The existence of adherents of Ahmadiyah teachings in Kotamobagu has existed since 1952, and until now they live in harmony with other groups.

Neno Karlina Paputungan| Diversity | 19 Minutes

VEHICLES began to move quickly after a rainstorm previously hit parts of Kotamobagu City . The raging wind was no longer felt, but the rain really didn’t seem to let up. Rintiknya make the city feel serene.

On either side of the road, residents began to visit Ramadan canteens hunting takjil, no matter how cold the air was. However, the atmosphere remains warm during the fasting month in April 2022. A harmonization of life is formed from the spirit of togetherness. The same spirit affects Erna Bahansubu (39).

The drizzle didn’t stop Erna’s smile from spreading. The residents of the Motoboi Besar Urban Village kindly pointed out the location of the official house of the Indonesian Ahmadiyah Congregational (JAI) missionary, Kotamobagu City Branch.

Erna does not mind and is awkward even though she is not an Ahmadiyah member. For a long time, Erna and other residents of the Motoboi Besar Village have lived side by side, harmoniously and in harmony without any friction.

“We live normally. Just like everyone else. Moreover, here we are all brothers, there is no problem,” Erna admitted to Zonautara.com, Tuesday (12/4/2022).

Life in contact with adherents of the Ahmadiyya congregation had occurred long before Erna was born. During that time, Erna admitted that she had never heard of any acts of repression being carried out against the Ahmadiyah congregation in Motoboi Besar .

“Parents also never told me that there were excessive actions, or anything. What I know from the news is that many outside (regional) have experienced such (acts of violence). If you’re here, it’s safe. We live in mutual respect and respect,” said Erna.

This harmony in diversity is also a strong reason for Ata’ul Islam. Ata’ul is a preacher from Manislor Village, Kuningan, West Java.

“When I first found out I was stationed here (Kotamobagu), I did some research. And one thing that made me calm before leaving here was, because I read about how tolerance is very well developed in North Sulawesi ( North Sulawesi ), including the human values ​​attached by figures like Sam Ratulangi through the motto sitou timou tumou tou , about humanizing man.” said Ata’ul, whom Zonautara.com met on the same day.

However, Ata’ul did not deny that he still has a sense of misgivings, considering the experiences of Ahmadiyah followers in other areas.

“As a layman, of course there is fear, but there is always motivation and encouragement from the leadership to do rabtah . Because I think rabtah is the key so that we can live in society. Moreover, I want to say that in North Sulawesi, especially in Kotamobagu, the Ahmadiyah live inclusively, a bit different from other places,” he said.

The harmony of life in the Big Motoboi community did not just happen. Everything is inseparable from the role of various parties, including the village government, which is open in viewing and treating all its citizens equally, both Ahmadiyah adherents and non-Ahmadiyya followers.

“The sub-district government, Pak Lurah and officials such as the head of the Community Empowerment Institute (LPM) are also very open and kind to us. In fact, they often do gatherings with us at the mosque,” ​​said Ata’ul.

Missionaries of the Indonesian Ahmadiyya Congregation, Kotamobagu Branch, Ata’ul Islam. (Photo: Neno Karlina Paputungan)

Not only that, the Ahmadiyah’s communication with other groups, such as Gusdurian and Christian in Kotamobagu, is strived to continue to maintain harmony in living together.

“During the second day of fasting, the Polres came to review, from the Kodim as well. There was a visit from GP Ansor, Gusdurian. And from our side, I myself am also trying to build relationships, having attended Easter events at the Tumobui Church,” said Ata’ul.

“Thank God, we have such a relationship. It may even have been the Ahmadiyah congregation’s first visit, even though at that time there was an uproar about a church in Java being attacked. But I still visited and admitted that I was an Ahmadiyah congregation. They picked up well,” recalls Ata’ul with a smile.

Strong kinship

Inhabited by 889 families, with 2,717 inhabitants, the Motoboi Besar Village, East Kotamobagu Subdistrict, Kotamobagu City, North Sulawesi, is one of the special villages because it has succeeded in maintaining the harmony of life for its people. This village is where JAI Kotamobagu Branch operates.

For a long time, the Ahmadiyya mosque has also been established here. The community has very strong kinship ties, which is an important factor in the glue of citizen unity, how citizens can live and take care of each other.

This very strong kinship can be seen from the spirit of protecting each other, especially from the family side (familienaam = clan ; Dutch). Fellow family owners will take care of each other regardless of economic background and beliefs. Not surprisingly, when the issue of demonstrations against Ahmadiyah was raised, many residents who were not adherents of Ahmadiyah in Motoboi Besar actually helped protect and guard the congregation there.

“One of the proofs is that when there is an issue of demonstrations, people here who are not members of the congregation defend themselves. Because they say that the Ahmadiyah members here still have family ties, one family with them. Moreover, those who came to protest were not natives here,” said Ata’ul.

