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Interfaith dialogue yet to help create world peace?

Sab, 30 April 2016 | 08:38 WIB

Interfaith dialogue yet to help create world peace?

interfaith dialogue

Jakarta, NU Online
Interfaith dialogues both nationally and internationally have always been held. however, such dialogues have not helped deal with any crisis, especially in helping promote world peace?
 
Vice Chairman of NU Maksum Machfoedz explained that inter-religious dialogues had so far been held  solely to explain the character of each religion, including efforts to eliminate Islamophobia. Though inter-religious dialogues have been held everywhere, islamophobia has remained emerging in various parts of the world.

"This is because we (Muslims) have often committed unnecessary acts of radicalism that are actually not necessary," he said, adding that before stepping on inter-religious dialogues, then the first step that must be done is a dialogue between the followers of Islam.

"We do realize that there are issues that must be resolved before holding interfaith dialogues. We tend to say intrafaith dialogue between fellow Muslims," he told NU Online here recently.
 
For that reason, he said, NU would hold the International Summit of Islamic Moderate Leaders (Isomil) in Jakarta on 9-11 May 2016.
 
Maksum Machfoedz who is also professor at the Yogyakarta's UGM also stated that in the preamble of the 1945 Constitution, it was stated that Indonesia will participate in achieving world peace.

"Well, if the issue of intrafaith is not immediately dealt with, how could (Indonesia) the Muslim-majority country take part in overcoming the world problems if it could no longer resolve the problems faced by the Muslim community," he said.

During the much-awaited forum, there will be introduced so-called Islam Ahlussunnah wal Jamaah an Nahdliyah popularly known as Islam Nusantara.
 
He also said that the teachings of Islam propagated by the Nahdliyin-based organization could be used as a means of cultivating relationships and building the civilization of the world "in addition to becoming socially inspiration for the establishment of a new world."

Maksum explained, the government had formerly organized an international conference the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). The difference is that the OIC is government to government (G to G) while Isomil is people to people (P to P).

"This meeting is between moderate clerics or rather moderates. It is between clerics," he explained.

He explained NU had formerly organized a similar conference. present on the occasion were the Muslim scholars from Afghanistan that in many cases have similar and different viewpoints even leading to possible  disputes. They were met in a series of events in an effort to build a mutural respect.

"Recently, I accompanied the delegation of Afghanistan in the UGM. They learn Pancasila. Following their return, they will have NU in Afghanistan. They acknowledge Pancasila, tolerance, the importance of nationalism and so on," he said.

With such experience, if the Afghans could do it, others could also, God willing.  Islamic communities should be capable of building efforts to think and understand their shared interest in sowing the seeds of tolerance and so on, he said.

Although it is the people to people event, it will reportedly be opened by President Joko Widodo and be closed by Vice President Jusuf Kalla. (Masdar)