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| The atmosphere of the conference of experts in the master's level courses on Islamic and Human Rights (HAM) day 2 |
The expert conference about Sharia and Human Rights which was held by the UMM Multi-Culturism and Religion Study Centre (PUSAM) today (6/14) started its second day. The conference and workshop would last till tomorrow at UMM Inn.
Today's section was the presentation of an expert from Malaysia Prof Hashim Kamali and an Australian expert Prof Abdullah Saeed, through a teleconference. Next section was the presentatin of the Islamic Study Cemtre of Islamic Indonesia University research. It was about the views of Islamic universities toward the Human Rights issues. Yesterday, some experts had already presented their materials related to the Sharia and the humans Right. They were Prof M Amin Abdullah, Prof Musdah Mulia, Prof Tore Lindholm, Prof Lena Larsen, and Prof Brett Schraffs. The UMM Rector Muhadjir Effendy gave his speech in the opening ceremony.
According to Kamali, Sharia and the Humans Right were supporting each other. If the sharia was understood as the context of life care, family, and religious freedom, of course it was similar to the principles applied in the Human Rights. In this case, sharia should be understood broadly and through the correct context.
In understanding the gender fiqh and religious freedom terms, sharia was often crashed with the humans right. According to Kamali, it was because people often saw the problems from the wrong perception. Sharia was viewed as the obligation only, while the terms 'rights' was forgotton by people. This way of viewing created the stereotype and even the Islamophobia in non-moslem.
“In Quran, it is clearly stated that there is no coercion in religion," said Kamali. But in another context, it was also stated that apostate people were the enemies. The context should be understood clearly. The Prophet never attacked his enemies as long as they did not attack him. That was why, according to Kamali, as long as the apostate did not attack us, we did not have to attack them. There were many things taught by the Prophet persuasively, not coercively.
In that teleconference, Saeed agreed with Kamali's opinion that the sharia and human rights curriculum should be designed related to the context of place and time. According to Saeed, case studies and the solutions were more important to giving any theories. "In Indonesia, there are many cases that can be reviewed. Then, try to find out the solutions for those cases using the relevant references," explained he.
Further Saeed explained that the Quran was flexible and the moslem should use and think of it as their behaving rules. In the Quran, it was stated that there were people who believed in God and who did not. It was true that those kind of people were exist, so it was not necessary to attack some groups which did not have the same religion as ours, or even those who did not have any religion.
In Saeed's experiences, talking about human rights probably would be responded differently. In Malaysia, he was once protested for he was accused to defend the non-moslem group attacking the moslem. "It is not happened in Indonesia. I think it open enough in Indonesia to discuss about human rights. We do not need to attack or to be attacked," said he.
Saeed, responding to Oslo Coalition and PUSAM to teach at UMM, stated that he was happy on that invitation. "It is a pleasure for me," said he. The sharia and human rights shortcourse at UMM would be held next year based on the cooperation between the Oslo Coalition and UMM. The lecturers would be the experts spoke in that experts forum. The Coordinator of PUSAM Prof Syamsul Arifin explained that the forum was to design the shortcourse curriculum. (nas/t_ris)
