The best way to bring peace
World Peace Forum: The delegations listen in the World Peace Forum in Jakarta, Indonesia on June 25, 2008. About 200 leaders in religion, politics and business all over the world attended the 2nd World Peace Forum here to discuss how to achieve global peace.Picture: EPA
Thursday, August 7, 2008
IN the two weeks spanning June and July 2008, we witnessed some distinguished moments in the life of the global peace movement.
In Jakarta, from June 23 to 26, prominent religious leaders from many countries met and shared their experiences in promoting unity and harmony in each country at the World Peace Forum (WPF), organised by the Central Board of Muhammadiyah, the Cheng Ho Multicultural Trust and the Center for Dialogue and Cooperation among Civilisations (CDCC).
In Bandung, from June 24 to 30, more than 100 young people from 34 countries also held a meeting sponsored by the International Youth Forum (IYF) and the Center for Religion and Civilisation Studies (PSAP) to formulate new understandings about peace. The same voice was also heard in Sydney, Australia, from July 14 to 20, and again from July 30 to August 1 at the International Conference of Islamic Scholars (ICIS) in Jakarta.
In his first visit to Australian soil, in front of around 200,000 mostly Catholic youth from all over the world, Pope Benedict XVI emphasised the important of peace among countries and religions for the future of the world. He also reminded people there was something amiss with our lives: not only our physical surroundings but also our social habitat, the one we fashion for ourselves, bear deep scars. Among the more prevalent of these are alcohol and drug abuse, and the exaltation of violence and sexual degradation, often presented through television and the internet as entertainment. (The Canberra Times newspaper, July 18, 2008).
Interestingly, we learned from these three moments that many religious and political leaders are deeply concerned about peace. In Jakarta, in the WPF discussion, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono also expressed his concerns about peace and unity among the world's Civilisations.
Muhammadiyah chairman Professor Dien Syamsuddin also urged all religious and community leaders take a lead to make the world a better place through harmony and unity.
In the Asia-Africa Building in Bandung, the world's young people signed a declaration to endorse Millennium Development Goals (MDG) which promote peace and tackle issues such as poverty, education and health. Participants shared new experiences by living in a remote village for a week, learning how to play the angklung (a musical instrument made from bamboo) and visiting Islamic boarding schools in Garut. All these activities were designed to raise participants' awareness and respect for social and cultural differences.
"Peace is not only defined as an absence of war. Peace is one of the fundamental rights of all human beings. There is a strong relation between human rights and peace. And obviously the acceptance of the principle of human rights is a prerequisite for peace. And peace and human rights merge in one value cluster." (Dimitry Vojin, 2003).
Only by promoting peace can we make the world harmonious, and only by promoting justice can we make our environment more sustainable. So by promoting peace and justice, we can minimise the impacts of environmental damage, lack of food and clean water, violence, sexual harassment, hatred, racism and discrimination and injustice towards other social or religious groups.
What are the roles of religions such as Islam in ensuring peace for all, in particular after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks? Islam in principle is a religion based on peace. Indeed, the word Islam is derived from an Arabic word meaning submission, resignation or reconciliation. Moreover, this word has the same root as the word salam, which means peace, safety, security, welfare, soundness, intactness, well being. (Sumanto Al Qurtuby, 2008).
In practice, according to Muhammed Abu-Nimer (2003), the observance of peace is also reflected in the daily greetings of Muslims: as-salam 'alayikum (Peace be upon you). This greeting is derived from the Qur'an, "and their greeting therein shall be Peace" (QS. 10:10), "and the servants of (Allah) most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say, 'Peace!"' (QS. 25:63), or "God invites us to the abode of peace" (QS. 10:25). Based on Islamic teaching, it is obvious Islam endorses nonviolence and peace building as a set of core principles, values and beliefs.
In this context, the use of force is permissible under strict conditions and exceptional circumstances. Islamic teaching favours the nonviolent approach rather than the use of force.
Islam is currently portrayed in much of the West as synonymous with terrorism. On the contrary, Islam knocks down the barriers of war, hatred, racism, prejudice and discrimination to build a world order based on peaceful coexistence. There are many Muslims worldwide who are willing to accept modernity, democracy and civic pluralism. (Hefner, 2005).
All leaders are obliged to appear forward thinking, celebrate kalimatun sawa (a common platform) and create an agenda for rejecting all acts carried out in the name of terrorism, poverty, violence, injustice and unbridled exploitation of the environment. All leaders must encourage Muslims the world over to condemn hijackings and the taking of hostages.
Last but not least, let us become lovers and makers of peace, to establish never-ending peace and justice. And finally, the message for young people is simply that this kind of future is not only on your shoulders: It is the responsibility of all.
