism against Soviet

communism. The defeat of communism resulted in the emergence of a counter threat to the west as

a balance of power from the domination of democratization which has become the world political

Page 2 of 11

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.79.9047 569

Saleh, A. J. (2020). Indonesian Islamic Moderation for National Defence. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 7(9) 568-578.

paradigm initiated by the west. These movements include Fundamentalism in several Middle

Eastern countries and Militarism in several developing countries. This has made the West begin to

shift a new threat strategy to face high risks which they call the Green Peril. (Green is the color of

Islam, while Peril is the symbol of Middle Eastern fundamentalist Muslims).

“Green Peril (green is the color of Islam) is symbolized by the Middle Eastern Moslem

fundamentalist–the “Fundie,” to use a term coined by The Economist–a Khomeini-like

creature, armed with a radical ideology, equipped with nuclear weapons, and intent on

launching a violent jihad against Western civilization, (Hadar, 2020).

These Muslim fundamentalists are considered as an aggressive, militant and violent revolutionary

movement like the Bolsheviks, Fascists and Nazis who are anti-democratic, anti-secular,

authoritarian and all kinds of other bad stigma. It is even said that the chapter of the "New Cold

War" (The New Cold War) is what Jurgensmeyer calls "The New Cold War: Religious Nationalism

Confront the Scular State, (Juergensmeyer, 1993, p. 41) Islam has replaced Communism as a

decisive strategic threat in the post-Cold War era: In this context, confrontationalists juxtapose the

threat of Communism and Islam. Like Communism, the revival of Islam was not only a proselytizing

movement but also a revisionist movement. This Islamic revival, according to Daniel Pipes, is “an

atavistic and militant force driven by hatred of Western political thought, (Gerges, 1999, p. 29).

Since the momentum of the terrorism attack against the world trade center (WTC) in New York on

September 11, 2001. The Islamic world was the accused party in this action and which was

previously considered a threat to the lives of the world community, (Fransisca, 2018) Various

stigmas were attached to Islam which synonymous with violence, terrorism, fundamentalism,

radicalism, and so on. This stigmatization seems to be the legal justification for the views of some

Western thinkers who view Islam as a threat after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Since then the

issue of global terrorism has become a threat and attention to all world political actors, both state

and non-state.

The logical consequence of the global conflict from the repressive response carried out by the West

to the Islamic world has actually generated partial resistance and developed simultaneously in

various parts of the world, including in Indonesia. The development over time that occurred until

the rolling of the 1998 reform which was marked by a new era in extraordinary political

liberalization had occurred, (Ali, 2012, p. Viii), namely the democratic social and political life due to

the opening of the widening taps of freedom which has boosted the strengthening of identity groups

in society with ethnic or religious platforms. There are even political movements that want to

replace the ideology, constitution and state form with other ideologies, for example the Khilafah

ideology. Anticipation of this phenomenon becomes a job for the state to defend the country from

cultural and social infiltration in identity politics with the dimension of religious ideology.

National leadership to keep and lead the nation on its platform is a total mandatory to bring the

country on track. According to Abdurachman Wahid (Gus Dur, the third president of the Republic

of Indonesia), Indonesian leaders must be people who understand the traditions and culture of the

nation, have a deep understanding of religion and obey in practicing it spiritually. The former will

encourage true loyalty to the traditions and culture of the nation, while spirituality will promote

loyalty to the people and strive to realize noble messages Pancasila, (Wahid, 2009, p. 176). Spiritual

obedience that breathes local wisdom is carried out in accordance with the Shari'a taught and

Page 3 of 11

570

Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol.7, Issue 9, September-2020

exemplified guidance (Qothiyah) has the value of reward vertically and horizontally civilized. The

nobility of adab which refers to prophetic morals (Uswatun Hasanah) should be preserved in order

to strengthen unity and maintain national defense. Therefore it is necessary to implement religious

moderation in supporting State Defense, strengthening national consensus, namely Pancasila, UUD

1945, NKRI and Bhineka Tunggal Ika. Religious moderation is important in the context of religious

life in Indonesia in particular, and how is the correlation between State Defense in the

implementation of religious moderation, so that the threat of communal conflict (potential for

disintegration) can be prevented. As the biggest element of the Indonesian nation, even the largest

Muslim community in the world, Indonesian Muslims have a huge moral obligation and

responsibility to save not only the Republic of Indonesia and Pancasila from various threats, but

also the obligation to save the substance of Islam and the distortion of the noble values of the nation.

Islamic

POLITICAL ISLAMIC MOVEMENT

Political movements that spread throughout the Muslim world including Indonesia as a result of

external factors (outside of religious symptoms) such as the Palestinian liberation intifada

movement, the fall of Kabul to the Taliban and global socio-political symptoms, (Hasan, 2012, p. 11).

Meanwhile, internal factors are caused by authoritarianism, corruption, injustice, socio-economic

and political causes. These rhetorical movements with an Islamic agenda cry out for a totalitarian

world order by holding discourses and religious activities aimed at generating hatred and even

violence or other forms of radicalism. As proof, there have been bombings and terror in various

places such as Bali, Jakarta and others (Nainggolan, 2018, p. 123).

The aforementioned disturbances in the security threat make it difficult for the Indonesian

government to maintain and create a sense of security for the Indonesian people and immigrants to

Indonesia and especially in order to maintain good relations with the international world. They

think that the spirit of Jihad is the mission of the Islamic ummah in Indonesia as a resistance to an

authoritarian government. Portraits and discourses on the dynamics of Islam in various parts of the

world seem to reveal two sides: Exclusivity and Radicalism (Rubaidi, 2010, p. 104).

In the past few years, Islamic civilization has changed to display a face that is "fierce", sadistic and

various other negative symbols. No exception in Indonesia, the face of Indonesian Islam cannot be

separated from the portraits of names such as Imam Samudra, Muchlas, Imam Samudra, Hambali to

Abu Bakar Ba'asyir who are already worldwide. Meanwhile, moderate Islam with a friendly,

tolerant, inclusive appearance full of compassion has disappeared and has lost its shine with

"haraqoh al Islamiyah" which has begun to exert an intense influence on various sides of people's

lives. Whereas according to his teachings, the essence of the presence of religion, especially Islam

as the majority, is to maintain human dignity as a noble creature created by God (Tebuireng, 2015).

In the past, religious radicalism (regardless of religion) was only part of local politics in a certain

country. However, the latest phenomenon, this political power has become a global problem and an

international problem. The dynamism of identity politics in the formalization of religion gave birth

to new terms of radicalism, terrorism, fundamentalism, Islamic law, the Islamic caliphate Islamic

state and many others. In substance, the idea of a movement that is carried out by this movement is

essentially the same, namely the spirit of puritanism and shrinking to Islamic law. The end goal of

all this is the "Islamic State". In a moderate view, he considers that the formalization of religion is a