KARL MARX : AGAMA SEBAGAI ALIENASI DAN CANDU

MAKALAH

KARL MARX : AGAMA SEBAGAI ALIENASI DAN CANDU

Dibuat untuk memenuhi tugas mata kuliah Metodologi Pemikiran Agama dan Sosial yang diampu oleh Prof. Dr. H. Barmawi Munte, M.A.

Oleh :

Hanif Rahmat

11611101

PONDOK PESANTREN

UNIVERSITAS ISLAM INDONESIA

YOGYAKARTA

2013

BAB I

PENDAHULUAN

Karl marx, sebuah nama yang mengguncang dunia Barat kala itu, atau mungkin sampai sekarang. Pemikiran-pemikirannya tertuang dalam hiruk pikuk kegelisahan akademik dirinya. Ia mengusung paham kapitalisme dalam dunia perekonomian. Ia pun mendobrak paham-paham dan doktrin-doktrin tentang agama. Ia seorang pemikir yang gelisah tetapi peduli terhadap kehidupan orang di sekitarnya. Pemikiran orang besar kelahiran Jerman pada tangga 5 Mei 1818 ini banyak dipengaruhi oleh Hegel, hal ini dikaitkan dengan latar pendidikan yang ditempuh Marx selama di Univeritas Berlin berada dalam doktrinal George Wilhelm Friedrich von Hegel. Selama dalam proses pendidikannya di samping tugasnya sebagai seorang murid, Marx juga banyak mengkritisi pernyataan bahkan teori-teori yang dikemukakan oleh Hegel sehingga dengan kekritisannya itu ia dikenal sebagai Young Hegelians (Pals, 2001: 211).  Dengan sikap kritisnya itu, Marx menentang pernyataan hegel dan menyatakan bahwa materi adalah yang utama sementara pikiran-wilayah konsep dan ide yang begitu penting bagi para pemikir sebenaranya hanya refleksi semata.prinsif umum tentang dunia adalah riil, lebih dapat ditemukan dalam kekuatan materi daripada konsep mental atau ide, secara khusus ide tersebut mendasari dua tema inti perkembangan pemikirannya, yaitu : (1) keyakinan bahwa realitas ekonomi menentukan perilaku manusia dan (2) sejarah manusia adalah cerita tentang perjuangan kelas, konflik terus menerus di setiap aspek masyarakat antara orang yang kaya (borjuis) dan para pekerja (orang miskin/ proletar) (Pals, 2001: 216).  

Secara fundamental Marx menyatakan bahwa sejak kemunculan pertama di dunia, makhluk manusia tidak dimotivasi ole hide-ide besar, tetapi olehkepentingan materi yang sangat dasar, kebutuhan dasar  untuk kelangsungan hidup. Dan ini merupakan suatu fakta tentang gerakan atas pandangan materialis tentang dunia bahwa setiap manusia membutuhkan makanan, pakaian dan tempa berteduh, maka setelah kebutuhan ini sudah terpenuhi kepentingan lain sperti  dorongan seni, seks dan lainnya masih melakukan proses penciptaan kebutuhan dan tuntunan materi yang lain. Dan semuanya ini dapat dipenuhi dengan mengembangkan apa yang disbeut sebagai suatu cara produksi (Pals, 2001: 216).  

Makalah ini bertujuan untuk memahami kritik Karl Marx terhadap (pengguna) agama yang dituangkan dalam pemikirannya yakni agama sebagai alienasi dan candu bagi manusia.

Hal-hal yang dibahas dalam makalah ini berkaitan dengan kritik Marx mencakup isi, bentuk, dan fungsi teori Marx yakni agama sebagai alienasi dan candu.

BAB II

PEMBAHASAN

KARL MARX : AGAMA SEBAGAI ALIENASI DAN CANDU

Karl Marx terkenal karena ucapannya bahwa “agama adalah candu rakyat”. Kalimat ini sering diartikan seakan-akan Marx menuduh agama, menyesatkan dan menipu rakyat. Dan memang, dari retorika Marxis kemudian, ucapan Marx itu sering dipakai dalam arti tuduhan, bahwa agama dengan menjanjikan kebahagiaan di alam sesudah kehidupan, membuat orang miskin dan tertindas menerima saja nasib daripada memberontak terhadapnya. Hal itu lebih lagi berlaku bagi Lenin yang menulis bahwa “agama adalah candu bagi rakyat”, jadi agama dengan licik diciptakan kelas-kelas atas untuk menenangkan rakyat tertindas.