The Head of Motoboi Besar Village, Tendi A. Ponubu, said the same thing when met by Zonautara.com in his office, Thursday (12/5/2022).

Tendi said that harmony and harmony are the fruit of the kinship that is built in the community. Thus, residents will easily accept differences and see them as normal. Like members of one family unit in which there are various differences. The Big Motoboy Society has been looking after each other for a long time.

“What’s interesting here is, because usually in one house, for example, there are 5 people, 3 people are members of the congregation and 2 people are not. So if there is friction outside, and there are acts of repression, those who are not members of the congregation will defend themselves, because they are members of the family,” explained Tendi.

The history of the presence of Ahmadiyah in Motoboy Besar

Ahmadiyah was first introduced by Sadrudin Yahya Pontoh or better known as Abo’ Yan around 1940. Abo’ Yan was an Indonesian diplomat who had served in India and lived in Jakarta. Abo’ Yan is from Bolaang Mongondow Utara, married to Bua’ Moleng Mokoginta Manoppo, a woman from Motoboi Besar.

According to the Head of JAI Kotamobagu Branch, Safrianto Payu (45), while in Jakarta Abo’ Yan met with the first Ahmadiyah preacher sent to Indonesia, Maulana Rahmat Ali. It was there that Abo’ Yan first got to know Ahmadiyah.

“Then he took allegiance and joined the Ahmadiyya congregation, then sparked how he could send preachers to his village in Motoboi Besar. Finally, Maulana Abdul Wahid was sent. He is the first Indonesian Ahmadiyah preacher,” said Safrianto.

Around 1952, Safrudin recounted, Maulana Abdul Wahid was sent to Motoboi Besar to introduce Ahmadiyah with the help of Abo’ Yan. He stayed at Big Motoboy for six months. Since then the Motoboi Besar Branch of the Ahmadiyya Congregation was formed, and became a legal entity in 1953.

Safrudin explained that in 1949 the Pontoh-Manoppo family ( Abo’ Yan) donated land for the construction of a mosque. Later the mosque was named the Mubarak Mosque which was completed in 1952, and renovated in 2005.

“The name of the mosque is the Mubarak Mosque but it is better known by the residents as the Ahmadiyah mosque,” said Safrudin.

According to Safrudin, the presence of Ahmadiyah in Kotamobagu has always obeyed the village government’s policies.

“So our relationship or interaction here is very good with the government. Although sometimes there are a few people who are critical. From the past until now there has been no conflict with the kelurahan government, there has always been cooperation. In general, the government here is very good,” said Safrudin.

Government role

The Motoboi Besar sub-district government is very active and open in serving the residents. In the practice of social life, the kelurahan government provides equal opportunities to its citizens. It is not surprising that one member of the Ahmadiyya Jama’at becomes a village apparatus, Yuliana Tayeb (42).

Although being a minority group did not prevent Yuliana from being elected as the head of the neighborhood association (RT). Yuliana is the Head of Lajna Imaillah JAI Kotamobagu Branch.

“My election as the head of the RT is proof that the Ahmadiyah are mingling, and residents who are not members of the congregation do not question it. Everyone respects each other. Our daily life is normal. Maybe it is in their hearts that they know that we are Ahmadiyah, but when it comes to expressing and saying offensive things, never. Because we mix well,” said Yuliana.

Yuliana admitted that in carrying out her duties as Chair of the RT, she tried to apply the values ​​of being an Ahmadi.

“Basically it’s the same, how the value of kindness is applied. What are the characteristics of an Ahmadi? No corruption, no discrimination, if there is social assistance, for example, it doesn’t discriminate but really sees people in need,” explained Yuliana.

Meanwhile, Head of Motoboi Besar Tendi A. Ponubu said that as part of the government, he tried to treat all citizens equally, whether Ahmadi or not. Moreover, according to him, so far Ahmadis have been very obedient to the government.

Not only that, Tendi said that this harmony was created thanks to the involvement of many parties, not only the urban village government in Motoboi Besar.

“All parties, including the government, religious leaders, community leaders and all citizens, whether Ahmadi or not, work together to take care of each other, for the sake of establishing a harmonious life here,” said Tendi.

Family

As far as Tendi believes, as Lurah he cannot discriminate. Tendi once told that before he took office, by a village elder, he received advice to always be aware as a leader.

Approximately 200 heads of families or about 300 members of the Ahmadi congregation in Motoboi Besar can live safely without any acts of repression as is often experienced by Ahmadi congregations outside the region. Tendi is only worried if there are external issues that could damage the harmony of life in Motoboi Besar.

“So that’s why we continue to coordinate with the authorities to anticipate things that have the potential to disrupt the harmony that has been built so far,” said Tendi.

