Indonesian Muslims, & Jews
Apr 6th, 2007, in Opinion, by Guest WriterVisitor Askan asks whether Indonesian Muslims are congenitally hostile to America and Israel.
Hi everyone here.
I’ve visited this site before, and as someone with a high level of interest in both East Asia and the Islamic world and had some questions about the country I’ve always wanted to find answers to.
First off, when did so many Indonesians become such a “pan-Arabic” people so to speak, as in, when did they suddenly put so much concern into middle eastern issues they know absolutely nothing about? Some say it’s just about “solidarity with Muslim brothers” but I suspect the recent obsession has much more sinister roots.
I know Saudi influence and Saudi-funded mosques are largely responsible, just like they are almost everywhere else in the world. And even on this site, most of the Indonesian Muslim commentators who appear, though of course there are notable exceptions, just pile on more inane anti-american, anti-israel and anti-western thought, with the intelligent commentary being limited to Christians, Hindus, Buddhists or western expats. What other factors could posssibly be involved?
As a disclaimer, I do admit I am prone to be somewhat sensitive on these types of issues as my fathers’ family comes from a very strong Jewish heritage (my dad’s parents came to America as refugees from the Nazis) but still, the mentality of Indonesia can be so disturbing in this regard.
I imagine those Indonesians who hate Jews so much haven’t met any, don’t know any, don’t know anything about them, and feel that way because Al-jazeerah tells them to in order to be “good muslims”, just like American kids let channels like MTV tell them what to do so as to be “in style”.
Same goes for the West’s foreign policies and the Israeli wars; do Indonesians know a thing about the Israeli conflict, again other than Al-Jazeerah’s lies. Do they know any of the background behind Israel’s so-called “occupation of Palestine”? Do they know, for example, that “Palestine” was under Jordanian and Egyptian occupation for 20 years and wasn’t even called “Palestine” until the Jews catpured it legitimately in a war the Arabs started, (as they did all Israeli Arab wars)?
Perhaps the most important inquiry is how Indonesian people feel about all this. I don’t necessarily expect them to support Israel or all American foreign policies per se. But are there any of them, besides in places like Bali or Manado or Tanah Toraja which are essentially non-Muslim, who are aware that in having blind, frantic hatred of Jews, Israel, Christians/Westerners and American policies they will end up little more than pathetic Arab-Wannabes? Are any of them embarrassed by all this, by such concern over issues they remain ignorant about?
I know there are such enlightened figures as Abdurrahman Wahid who have attempted to get the Indonesian people to appreciate Western and American principles, be tolerant of other religions, respect the West’s foreign policies and even respect Israel and the Jews. Is he the only such example of an Indonesian Muslim whose tried to get them to accept such viewpoints or are there others, like politicians, clerics or students who’ve tried to do the same?
Askan.
41 Comments on “Indonesian Muslims, & Jews”
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mingo says:
There is no occupation and domination moslem upon moslem.
The Iraq and Iran war, what would you call that (A lovers Tiff).
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Tuan says:
A couple of things I want to say:
*I was born and raised in Unites States and my heritage is Indoensian and my faith is Islam. I found a kinship with Jews since elementary school when we were the targets of taunts from both students and teachers because we sat out for Christmas related events. I also have known Jewish Americans coming to the aid of the American Muslim community after 9-11 when there was quite a lot of anti-Muslim sentiment.
*Pan-Arabic? Um..no but maybe Pan-Islamic. There is a hadith that is often quoted by Muslim that says the Muslims are like one whole body. When one part of the body feels pain then the rest of the body feels it too. Muslims in the world have a stake in Jersueelm just as Christians and Jews do, because of the sacred mosque there. Muslims used to pray in direction of Jersuelem before Mecca became the “qibla”. In esscene Jerseulem is sacred to every Muslim including the ones in Indonesia.
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emuh says:
Insofar I know Muslims in Indonesia very hate Jewish people. Also some muslims hate Christian. Why I say this so? Because some muslims will not eat when they visit Christian people house. According to muslim, what christian people cook is haram. It offends some of my Christian friends who invite some muslims to their house during Christmas celebrations. Also some muslim due to their belief, will not say “Merry Christmas” to Christian people, however Christians in Indonesia never do so. For them is ok to say “Happy Iedul Fitri”. But I assume, Muslim will be more hatred, more racist, if there is Jewish people.