Akan tetapi bukan itulah yang dimaksud Marx (Magnis-Suseno, 1999: 46). Ia tidak membicarakan apakah fungsi agama dalam masyarakat adalah positif atau negatif. Melainkan ucapannya itu menanggapi kritik agama Feurbach. Marx setuju dengan kritik itu. Tetapi menurut Marx, Feurbach berhenti di tengah jalan. Betul, agama adalah dunia khayalan di mana manusia mencari dirinya sendiri. Tetapi, Feurbach tidak bertanya mengapa manusia melarikan diri ke khayalan daripada mewujudkan diri dalam kehidupan nyata. Jawaban yang diberikan Marx adalah: Karena kehidupan nyata, dan itu berati: struktur kekuasaan dalam tidak mengizinkan manusia untuk mewujudkan kekayan hakekatnya. Manusia melarikan diri ke dunia khayalan karena dunia nyata menindasnya.

Dari fakta dan pemikiran-pemikiran Marx dapat diketahui bahwa yang menjadi objek kritik Marx ialah orang yang menjalankan agama, bukanlah agama itu sendiri. Karena manusia merupakan faktor independen yang melatarbelakangi terciptanya agama yang merupakan faktor dependen, atau sesuatu yang dipengaruhi. Sebagaimana candu, semakin banyak dikonsumsi maka semakin menggerogoti jiwa pecandunya. Namun selalu ada keinginan yang kuat dan hasrat tak tertahankan untuk seallu menkonsumsi candu. Seperti itulah agama menurut Marx.

Dalam pada itu, yang dikritik oleh Marx pun merupakan pemahaman manusia terhadap agama itu sendiri yang pada akhirnya direalisasikan ke dalam kehidupan sehari-hari.

Pertanyaan yang terbesit dalam benak tentu tentang kebenaran teori Marx ini sebagai refleksi kegundahan hatinya melihat keadaan sekitarnya, dan benarkah bahwa manusia agar ia dapat mengembangkan diri sebagai mahkluk yang sosial dan politik harus berhenti tunduk terhadap Allah? Jika pemikiran Marx ini dipandang sebelah mata tentu sudah jelas bahwa dua pengandaian Marx ini tidak benar, haus kelihatan dari praxis agama. Agama bukan pelarian apabila agama justru memberdayakan para penganutnya untuk membangun masyarakat yang solider dengan mereka yang mskin dan lemah, masyarakat yang positif, damai saling menghormati, serta melawan ketidakadilan dan penindasan mereka yang tidak berdaya. Dan profil para agamawan harus memperlihatkan bahwa mencari Allah bukan hanya tidak mengasingkan manusia dari dirinya sendiri, melainkan justru akan mengembangkan identitas dan hakekatnya yang positif. Menjawab panggilan Sang Pencipta memang tidak mungkin mengasingkan ciptaan dari hakekatnya, tetapi hal itu hanya akan meyakinkan apabila kaum agamawan adalah manusia-manusia yang terbuka, positif, toleran, yang memperhatikan saudara dan solider, yang mencintai keadilan dan melawan ketidakadilan tanpa menjadi keras di dalam hati.

Akan tetapi, jika dilihat secara komprehensif dan melihta latar belakang serta metodologi dan kerangka berpikirnya, ia tidak bermaksud menjastifikasi semua agama negatif, pun yang ia kritik pada dasarnya bukanlah agama itu sendiri, melainkan manusia atau penggunanya.

Tidak semua agama, memang, yang dianggap seperti itu oleh Marx, meskipun kebanyakan orang menganggapnya sebagai paham dan pemikiran untuk semua agama. Berdasarkan latar belakang Marx dan alasan yang diberikan Marx mengenai mengapa manusia selalu pergi ke dunia khayalan, yang tidak lain adalah agama dan segala aspeknya, agama yang dianggap candu oleh Marx adalah agama yang tidak bisa dirasionalisasikan. Semuanya berbau khayalan dan mistik. Tidak membawa kemajuan terhadap dunia nyata seperti perekonomian, kesejahteraan rakyat, kemakmuran, sopan santun, dan lain sebagainya yang menyangkut aspek materi.

