A Crisis of Misunderstanding

By Kyai Haji Abdurrahman Wahid 

Washington, D.C (June 26, 2006) — The world today faces a ‘crisis of misunderstanding’ that threatens all of humanity, Muslim and non-Muslim alike. We cannot afford to continue “business as usual” in the face of the enormous threat posed by religious extremism, terror and the continued proliferation of nuclear weapons in some of the most volatile parts of the world. 

Rather, we must set aside our international and partisan differences, and join in a global campaign to marginalize religious extremism and discredit the use of terror worldwide. 

All too many Muslims fail to understand Islam, which teaches one to be kind and lenient towards others and to recognize their value systems, by adopting an attitude of tolerance that Islam itself mandates. The essence of Islam is encapsulated in the words of the Koran, “For you, your religion; for me, my religion.” That is the essence of tolerance. 

The Obstacles to Israeli-Palestinian Peace

By Abdurrahman WAHID and Abdul A’LA

The prolonged Israeli-Palestinian conflict has a far-reaching impact not only upon the lives of those who dwell in the Holy Land, but upon virtually every nation and community on earth. On a daily basis, self-interested parties are callously manipulating the most basic values of humanity and religion in order to advance their personal or political interests. Sectarianism, violence, arrogance and deception are constantly subverting the fundamental values of life, and turning religious principles upon their heads.

 

Leaders of 5 faiths decry violence in name of religion

Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus and Jews meet in Indonesia, where they urge others around the world to practice tolerance. 

By K. Connie Kang, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer 
June 30, 2007   

In a historic action, top leaders of five great religions met this month in Indonesia — home to 200 million Muslims — to condemn violence inflicted in the name of religion. 

The leaders representing Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish and Muslim traditions came from five countries and included former Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid and Los Angeles Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

Islam vs West fake clash, says Wahid

By Louise Williams

April 13 2002

Western fears that the world is facing a perilous “clash of civilisations” between Islam and the West are greatly exaggerated, but moderate Muslim leaders must stand up to militants advocating violence in the name of Islam, says the former Indonesian president and Muslim scholar, Abdurrahman Wahid.

In Sydney on a speaking tour, Mr Wahid said the relationship between most of the world’s
1.1 billion Muslims and the West was not one of enmity and violence, despite the war on Islamic terrorism and escalating bloodshed in the Middle East.

My Islam, Your Islam, Our Islam, Their Islam

By : Abdurrahman Wahid

As may be obvious to readers of this forum, a wide variety of opinions exists as to the nature and teachings of Islam, even among those widely regarded as experts. Rather than view Islam and its teachings as a single monolithic entity, it is more accurate to recognize and acknowledge the de facto plurality of opinions that have always existed as to what Islam is, and what it “compels” you, me or us to do.

Gus Dur against fundamentalist threat in Indonesia

» 08/02/2005 13:02
by Mathias Hariyadi

Former Indonesian President opposes the extremism of the Indonesian Ulemas Council, condemning the persecution of the Ahmadi Muslims. Christians demand respect for religious pluralism, one of the nation’s “cultural assets”.

Jakarta (AsiaNews) – Former Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid, better known as Gus Dur, has come once again to the defence of inter-faith harmony in Indonesia in opposition to the dangerous threat posed by the gradual Islamisation of the most populous Muslim country in the world.

ABC Interview with Abdurrahman Wahid

Broadcast: 17/04/2002

Reporter: Jennifer Byrne

Abdurrahman Wahid, the former Indonesian president may have stepped down, but he still wields immense influence as a religious scholar – a leader of some 40 million Indonesian muslims. He spoke to Jennifer Byrne during a visit to Sydney where he was guest of honour at Foreign Correspondent’s 10th anniversary celebrations.

Transcript

Byrne: I’d like to talk first, not about politics but about religion – specifically about Islam, which you’ve described as a religion of peace. How then do you see what’s happening in the Middle East, and in many Arabic countries where Islam is effectively being used as a banner for fundamentalism… for suicide attacks, for war?

Extremism Isn’t Islamic Law

By Kyai Haji Abdurrahman Wahid

Tuesday, May 23, 2006; Page A17For a few days this year the world’s media focused an intense spotlight on the drama of a modern-day inquisition. Abdul Rahman, a Muslim convert to Christianity, narrowly escaped the death penalty for apostasy when the Afghan government — acting under enormous international pressure — sidestepped the issue by ruling that he was insane and unfit to stand trial. This unsatisfactory ruling left unanswered a question of enormous significance: Does Islam truly require the death penalty for apostasy, and, if not, why is there so little freedom of religion in the so-called Muslim world?

The Koran and the sayings of the prophet Muhammad do not definitively address this issue. In fact, during the early history of Islam, the Agreement of Hudaibiyah between Muhammad and his rivals stipulated that any Muslim who converted out of Islam would be allowed to depart freely to join the non-Muslim community. Nevertheless, throughout much of Islamic history, Muslim governments have embraced an interpretation of Islamic law that imposes the death penalty for apostasy.

The Evils of Holocaust Denial

By ABDURRAHMAN WAHID and ISRAEL LALU

June 12, 2007

BALI, Indonesia — Today, religious leaders from many faiths and nations will gather here for a landmark conference in a unique place — an island of tolerance, not terrorism. In a world in which religion is manipulated to justify the most horrific acts, it is our moral obligation not only to refute the claims of terrorists and their ideological enablers but also to defend the rights of others to worship differently: in freedom, security and dignity.

While there are many things that can be said and done to advance this cause, one issue in particular stands out as something we religious leaders must unite in denouncing: Holocaust denial. This denial is not a new phenomenon. Yet it is becoming an increasingly pervasive one. Long a hobbyhorse of the neo-Nazis and other figures from the fringe, it is gaining currency among millions of people who are either ignorant of history or are being misled by their media, their governments or — sad to say — their own religious authorities.

Gus Dur Puas Lawatannya ke AS Capai Tujuan

Jakarta (ANTARA News) – Mantan Presiden Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) mengaku puas karena dapat meyakinkan para pengambil kebijakan negara Amerika Serikat untuk tidak berpangku tangan terkait pertentangan antara kelompok fundamentalis dengan kelompok yang menginginkan adanya dialog antarkeyakinan.

“Alhamdulillah mereka mau untuk bersama-sama mendorong adanya dialog antarkeyakinan. Ini penting karena mereka sebelumnya memilih bersikap netral,” kata Gus Dur yang juga ketua umum dewan syura Partai Kebangkitan Bangsa (PKB) di Jakarta, Rabu.