REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- A Muslim scholar from India Zakir Abdul Karim Naik had a dialogue with the Chairman of Assembly Zulkifli Hasan and media reporters in Parliament building on Friday (March 31). Many topics were discussed, including Islam as a tolerant religion, jihad and understanding of leadership in Al Maidah 51.
Zakir said Islam was the most tolerant religion in the world. It united all human being in same purpose to make a peaceful world. It had also united different ethnics and tribes in Indonesia. “Islam is a tolerant religion. Islam means peace and being surrender to God. But Islam is not tolerant to negative things such as alcohol, prostitution, and corruption,” said Zakir.
As long as it was interpreted correctly, Islam was a tolerant and peaceful religion. In Islam, people could not force others to accept the religion or to be in. It was a call which is delivered by preaching or, in a broader sense, dakwah.
During the discussion, Zakir got some questions from media reporters about radicalism and terrorism. He said it was wrong. Irresponsible parties who did not deserve world peace spread the issues. Some people wanted chaos and take benefits of the bad situation in the world.
He gave an example that there were many countries and companies got their biggest income from selling weapons. When the world is peaceful, the market of weapons would decrease.
He added that the biggest mistake in understanding the concept of jihad was not only showed by non-Muslims. Some Muslims believed that they might gain wealth by joining battles. They took benefit for themselves. There were also some land seizures being interpreted as jihad.
In the Islamic context, jihad was a struggle of oneself to make better society and to defend it from any oppression.
“But nowadays jihad is interpreted as war. In Arabic, Holy war. It is not found both in the Quran and al-Hadits. Holy war is only existed when Christian spread their religion by using violence,” said him.
On the same occasion, Zakir also told his view on Islam and politics. He said Islam was guidance, not only in how to worship God in an Islamic way, but also to live everyday life. Islam did not only guide people to pray, to fast, to hajj, to decide what is uneatable, but also how to do their business and to lead a city or a nation.
Being asked about how to choose a leader based on al-Maidah verse 51, he said that it was better to choose Muslim. "As a friend, it is ok to help. It is ok to do good things. Alquran said Allah forbids us to be unfair to non-Muslims. But when talking about our protector, auliya, when there is a chance to choose Muslim, it is better than non-Muslim,” he said.
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