Semakin manusia “mengkonsumsi” agama, maka ia akan semakin gila, atau bahkan ia sudah lebih gila sebelumnya. Itulah yang selama ini diungkapkan oleh Marx. Manusia tidak mempedulikan perihal-perihal materi yang sudah tentu hadir dalam kehidupan nyata. Manusia hanya terlena dengan khayalan-khayalan mereka tentang agama dan kehidupan akhirat, hikmah-hikmah, dan mistik.

Agama, seperti candu, menghancurkan, menjerumuskan dan merusak tatanan kehidupan manusia di muka bumi dengan janji-janji yang tidak rasional. Orang-orang yang terpuruk di dunia nyata, misal dalam hal ekonomi maupun kesejahteraan hidup lainnya, selalu melarika diri kepada agama. Mereka mencari ketenangan dalam agama, seakan agama akan memberikan kesejahteraan dan uang yang banyak, padahal tidak. Orang hanya akan semakin ketergantungan dengan agama.

“Agama sebagai candu atau alienasi (pengasingan)” menuruk Marx merupakan refleksi dari keadaan manusia yang tidak menjadi diri sendiri, manusia yang menjadi objek Tuhan sehingga ia tidak memiliki otonomi terhadap diri sendiri tetapi malah menggantungkan dirinya pada agama yang justru diciptaka oleh manusia. Ia tunduk terhadap agama, ia kehilangan dirinya, tidak bisa menguasai diri untuk meraih apa yang diinginkannya. Manusia tidak mengobjektifkan dirinya.

Pemahaman seperti ini, menurut hemat penulis, tidak lepas dari pemikiran Marx mengenai teori ekonomi dan politik. Ia menggiring prinsip-prinsip agama kepada prinsip-prinsip ekonomi dan politik sehingga pemikiran kapitalis lah buahnya.

Manusia terasing dari diri sendiri, tidak memiliki otonomi terhadap dirinya. Ia bekerja di luar dirinya, dan tidak menjadi dirinya. Doktrin agama sebagai pengasingan ini merupakan bentuk protes Marx terhadap agama dan keinginannya untuk mendekonstruksi agama. Manusia-manusia yang putus asa dari kiprahnya di kehidupan nyata memalingkan dirinya dari dunia kepada agama. Sungguh fenomena yang mengganjal dan tidak layak dilakukan oleh manusia, menuru Marx. Agama benar-benar telah menjadi candu yang mengasingkan manusia dari kemestian dirinya sebagai manusia.

Bentuk agama sebagai candu dan alienasi yang dikemukakan Marx tercermin dalam realitas kehidupan manusia sendiri, yakni manusia memproyeksikan dirinya kepada Tuhan dan tidak pernah melihat hakikat dirinya. Diktrin Marx ini ingin menafikan agama berikut aspek-aspeknya dalam kehidupan manusia.

Seperti apa yang dikemukakan Daniel L. Pals bahwa ada dua hal yang harus diperhatikan sejak awal berkenaan dengan Karl Marx. Pertama, bentuk komunisme, Marx hanya memberikan suatu teori tentang agama, bukan sebuah pemikiran total yang dengan sendirinya menyerupai sebuah agama. Dan yang lebih penting apa yang dihadirkan Marx dalam pemikirannya bukanlah suatu catatan tentang agama secara umum melainkan suatu analisis tentang agama Kristen dan agama lainnya yang serupa dengan menekankan kepercayaan terhadap Tuhan yang Maha Esa  dan eskatologi. Sehingga dalam pemikirannya hanya pemikiran Kristen yang semula memberikan pengaruh atas modal dasar teori yang telah dicetuskannya itu ketika ia mengemukakan bahwa agama sebagai pelarian orang miskin dari penderitaan dan penindasan ekonomi. Kedua, filsafat Marx begitu jauh jangkauannya, apa yang ia tawarkan sebagai suatu “teori” tentang agama tradisional merupakan bagian yang agak kecil dan tidak mesti sentral dari pemikirannya.

