Counteracting Radicalism and Extremism with Sufism Teachings

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID – Someone who studies religion radically or deeply is not a mistake. However, when something radical is manifested in the form of compulsion of the will in an extreme way, it must be immediately resisted together to save the country from chaos.

In Indonesia, radicalism and extremism are considered to have developed. In fact, this understanding is starting to target the younger generation or what is now called the millennial generation. This is one of the discussions in the Regional Workshop with the theme of religious education and prevention of extremism.

The activity was attended by 300 participants from academia, researchers, and government representatives from several countries in Southeast Asia. One of the speakers, Bianca J Smith, in her presentation explained the role of Sufism in countering extremism. “I want to discuss the role of Sufism or Sufism in countering extremism,” said Bianca when she was a speaker at the regional workshop at Ayana Midplaza Hotel Jakarta, Wednesday (21/11).

This senior researcher from Monash University in Australia said that to counter extremism and radicalism, it can actually be done by teaching Sufism. Because, according to him, Sufism teaches about love. “Sufism is in the form of love and can change people who are exposed to radicalism and extremism,” said Bianca when talking with Republika.co.id.

However, according to him, in Indonesia, there are still few who practice the teachings of Sufism in their daily life, including even those who are followers of the tarekat. “The question is, do the tarekat in Indonesia teach love in practice? Because the practice is different, does it enter your heart or not? ” said Bianca.

This Muslimah who has been doing research in Indonesia for a long time revealed that not a few people who were exposed to radicalism or extremism later became aware of knowing Sufism. According to him, their understanding has changed a lot because they know true love for Allah.

“Because if he understands about love for Allah, then they realize that they have to love Allah’s creation, so they don’t do intolerant things,” explained a follower of one of these tarekat.

Therefore, according to him, the teachings of Sufism can be applied in religious education in Indonesia, so that the younger generation can be saved from radicalism and extremism. A similar sentiment was also conveyed by Professor of UIN Syarif Hidatullah Jakarta, Jamhari Makruf.

According to Jamhari, the workshop activities held by the Center for Islamic and Community Studies (PPIM) UIN Jakarta and Convey Indonesia focused on discussing how to prevent the millennial generation from being exposed to radicalism and extremism. “We focus on the millennial generation through religious education,” said the PPIM researcher.

Jamhari also welcomed the suggestion from Bianca J Smith to strengthen Sufism teachings in religious education in Indonesia. Although, according to him, in fact, religious institutions such as pesantren have taught Sufism.

“One of the things proposed earlier is how Sufism becomes part of Islamic education, which teaches love. What he (Bianca, ed) thinks is lacking in Indonesia, ”he said.

However, according to him, the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) pesantren had actually implemented the teachings of Sufism. So that the younger generation is not exposed to radicalism and extremism. In the pesantren, he said, the students were taught jurisprudence and tasawuf so that they had a balanced understanding.

“So combining an understanding of the brain with heart behavior. Meanwhile, most of these radical groups only have very textual understandings and forget about spiritual understandings, ”he explained.