The Relation between Religion and Terrorism

Many people say that to be religious is easy. It is an easier road to heaven rather than to hell. Nevertheless, the fact is different since to be religious can become very hard. The road to heaven is not taken by worship or siding with the weak people, but by exploding bombs and killing other people.

Unlike the Sufi who attempt to reach Allah and heaven by mujâhadah (practices and rituals within mysticism performed in order to know Allah), we recently view the fact that God and heaven must be redeemed by blood and soul. Rationally, it’s hard for us to say that the last one is the road to God.

Nevertheless, it is the latest reality of our religiosity. Religion which should be a holy place now is accused as being the mastermind behind terrorism. It is experienced also by the recent muslim community. The tragedy of 11th September, 12th October in Bali and Jakarta’s JW Marriot Hotel’s bombing has dragged the muslim community into a hard position. Now, many people called as “Muslim activists” by the media are caught by police as suspects behind terrorism.

Islam is not a religion of terrorism. But this explanation is unable to reduce the impression that Islam is a terrorist’s net. This ethical-normative argument is true although it hides many facts behind, not only related to the behavior of religious community, but also related to the religious doctrine. We must admit that several religious doctrines can be used to legitimate terrorism, regardless whether it is right or not.

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Hence, religion’s involvement within terrorism is a problem of interpretation upon a fact. Explanation separating religion from its disciples is the inability of viewing the reality of a religious community’s life which is far of its ethical-normative teaching. The question is this: when should the behaviors of religious disciples be related or distinguished from its disciples? If the good behavior is accepted as part of religion, why is its bad behavior rejected?

In social science studies, interrelation between doctrine and its disciples has been an important topic. Taufik Abdullah (1987) might never imagine that terrorism would be a crucial issue in Islam, hence he simply said:”… it’s not a paradox when Islam, as the universal revelation and started from the perfect and eternal doctrine, show itself in diversity painted by the history and social cultural situations of its disciples. Tension between eternal doctrine and manifestation in private and social life is the main factor in the Islamic dynamic.

That statement may be rightly related to the world of idea or thought. However radical a thought, it would not be called as terrorism if it’s not followed by physical violence etc. But the destruction over humanitarian value and dignity is hard to be observed as “Islamic dynamic” and not as a paradox. It obviously paradox if religious manifestation is against the sacred doctrine of religion.

An adage states that a textual interpretation started from certain philosophy should produce any “social structure” and behavior mode which is a pure reproduction of “Islamic doctrine”. But there has often been an apology within muslim intellectuals by treating the doctrine and the religious disciples differently. Both are separated not because of methodological obligation, but because of an ethical push in order to protect religious “holiness”. Briefly, doctrine is never mistaken, it is human’s error who believe in such doctrine.

This way of thinking, is looked at as “protecting the holiness of religious doctrine”. But on the other hand this way of thinking is demonstrating how the religious doctrine’s holiness has no influence upon its disciple. Hence, what is being religious for? Here is the weak point of assumption that textual study tradition is the only way to see phenomena of muslim society. Hence, we have to realize the importance of Islamic study starting from reality.

However, religion is a social reality although it came from divine doctrine. In academic tradition, positioning Islam as the object of scientific study is actually new, since there is no “reluctance” therefore Islam can be approached as merely a ‘religion of revelation’. Yet, scientific study should place Islam as a “historical religion” rather than as a divine religion. Therefore, “religion” has to be open for criticism.

*** From the description above, this question arises: is it true that terrorism has no relation with religion? It’s hard to say precisely. If we say ‘yes’, it seemed to drag religion into the dirty world against the meaning of religion itself. But if we say ‘no’, it seemed to cover the fact that the actor often uses religious symbol and spirit. The fact that religion is always involved in terrorism should not be covered. It is a bitter fact we should accept. Courage to admit does not always mean making religion “black faced” since there is other community out of it who comprehend their religious doctrine differently. Hence, the problem is not always laid on religious doctrine but more on interpretation over that doctrine.

Some explanation might be used to capture the relation between religion and terrorism. Firstly, on the doctrinal level, religion has the potency to raise “fundamentalist” group. The fact indicates that the extreme movements are almost there in all religion. Here, Amrozi’s confession -one of Bali’s blast suspects- is interesting. To him, Bali’s bombing was in order to maintain religious life. “What would happen to Bali in the next 15 years if I didn’t explode the bomb? People complain about losing material, but actually religion and morality are more important.” Amrozi (Koran Tempo, 13 June 2003).

Secondly, religion in post modern era is noted by the appearance of “spiritual violence” which later is expressed as “social violence”. It appears due to the failure of modernism like the pledge of freedom and pluralism emerging from the mist of vagueness and ambiguity. Due to rational hesitation which is paralyzed by the spirit of post modernism, the chosen way out is running from freedom to enter the ‘definite’ world which soothes hearts. The chosen way is by submitting the self toward a transcendental authority promising eschatological happiness.

Thirdly, response upon the western hegemony and secularism is considered to threaten the muslim community. Western secular thoughts which has come into the muslim world is considered as a serious threat from the “infidel” and should be fought back. This hegemony is gripping stronger with capitalist ideology which shackles economic principles of muslim community. The Muslim world will be increasingly buried by the high dependence on the west.

Out of those three matters, many people agree with the conspiracy theory. The basic assumption of conspiracy theory is that terrorism addressed toward Islam is the conspiracy of US and its allies which seemed to be threatened by Islam. The conspiracy theory’s follower believe that US also responsible upon the emergence of terrorism in various region. This theory used to be connected to Samuel P Huntington’s clash of civilization. It is the fact that after the cold war won by US and its allies, the Eastern power including Islam are potential to be a threat.

Based on the above illustration, terrorism is not a “single” phenomenon which emerges suddenly. However, I see that it is a camouflage if religion is not responsible upon the tragedy of terrorism. It is impossible to separate diametrically between the normative teachings of religion with the expression of its disciples. That confession also obliges us as the religious people to do a critical observation upon religious doctrines which is comprehended arbitrarily.

Therefore, I mention the interrelation between religion and terrorism as a “prohibited relation”. Like a beautiful girl, many people entice religion with happiness. Religion can be tempted to do something against its nature. Someone taking religion as ammunition for doing terrorism is basically pushing a prohibited relation between religion with the “forbidden” spouse, terrorism. (Rumadi, Student of Doctoral program UIN Jakarta, Contributor Jaringan Islam Liberal)