Ketidakpercayaannya terhadap agama, Marx melihat agama sebagaimana halnya Sigmund Frued yang melihat agama melalui analisa individual neurotik begitu pula dengan Emile Durkheim melalui analisa sosialnya, maka Marx pun menganalisa agama melalui ekonomi dan politiknya sebagai alur pendekatan fungsional. Dengan pendekatan tersebut menjadi suatu keberhasilan Marx dalam melihat agama melalui sudut pandang kaitannya dengan ekonomi sehingga membawa Marx pada reduksionisme yang khas (Pals, 2001: 242-243).  

Teori Marx mengenai agama sebagai alienasi dan candu ini mengungkapkan bahwa penderitaan manusia adalah tempat kehadiran Tuhan. Paham ini mendobrak paham manusia tentang otonom iagama yang mengekang kebebasan diri dan menghindari agama serta tetap dalam aturan diri sendiri sebagai fitrah manusia untuk berkiprah.

Agama hanya untuk diikuti, tidak untuk diprotes. Manusia hanya boleh tunduk kepada agama, tidak boleh membantah. Hal inilah yang menjadi keresahan Marx karena disini manusia tidak dapat merealisasikan dirinya sendiri dalam kehidupan ini. Manusia terus dikekang oleh agama, tetapi manusia selalu bergantung padanya sehingga menimbulkan kekacauan, kehancuran, dan kerusakan tatanan kehidupan.

BAB III

PENUTUP

A.           Kesimpulan

Agama sebagai candu memiliki arti bahwwa dalam agama manusia tidak menjadi diri sendiri, melainkan ia menjadi objek Tuham. Manusia tidak mengobjektifkan diri sendiri dalam kehidupan nyata ini.

Teori ini dilatarbelakangi oleh prinsip-prinsip ekonomi dan politik yang dipertautkan dengan agama.

Teori ini juga mengindikasikan bahwa manusia tidak menjadi diri sendiri, tidak mampu merealisasikan kehendak diri, dan tidak memiliki otonomi terhadap diri. Manusia terasing dari diri sendiri disebabkan dogma-dogma agama. Namun, manusia tetap selalu terlibat dalam agama berikut aspek-aspeknya.

Teori ini mengindikasikan bahwa manusia memproyeksikan dirinya kepada Tuhan, tetapi tidak pernah melihat hakikat dirinya sendiri. Sehingga dalam hal ini, Marx ingin menafikan agama dai kehidupan manusia.

Karl Marx mengungkapkan teori agama sebagai alienasi dan candu sebagai penderitaan manusia yang merupakan tempat kehadiran Tuhan. Marx menghindarkan agama dari kehidupan dan tetap ada dalam aturan diri.

Marx tidak mengkritik agama itu sendiri, melainkan manusia yang menciptakan agama, pun yang terlibat di dalamnya, tunduk padanya. Agama yang dikritik Marx pun tidaklah semua agama, melainkan agama yang tidak bisa dirasionalisasikan.

B.            Komentar Singkat

Marx membawa agama ke dalam ranah ekonomi dan politik yang jelas berbeda dalam tujuan keberadaannya. Ekonomi dan duniawi untuk hal duniawi sedangkan agama untuk hal ukhrawi tetapi memiliki nilai-nilai untuk menuntuk kehidupan duniawi. Ia juga mengomentari agama yang dianggapnya tidak rasional karena memandang pengamalan manusia itu sendiri terhadap agama. Doktrin ini merupakan doktrin kapitalis dan materialistik yang menafikan agama berikut aspek-aspeknya. Ia mendobrak paham tentang dogma agama dan menghindarinya agar manusia dapat berbuat sekehendak hatinya untuk meraih segala tujuan.

DAFTAR PUSTAKA

http://kampusbebeck.blogspot.com/2011/01/agama-candu-rakyat-kritik-karl-marx.html, diakses pada tanggal 20 Juli 2013.

http://klinikpencerahan.blogspot.com/2012/07/karl-marx-agama-dan-alienasi.html, diakses pada tanggal 20 Juli 2013.

L. Pals, Daniel.. Seven Theories of Religions; Dari Animisme E.B. Taylor, Materialsm Karl Mark, hingga Antropologi Budaya C.Geertz, Terj. Ali Noerjaman. Yogyakarta: Qalam. 2001.

Magnis, Frans. & Suseno.  Pemikiran Karl Marx: Dari Sosialisme Utopis ke Perselisihan Revisionisme. Jakarta: Gramedia Pustaka Utama. 1999.