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dewaratugedeanom says:
Tuan said
Pan-Arabic? Um..no but maybe Pan-Islamic. There is a hadith that is often quoted by Muslim that says the Muslims are like one whole body. When one part of the body feels pain then the rest of the body feels it too.
This is very true. Even if they find a cancer in this body they don’t mind and even let it grow.
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Dragonwall says:
It seems a bit strange to me too.
Not at all. Those are the munafiks who follow where the wind blows.
The current state of Indonesia is even worse than that before. Security, Economically. Religiously, Development etc. On the surface it looks okay but beneath it is brewing with political manouvers.
Take a look at those clerics, parlementarians and minister making statements were as though they were looking for an excuse or some sort.
Not surprising. When they can’t resolve a problem that was the easy way out.
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People just need enemies these days. Of course, there’s quite a difficulty in maintaining your enemy’s antagonism when you observe the news objectively, but hey, religion taught us to view things perfectly subjectively, right?
Sorry for the excessive simplification, but really, I grew up in the good old Indonesian Muslim community and I can safely bet some good amount of my money on the assumption that these Islamists are so pro-Palestine in no other reason than them being Muslims. No sense of justice involved whatsoever.
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John says:
Odinius,
The Israeli government has been trying for more than 10 years, with political and financial help from the USA, UN and EU, to get the Palestinians to the negotiating table to help establish an independent Palestinian State. All the Israeli’s ask for is security; an end to rocket attacks and suicide bombings. An independent Palestine would receive massive financial support from the West and the benefits it would see from participating in the Israeli economy would transform every Palestinians life.
What has stopped this happening? The activities of Islamacists and terrorists, and the opposition of Iran, Syria and Saudi Arabia. If the Israeli’s cease to be the enemy, who are these guys going to direct their hatred towards, but each other?
The enemies of the Palestinians are not the Jews, who want to live and prosper in peace, but their own leaders, who are corrupt and fanatical, and the rest of the Arab world who give them guns and lies. What happened to all the dollars given over the years by the West to Arafat and the PLA? Ask the Palestinians, they know!
The Palestinians are the world champions at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. And how the rest of the Arab world and most of the Muslim world love them for it.
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fandi says:
I am javanese but I have a lot of arab friends.
I know that the jews are many in indonesia..but most of them regarded as “arab” for generations. (not iraqi or dutch jews)
These jews are moslems for generations.
Most of them came from yemen and they lived as arab and moslems since long time ago.You can find these “arab” jews in arab community in major city in java, they are living in there and some are not living in arab community, perhaps because they are moslem so it’s not a problem for them.
The strange one is they are rejected themself as jew, I don’t know why?? Perhaps they are afraid or something else? -
Ida Setiyoso says:
Have you ever tried to find a thoughtful, analytical book on the Israel-Palestine conflict or Jews in Indonesia? It’s nearly impossible. The major bookstores (gramedia, walisono, etc.) have bookcases on Jewish and zionist conspiracies. So do the little stalls you find outside Ramayana at block M. You can find Hitler’s Mein Kamph translated into Bahasa Indonesia in even the smallest bookstores, but you cannot find an analytical book that shows both sides of the Israel-Palestine issue.
So even if an Indonesian wants to learn about Jews or Israel, it’s nearly impossible. They have to go to Singapore. Even Malaysia’s bookstores have a better selection. Among my Indonesian friends, the ones with MAs have the same blind hatred for Israel as the ones with only a high school education–this is both Muslims and Hindus.
I was so proud that one of my friends said that he was reading Haaretz and the Jerusalem post as well as Al Jazeera and Al Ahram to understand the current Gaza conflict. But he is the first young Indonesian Muslim I have ever heard of who really and genuinely sought to understand the roots of the conflict from both sides.
I think, if Indonesians are really going to understand the Israel-Palestine conflict or learn anything meaningful about Jews, the bookstores have to start stocking non-conspiracy books!
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Rachel Muryanto says:
There is no occupation and domination moslem upon moslem.
Huh?
1) Iran vs. Iraq
2) North Yemen vs. South Yemen
3) Turkey vs. Kurds
4) Morocco vs. Western Sahara
5) Syria vs. Lebanon
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Odinius: You didn’t mention two other groups. For instance (d) those who opposed the war because it was a breach of international law – without an explicit motion by the Security Council the attack on Iraq was illegal. And the other group ( e) consisting of those Dark Vaders who managed to grab the opportunity ( in the aftermath of 9/11) to create ( = “lied about” ) a non existent link between Saddam and Bin Laden for instance, in order to secure future control of oil in the Middle East.