JAKARTA (UCAN): Top leaders of Indonesia’s two major Islamic organisations, Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming visit of Pope Francis to the country, calling it a special occasion to embolden trust and harmony between religious communities.
The leaders said during a webinar on July 23, that the visit can be a catalyst for peace-building in a world plagued by conflicts.
“We welcome the visit with joy,” said Ulil Abshar Abdalla, a leader of Nahdlatul Ulama which has an estimated 80 million members, making it one of the largest Islamic organisations in the world during the webinar, organised by the Indonesian embassy at the Vatican and the Association of Indonesian Priests and Sisters in Rome.
He said the papal visit was special because it comes two months after the Grand Imam of Al Azhar University in Cairo, Muhammad Ahmad Al Thayyib, visited Jakarta from July 9 to 11.
“The visit of the grand sheikh and the visit of the pope occurring at almost the same time is important considering that both figures have a great influence on their respective religions,” Abdalla said.
“How come these visits happened consecutively? Is this divine providence?” he asked.
I think we should interpret the arrival of the pope as a momentum to create a common understanding, how we see this situation as a challenge that we must solve together
Syafiq A Mughni
In 2018, Francis and Al-Thayeb signed The Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together, also known as the Abu Dhabi Declaration, which stresses “a culture of mutual respect” that can allow different faiths to live peacefully.
Abdala said the Abu Dhabi document highlights the importance of openness in building relations between religious communities.
The pope’s visit, he said, “is a breath of fresh air for all religious communities in Indonesia, not just Muslims and Catholics.”
Syafiq A Mughni from the International Relations and Cooperation Division of Muhammadiyah—which has 50 million members—said this visit is expected to strengthen Islamic and Catholic relations in “building mutual trust between us.”
Mughni said, “Because we do not deny that this often happens in various regions of the world and in our country there is distrust or mutual suspicion between one group and another.”
He said a common understanding between faiths is important not only in religious affairs but also in other aspects such as politics, economics and culture.
Islam says something positive about Catholics, likewise Catholics say positive things about Muslims. It can be a powerful force in building a life together
Syafiq A Mughni
“I think we should interpret the arrival of the pope as a momentum to create a common understanding, how we see this situation as a challenge that we must solve together,” he said.
Religious communities need to find common ground in overcoming the gap between the rich and the poor, and to tackle injustices everywhere.
Looking at other faiths with a positive mindset can yield good fruits, he said.
“Islam says something positive about Catholics, likewise Catholics say positive things about Muslims. It can be a powerful force in building a life together,” Mughni added.
He stressed implementing the Abu Dhabi Declaration with concrete action.
Indonesian ambassador to the Vatican, Michael Trias Kuncahyono, said the pope’s visit was not only important for Indonesian Catholics, but also for the whole nation.
“There was no economic diplomacy or even political interest in the visit. There are only humanitarian interests, morality and ethics. That is what Pope Francis always campaigns for,” he said.
According to the official itinerary, Pope Francis will meet Muslim leaders at the Istiqlal Mosque, close to the Jakarta Cathedral—the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption—during his September 2 to 6 visit.
The two places of worship are now connected by a tunnel, which is scheduled to be inaugurated next month. It is expected to be used during the pope’s visit.
About 85 per cent of Indonesia’s estimated 270 million people follow Islam, making it world’s largest Muslim-majority nation. The country has about 24 million Christians including seven million Catholics.