What is Tendi’s concern, is actually the concern of the Ahmadiyya congregation itself.

Head of JAI Kotamobagu Branch, Safrianto Payu. (Photo: Neno Karlina Paputungan)

Being an Ahmadiyah congregation from birth, Rahman Lukman Baaman (59), had to find out and study hard about Ahmadiyah. Because it is not easy for him to have a father who is an Ahmadiyah figure and hears many people questioning Ahmadiyah. Rahman, who used to be a bank employee, was often stationed outside the region.

“Everything that has to be learned, there is a learning process, seeing what Ahmadis are like. And I see the same. Although there are different views about Imam Mahdi. Generally believe it will come, while we believe it has come. That’s all,” said Rahman.

Rahman said that there is no compulsion to believe or become an Ahmadiyah, because for Rahman, being an Ahmadiyah is a gift. In fact, to his children, Rahman can only suggest to continue learning.

“Please understand. What we convey please be studied further whether it is true or what. Moreover, now access to learning is better, there are many Ahmadiyah sites that can be opened, “explained Rahman.

According to Rahman, so far everything has been fine, it’s just that a lot of wrong information about Ahmadiyah has already been circulating.

“Many of my friends are like that. Many of my friends who have understood even though they are not members of the congregation, have helped to give understanding to others. So we’re actually fine. Because we are open, nothing is covered up,” Rahman said.

What was expressed by Rahman, agreed by Ahmad Binangkal who had served as the village secretary. According to him, if residents can uphold the principle of kinship, then any differences can be accepted and social life can be maintained even though there are dynamics.

“Here, in one house, there are usually family members whose congregations do not. There was assimilation, there was mating, “explained Ahmad.

One of the walls at the Kotamobagu Branch of the Ahmadiyya Congregation Office. (Photo: Neno Karlina Paputungan)

Shared hope

The close kinship which is based on the ancestral motto of the Mongondow Tribe: Mototompiaan, Mototabian bo Mototanoban which means, to improve each other, love each other and remember each other must be maintained. With sparkling eyes and full of enthusiasm, Ahmad said it.

Ahmad believes that all citizens of Motoboi Besar and all Mongondow people should remain firm and not forget the motto of life.

“We are Mongondow people, who from a tradition standpoint should understand how to apply the values ​​of the ancestral motto, which I think is very beneficial for living in society,” said Ahmad.

The commitment to always maintain harmony in life is also the great desire of the Chairman of JAI Kotamobagu Branch, Safrianto Payu. He hopes that the close ties in Motoboi Besar will be able to keep the people strong and not easily divided. Especially in responding to misinformation about Ahmadiyah, so that it makes people uncomfortable with the presence of Ahmadiyah, it can be corrected.

“But if other people outside of us understand, such as the media, for example, reporting the truth openly, it will be better and more trusted than us to convey it ourselves,” said Safrianto.

For Safrianto, if the public is willing to accept information from Ahmadiyah openly, it is more than enough to straighten the existence of Ahmadiyah.

“We just want to say that there is nothing wrong with Ahmadiyah. Ahmadiyah should have the same rights to the law and human rights, although misinformation still often occurs which has been detrimental to the Ahmadiyya party,” said Ahmad.

What has been keeping Ahmadiyya closed is the concern over misunderstandings. Although JAI in Kotamobagu did not get resistance, as a missionary, Ata’ul Islam hopes that Ahmadiyah can be more open.

“All this time we tried to be open, but what happened outside made us have to be closed. Because of the fatwas, the rules that, although not directly, made us closed. In fact, we want to share, contribute to society, what we can give,” said Ata’ul.

According to him, it is important to accept differences, because besides religion , there are things that are no less important that we can hold onto, namely humanity.

“There are many things that we can do together, for example in terms of health, social and other matters rather than having to continue to question the differences themselves,” said Ata’ul.

Head of Motoboi Besar Village, Tendi A. Ponubu. (Photo: Neno Karlina Paputungan)

Meanwhile, the Head of the Head of Motoboi Besar, Tendi A. Ponubu also hopes that harmony and harmony in Motoboi Besar can continue to be maintained. Because according to Tendi, generally everything in Motoboi Besar, whether Ahmadi or not, is family.

“Residents are bound by kinship. I hope that the spirit of togetherness will be maintained for a more peaceful and harmonious life,” Tendi hoped.

Living in harmony in the spirit of togetherness has become the great hope of all residents in Kotamobagu, especially in Motoboi Besar. The spirit that makes every citizen always warm and friendly, living life with mutual respect as reflected in Erna Bahansubu’s treatment when showing the address of the preacher of JAI, Kotamobau Branch in the afternoon after a severe storm.

source https://zonautara.com/2022/06/24/melihat-keselarasan-hidup-jemaat-ahmadiyah-di-motoboi-besar/