Mubindah.id – On December 11 2023, I and my friends from the Indonesian Female Ulama Scholars (SUPI) Fahmina Islamic Studies Institute (ISIF) Cirebon were assigned to conduct field studies in two different places, namely the Ahmadiyah Congregation and the Karuhun Urang Indigenous Community ( AKUR) Sunda Wiwitan in Cigugur, Kuningan.However, in this case, I want to write about my and SUPI friends’ experiences in dialogue with the Ahmadiyah Congregation.At that time, precisely before my friends and I went there, several questions arose in my mind regarding the societal stigma and the MUI fatwa in 2005 against Ahmadiyah which was considered heretical. A question arose in me “Is Ahmadiyah as scary as people say?” Because long before studying at ISIF, I had seen news related to arson and raids on the Ahmadiyah Congregation.However, the bad thoughts towards the Ahmadiyya Community suddenly disappeared. Especially when my friends and I were greeted warmly by the Ahmadiyah congregation. They treated us well and friendly.

While we were there, my friends and I discussed with the Manislor Ahmadiyah congregation. In this discussion, we were directed by the Lecturer in Human Rights Studies, Mrs. Alifatul Arifiati, to divide it into two sessions.

This first session was delivered by Mr Maulana Tatang. In this session, we were introduced to what Ahmadiyah is and its teachings.Mr. Maulana Tatang also said that the Manislor Ahmadiyah Congregation was involved in humanitarian activities. One of them is routinely carrying out blood donation activities every 3 months.Apart from blood donations, the Ahmadiyah Manislor Congregation is also listed in the MURI record as a religious organization whose members have donated the most corneas in Indonesia.Of course, what the Ahmadiyah Community is doing is an activity that is very beneficial for humanity. Many people have been helped by this activity. So in my opinion other religious organizations also need to carry out activities like this.Then in the second session, we gained knowledge about several forms of citizenship rights violations and human rights violations that the Manislor Ahmadiyah Congregation had experienced.This session was delivered by Mr. Yusuf Ahmadi who once served as head of Manislor village. He said that the Manislor Ahmadiyah congregation had experienced several forms of violations of citizenship rights. For example, not having a KTP and not having your marriage registered by the KUA.The Ahmadiyah congregation has also experienced several human rights violations such as vandalism, burning of mosques and persecution.

Ahmadiyya attacks

As I discussed in the second session, we were invited to see an Ahmadiyah mosque which was burned down by several individuals acting in the name of Islamic mass organizations in 2000.

Apart from burning the mosque, the Manislor Ahmadiyah Congregation has also experienced several forms of attacks. One of the attacks that occurred in 2010 was the work of individuals acting in the name of an Islamic mass organization.Referring to the Fahmina.or.id website, in 2010, the Manislor Ahmadiyah Congregation experienced attacks and plans to close the mosque by hundreds of people from joint Islamic organizations.The plan to close the mosque began with a letter of recommendation issued by the Regent of Kuningan. This is of course an oddity, because the government should be able to protect its people in carrying out religious practices, but this is actually involved in taking away their right to worship and live in safety.

Gusdur and Ahmadiyah

All the series of attacks, destruction and deprivation of religious rights experienced by the Ahmadiyah Community cannot be separated from the Fatwa of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) which prohibits the practice of Ahmadiyah teachings. However, in this case, KH. Abdurahman Wahid or what we know as Gus Dur actually has a different view regarding Ahmadiyah.As the father of pluralism and tolerance, Gus Dur actually defended the Ahmadiyah Community from various bad stigmas and various attacks they experienced.Reporting from NU Online , Gus Dur invited anyone to campaign or think that Ahmadiyah was wrong, but to disband Ahmadiyah would violate the 1945 constitution. Because according to Gus Dur, we need to protect the existence of Ahmadiyah and it also has the right to live and develop in Indonesia under the 1945 Constitution.

To defend the truth

Apart from that, in order to defend Ahmadiyah from discrimination felt by its congregation. Gus Dur is also determined to continue defending Ahmadiyah in Indonesia as long as he is alive. Because, what he did was to defend the truth and uphold the 1945 Constitution.

Gus Dur also stated that he was ready to become an expert witness, if the Ahmadiyah government was really disbanded and Gus Dur would take the case to court.

“If it is declared disbanded, I am willing to be a witness in court and, if necessary, to be a defender of Ahmadiyah because this concerns our ability to defend Indonesian citizens,” said Gus Dur.

What Gus Dur did, in my opinion, is a form of the importance of respecting existing differences. Because it departs from our own nation’s motto, namely “Unity in Diversity.” Gus Dur also tried to uphold the highest constitution, namely the 1945 Constitution and protect the rights of the Ahmadiyah Community.When the government and MUI wanted to ban the practice of Ahmadiyah teachings because they considered them heretical, Gus Dur actually dared to contradict and defend Ahmadiyah. Differences which they considered to be oddities, by Gus Dur, actually became a pillar of tolerance for mutual respect. Whatever the religion, whatever the practice, if it does not violate the 1945 Constitution, then the state protects its existence.

Tolerance in Islam

The teachings about tolerance that Gus Dur conveyed regarding the differences that exist within the Ahmadiyah Community are in line with what Islam teaches.

In Islam itself, the word tolerance is called tasamuh which means ease. In this way, it can be interpreted that the Islamic religion makes it easy for anyone to carry out what they believe in accordance with their respective teachings without any pressure or without disturbing the beliefs that other people live by.

Islam comes as rahmatan lil alamin , which means mercy to all nature. Islam also respects differences in existing beliefs. This includes differences in beliefs and religious practices of Islam itself.Therefore, fellow Muslims should respect each other’s differences and not disturb each other. Moreover, to the point of carrying out violence and taking away the rights of fellow Muslims just because of different sects and understandings. []