The writer is the executive director of the Jakarta-based Center for Religion and Civilisation Studies (PSAP) and a member of the Fellowship Program DFAT Australian Government at Australia National University. He can be reached at rozul26@yahoo.com
The Jakarta Post/ANN
In Jakarta, from June 23 to 26, prominent religious leaders from many countries met and shared their experiences in promoting unity and harmony in each country at the World Peace Forum (WPF), organised by the Central Board of Muhammadiyah, the Cheng Ho Multicultural Trust and the Center for Dialogue and Cooperation among Civilisations (CDCC).
In Bandung, from June 24 to 30, more than 100 young people from 34 countries also held a meeting sponsored by the International Youth Forum (IYF) and the Center for Religion and Civilisation Studies (PSAP) to formulate new understandings about peace. The same voice was also heard in Sydney, Australia, from July 14 to 20, and again from July 30 to August 1 at the International Conference of Islamic Scholars (ICIS) in Jakarta.
In his first visit to Australian soil, in front of around 200,000 mostly Catholic youth from all over the world, Pope Benedict XVI emphasised the important of peace among countries and religions for the future of the world. He also reminded people there was something amiss with our lives: not only our physical surroundings but also our social habitat, the one we fashion for ourselves, bear deep scars. Among the more prevalent of these are alcohol and drug abuse, and the exaltation of violence and sexual degradation, often presented through television and the internet as entertainment. (The Canberra Times newspaper, July 18, 2008).
Interestingly, we learned from these three moments that many religious and political leaders are deeply concerned about peace. In Jakarta, in the WPF discussion, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono also expressed his concerns about peace and unity among the world's Civilisations.
Muhammadiyah chairman Professor Dien Syamsuddin also urged all religious and community leaders take a lead to make the world a better place through harmony and unity.
In the Asia-Africa Building in Bandung, the world's young people signed a declaration to endorse Millennium Development Goals (MDG) which promote peace and tackle issues such as poverty, education and health. Participants shared new experiences by living in a remote village for a week, learning how to play the angklung (a musical instrument made from bamboo) and visiting Islamic boarding schools in Garut. All these activities were designed to raise participants' awareness and respect for social and cultural differences.
"Peace is not only defined as an absence of war. Peace is one of the fundamental rights of all human beings. There is a strong relation between human rights and peace. And obviously the acceptance of the principle of human rights is a prerequisite for peace. And peace and human rights merge in one value cluster." (Dimitry Vojin, 2003).
Only by promoting peace can we make the world harmonious, and only by promoting justice can we make our environment more sustainable. So by promoting peace and justice, we can minimise the impacts of environmental damage, lack of food and clean water, violence, sexual harassment, hatred, racism and discrimination and injustice towards other social or religious groups.
What are the roles of religions such as Islam in ensuring peace for all, in particular after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks? Islam in principle is a religion based on peace. Indeed, the word Islam is derived from an Arabic word meaning submission, resignation or reconciliation. Moreover, this word has the same root as the word salam, which means peace, safety, security, welfare, soundness, intactness, well being. (Sumanto Al Qurtuby, 2008).
In practice, according to Muhammed Abu-Nimer (2003), the observance of peace is also reflected in the daily greetings of Muslims: as-salam 'alayikum (Peace be upon you). This greeting is derived from the Qur'an, "and their greeting therein shall be Peace" (QS. 10:10), "and the servants of (Allah) most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say, 'Peace!"' (QS. 25:63), or "God invites us to the abode of peace" (QS. 10:25). Based on Islamic teaching, it is obvious Islam endorses nonviolence and peace building as a set of core principles, values and beliefs.
In this context, the use of force is permissible under strict conditions and exceptional circumstances. Islamic teaching favours the nonviolent approach rather than the use of force.
Islam is currently portrayed in much of the West as synonymous with terrorism. On the contrary, Islam knocks down the barriers of war, hatred, racism, prejudice and discrimination to build a world order based on peaceful coexistence. There are many Muslims worldwide who are willing to accept modernity, democracy and civic pluralism. (Hefner, 2005).
All leaders are obliged to appear forward thinking, celebrate kalimatun sawa (a common platform) and create an agenda for rejecting all acts carried out in the name of terrorism, poverty, violence, injustice and unbridled exploitation of the environment. All leaders must encourage Muslims the world over to condemn hijackings and the taking of hostages.
Last but not least, let us become lovers and makers of peace, to establish never-ending peace and justice. And finally, the message for young people is simply that this kind of future is not only on your shoulders: It is the responsibility of all.
The writer is the executive director of the Jakarta-based Center for Religion and Civilisation Studies (PSAP) and a member of the Fellowship Program DFAT Australian Government at Australia National University. He can be reached at rozul26@yahoo.com
The Jakarta Post/ANN
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