One undeniable reality in Indonesian society is religious diversity. We all know that there are not only Muslims but also Protestants, Catholics, Hindus, Buddhists, Confucians, and believers of various faiths living together in this nation.
Unfortunately, within our religiously diverse society, there are still individuals who struggle to accept this diversity. Consequently, incidents of intolerance continue to occur. According to data from the Setara Institute, from 2017 to 2022, there were approximately 867 cases of violations of religious freedom in Indonesia.
It is essential to acknowledge that the perpetrators of these recorded cases come from various religious groups, not limited to Muslims. However, we cannot ignore the fact that there are some Muslims who have difficulty accepting religious differences. These Muslims obstruct or even damage places of worship for non-Muslims, discriminate against non-Muslims, and engage in other actions that reflect an inability to embrace religious diversity.
In Islamic teachings, we are familiar with the principle of ‘hifdz al-din’ (preserving religion) as a part of ‘Maqasid al-Syari’ah’ (objectives of Islamic law). The principle of ‘hifdz al-din’ is often interpreted to mean preserving Islam as the one true religion (‘al-din al-haq’), rather than preserving other religions. Such interpretations may potentially contribute to the difficulty in accepting religious diversity.
Does the preservation of religion, as understood in ‘maqasid,’ only pertain to safeguarding Islam and not other religions?
In the view of al-Tahir Ibn Ashur, as explained by Jasser Auda in ‘Maqasid al-Shariah as Philosophy of Islamic Law,’ the universal objective of ‘maqasid’ is to establish order, equality, freedom, ease, and the preservation of human nature. Therefore, according to Ibn Ashur, freedom is considered part of the objectives of ‘Maqasid al-Syari’ah.’
Jasser Auda explains that the ‘freedom’ referred to by Ibn Ashur is ‘al-hurriyyah,’ which leads to the freedom to think, believe, express, and act. As Auda exemplifies, “‘freedom of belief’ is expressed in the Qur’an as the ‘will to believe or disbelieve.'”
Furthermore, there is a viewpoint from Indonesian ‘maqasid’ expert Abdul Mustaqim, who categorizes religious freedom as an extension of ‘hifdz al-din.’ As explained by Halya Millati in ‘Harmonizing Interreligious Relations: From Hifz al-Din to al-Hurriyyah fi al-Din’ within ‘Fikih Humanisme,’ Abdul Mustaqim’s perspective suggests that tolerance and positive interaction with non-Muslims represent a new understanding of ‘hifdz al-din.’ This view is based on the assumption that everyone has the freedom to embrace a religion, as an individual’s religious disposition is primarily driven by a pure heart and not by coercion.
From these various perspectives, we can understand that religious freedom is indeed an integral part of ‘hifdz al-din.’ This interpretation has implications for how we view the principle of preserving religion. It implies that the preservation of religion does not solely pertain to Islam as ‘al-din al-haq’ but encompasses other religions as well. In the context of Indonesia, where the population practices diverse religions, adopting a ‘hifdz al-din’ meaning that includes this perspective is ideal.
Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and indigenous faiths coexist in Indonesian society. The presence of these religions is guaranteed by the state (see the 1945 Constitution, Article 29, Paragraph 2). Therefore, taking inspiration from Auda’s system-oriented approach to ‘maqasid,’ within the framework of Indonesia’s religiously diverse society, we need to view ‘hifdz al-din’ holistically. This means that the desired preservation of religion in Islamic teachings encompasses all the religions practiced by the Indonesian population.
As a result, actions such as obstructing or, worse, damaging places of worship for non-Muslims, disrupting the religious practices of non-Muslims, and any other actions that hinder the process of non-Muslim religious practice can be considered contrary to the principles of ‘hifdz al-din’ in Islamic teachings. Conversely, an Islamic attitude that aligns with the principles of ‘Maqasid al-Syari’ah’ is one that can embrace religious diversity.