Mahfud MD Asks Muhammadiyah To Keep Mosques In Line With Indonesian Values

Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security, Mahfud MD. ANTARA/HO-Humas Coordinating Ministry for Politics, Law and Security

JAKARTA - The Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security, Mahfud MD, asked Muhammadiyah to maintain mosques and other da'wah places in order to maintain the religious values adopted in Indonesia.

According to him, when he was the keynote speaker at the Muhammadiyah pre-conference seminar, the values and teachings that had been adopted in Indonesia were Wasathiyah Islam or moderate Islamic teachings.

"Muhammadiyah and NU should not lose the mosques and places of worship that we have built with Wasathiyah Islam. If it is built with Salafi and Wahabi (teachings) it is not suitable for us," he said, in front of Muhammadiyah figures, including KH Anwar Abbas as reported by Antara, Thursday, April 21.

Muhammadiyah, as the second largest Muslim organization in Indonesia, is also expected to strengthen the results of the ijtihad (thoughts) of Indonesian Islamic leaders who participated in establishing Indonesia with Pancasila as the basis of the country.

According to Mahfud, Indonesia, a Pancasila state, is "Darul Ahdi Was-Shahadah" which means a country full of peace and a country full of appreciation.

"Now the emphasis is not on the al-ahdi because it has already happened, it has been made in the constitution. However, now the shahadah is done, filling it together based on an agreement with full cohesiveness and unity," he said, as quoted from his written release.

He conveyed that Muhammadiyah as an organization has a goal that does not only focus on worship as a ritual, but also social worship, so that Muhammadiyah and other Islamic community organizations must strengthen the collective awareness of the community, especially in maintaining peace between community groups.

"The country's goals must be guarded together. Muhammadiyah also has a stake in this country. Let's join in fixing it, make people aware so that during the election they don't use money transactions," he said.

He explained that money politics is one of the problems that have a systemic impact on the integrity of the nation.

Mahfud also highlighted the problem of mutual blasphemy growing in society. The blasphemy often appears through fake news and incomplete information.

“Like my speech at UGM, Mahfud MD: Establishing a State like the Haram Prophet, period, (that's) wrong. People just read the title, read the snippet, then commented nonsense," he said.

He also straightened out his statement which was twisted by a number of parties. "Prophet Muhammad is the last prophet, there can be no prophet after Prophet Muhammad. So, there cannot be a country that is exactly like the prophet. However, the values of the state as taught by the prophet are permissible. The form of the state must be a product of ijtihad like Indonesia," he said.