TheIKNPost.com — Mahfud MD: Islam and Indonesianness Not Only Cultivate Tolerance, But Acceptance
Vice Presidential candidate number 03, Mahfud MD, attended the White Candle Concert at Balai Sarbini on Wednesday (3/1/2024).
On this occasion, Mahfud explained how important Islamic and Indonesian values are for a Muslim in Indonesia.
“The Islamic religion that I follow has the basics of peace, safety and politeness,” said Mahfud.
Since childhood, teachers at the Islamic boarding school have taught him about national unity. After studying literature and lectures, Mahfud admitted that he often followed the views of figures such as Gus Dur, Syafii Maarif, Nurcholis Majid, who were prominent leaders in Islam.
They teach that Islam and Indonesianism must be united. This does not mean that Islam wants to dominate Indonesia, but rather to unite Islamic and Indonesian identities.
“We, as Muslims in Indonesia, do not always have to focus on Islamic countries in the Middle East. “We can be both Muslims and Indonesian citizens in one unit,” emphasized Mahfud.
In Islamic teachings, Mahfud mentions the oath of allegiance to the state with the term “pukul wathon minal iman” which means love for the homeland, nation and state as part of the implementation of these teachings.
“Here, the concept of inclusivism is taught, where a united Indonesia includes various religions, tribes, regions, races and others in an inclusive manner,” he added.
According to Mahfud, the key to this unity is tolerance. Even though religions teach tolerance, Mahfud views that the teachings of Gus Dur, Syafii Maarif, and others carry a higher concept, namely acceptance.
“Acceptance means we accept each other and unite to achieve a common goal,” he explained.
In his personal experience, Mahfud reflects on his struggle in the student movement for the call for national unity.
Mahfud MD emphasized that Islam and Indonesianism not only give rise to tolerance, but more than that, namely acceptance.
The event also included Peacemaker Figure awards to figures such as Pastor Dharana Moniaga, Yenny Wahid, Peter Lesmana, I Gede Kanjeng Raden Tumenggung Father Asun Gotama, and Roy Wibisonl Napitupulu.
This concert was enlivened by famous singers such as Eka Deli, Once Mekel, Stevan Pasaribu, and Jamaica Cafe, and featured songs and dances from various regions in Indonesia.
READ ALSO: Mahfud MD’s Statement About Islam Should Not Be Identical to the Middle East at the Controversial White Candle Concert
