Jakarta, NU Online
The violence recently carried out in the name of religion is not absolutely rooted from religious teachings. Whereas Islam is a religion of peace and supposedly permitted to stand firm against any threatening actions.
Chairman of the Central Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) Prof. Dr. Masykuri Abdillah made the remarks at the World Peace Forum held in Jakarta on Thursday (26/6).<>
"Jihad in the sense of war is only permitted for defensive purposes. 'Fight in the cause of God against those who fight you'," Maykuri said, quoting a quranic verse.
According the ex-deputy rector of the Jakarta's Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University the violence should not be related to religion and its role in addressing any emerging conflict is not always carried out directly.
Masykuri was of view that the violence could be rooted from driving factors like individual character, the difference of ethnic or religion, politics, economy and even the urge to dominate or to control natural resources and the desire to extend hegemony.
While, speaking at the second World Peace Forum, Tan Sri Mohamed Jawhar Hassan, chairman and CEO of the Malaysian Institute of Strategic and International Studies, said all violence was basically politically motivated and was very rarely driven purely by religious reasons.
He raised the example of the turmoil in the Middle East, especially the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis. The violence, including suicide bombings committed by Palestinians, should be perceived as efforts to win back annexed land, he said.
"We have to see them as people defending their lives and rights, not as individuals waging war on the grounds of religion." (mkf)
Editor: Sudarto Murtaufiq