Bhineka Gathering and Efforts to Weave Sawa Kalimatun

Then we need a sawa sentence, pseudo point. The wedge that holds it together, which links the fingers. The reason that we can stand shoulder to shoulder. Embrace each other. Humanity can be one of the meeting points. Also Indonesianness and universal goodness. However, to find a common ground, it turns out that exposure to a heterogeneous social (and educational) environment is required. Because through heterogeneous socialization and education, awareness will grow about the differences, both bridged and unbridgeable; going through the process will take us to a richer perspective. John Dewey said that in order to foster a democratic climate, cross-cultural and inter-religious interactions are needed.

This is because heterogeneous association enriches the point of view. A richer point of view encourages us to be wiser in dealing with things, including the awareness that the truths we believe do not always have to be absolute and true for everyone and in every situation. We will be moved not to feel self-righteous and not judgmental. Because we will realize that in the end, we are all destitute beings who are just trying to get to Him, trying to understand Him, understand themselves and the universe that surrounds them, and the struggle is not easy, does not always offer a constant and holistic answer.

In this situation lies the instrumentality of the ‘Gathering of Bineka’. The Bineka Gathering is one of the subjects in the Islamic Millennial curriculum. This activity includes visits to six houses of worship. The aim is not only to expose the participants to the inevitability of differences in houses where other people worship the God they believe in, but also to learn to find the sawa sentence. Meeting point. In each house of worship, the participants will meet with the manager of the house of worship, will hear sharing about the habits of worship that are being carried out, and for example, a brief history of the house of worship.

The experience of visiting places of worship also aims to dissolve negative sentiments that are cultivated by prejudice. For example, there is a negative sentiment for Muslims to be anti-church visits. On the other hand, visiting Borobudur and Prambanan Temples, for example, is considered purely recreational. Even though these temples are also a place of worship, but against Christian sites of worship, there is more sentiment and taboo. Whether this is influenced by the “kinship” line of our Prophets or due to a long historical “conflict”, requires in-depth and special research to discuss it.

However, regarding the visitors to this place of worship, I also gave an example of three Bedouin Arabs urinating in the Prophet’s Mosque. The companions were going to be angry but the Prophet said just be patient. After the Bedouin Arabs finished, the Prophet ordered his companions to clean the urine. The moral of the story for me is not only a matter of the Prophet’s patience and understanding but also in a situation where Muslims should not be like the Bedouins who pollute the places of worship of other religions simply because of ignorance. As a result, it is also necessary to have knowledge of the role of conduct in other places of worship. When going to a temple, for example, there are areas where we have to take off our footwear.

But if we take it further, the benefit is not only in the discovery of the sawa sentences but also in the ‘breaking’ of prejudice. There may be negative prejudice against Muslims. There is fear, phobia. Especially after the church bombing in Surabaya. So it takes delegates who come to church peacefully. Visiting in the name of harmony in the midst of differences, quoting Buya Syafii, does not need to be confused, just as the same does not need to be differentiated.

This is exactly like when Al-Fatih entered the Hagia Sophia, turning the church into a mosque without removing the church ornaments. Today we see this magnificent museum in the center of Istanbul as a symbol of harmony, tolerance. So it is right to stay in touch, build kinship and affection, not only for fellow Muslims but also for diverse communities, which are diverse, because as Ali bin Abi Talib said, those who are not your brothers in faith are your brothers in humanity.