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The Importance of Establishing A Relationship by Muslim Countries In Order to Uphold A Peace In All The World

INTRODUCTION

There is a primary and simply fact about the religion of Islam and the manner of operation in the life of mankind which, for all its simplicity, is frequently forgotten or initially misunderstood. From forgotten or failing to comprehend it, there arises a seious error in examining the religion, both its essential nature and its historic reality, its present and its future.

Some expect Islam, seeing that is revealed by God, to operate in human life in a magical, extraordinary and incomprehensible manner. They expect it to operate whitout any regard for human nature, for the innate capacities and material realities of human life, in varying stages of human development and environments. (Sayyid Qutb, 1997: 1)

Islam came to bring peace and justice for all people, not limited to race, ethnicity, nation, and state. Something that missed from our view is the oneness of religion although separated by the state and the way to realize the harmonious relationship that was expected by every person in all countries.

The umma (comunity) is the group of people bound together by belief, which constitues their nationality. If there is no belief there is no umma, for there is nothing to bind it together. Land, race, language, lineage, common maaterial interests are not enough, either singly or in combination, to form an umma, unless the bond of belief is in existence.

The bond must be an idea that vivifies heart and mind, a concept that interprets being and life, that joins to God, by a breath from Whose soul man be came man, was distinguished from the beast, and set aside in a God-given dignity.

God says in the Qur'an, addressing the believers of every land, age race, color, tribe and group, throughout the countries, speaking through Noah-upon him be Peace! - to Muhammad - Peace and Blessing be upon him! - "This your community is a single community, and I am your Lord, so worship Me". (al-Anbiya, v. 92) (Sayyid Qutb, 1997: 86)

That total of muslims population is more than 1.6 billion people, or about 23.4 percent of the total population in the world make Islam as a religion with the largest  adherents in the world. Growth of Muslims will continue to increase and by 2030 the total of muslims is estimated of 2.2 billion people, or about 35 percent for the year.

Based on the data from The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life at 2010, Indonesia, although geographically is far from the origin country of Islam, but the adherents of Islam there is very great quantities, which is about 12.7 per cent of the total Muslim world. In 2010, followers of Islam in Indonesia around 205 million people, or 88.1 percent of the population. Based on the data, Indonesia is the country with the largest Muslims population in the world.

But, in reality, the peace that expected haven't realized. This situation is the side effect of people character as soft society that live in the soft state and seem as soft Muslims. In our life, a person sometimes refers tradition, politics, and the selfishness to Islam itself. This reality makes us become soft in facing everything. Perhaps, this is also the face of our character so that our daily work is gossip country, government behavior, parliament, and the people in general, but if we are given the same mandate we'll not necessarily better than them.

UKHUWAH

The basic principle of Islam that emerges from the Qur'an and Mohammed'a life is that the religion is based upo behavior as well as belief. To be a Moslem is to believe in God, the prophecy of Mohammed, and the Last Judgement; but it is also to live in a prescribed way. The soul'a submission to God'a supremacy has its indispensable earthly counterpart in the individual's submission to God's code of conduct.

Islam tells its adherents not only what to believe about God, angels, and the afterlife, but also how to live on earth in such a way as to find favor with God. Within the principles of social justice, communal peace, and individual dignity, Islam lays down rules governing daily life, commerce, the family, and society that are basis for the common observation, "Islam is more than a religion, it is a way of life".

(Lipmann, 1982: 72)

As a yardstick and criterion in our lives, Islam has given us a clear definition of unity and brotherhood and how it can be realized and implemented.  The uniting factor is the `Aqeedah (creed) of Islam which defines the belief of a Muslim.  Unlike other bonds (nationalistic, patriotic, etc.) which are superficial, animalistic, reactive, emotional, and completely devoid of a real solution for life’s affairs, the intellectuality of the ideological bond of Islam unites man irrespective of their race, nationality, and other factors which are irrelevant when it comes to bonding on an ideological creed.

Allah in the Qur’an describes what is unity in Islam as the Mu’minoon (Believers; those that believe in Allah and His Messenger Muhammad) being united in a Brotherhood based on solely Islam:

“The Mu’minoon are but a single Brotherhood.” (The Holy Qur’an, 49:10)

Allah further defines this Brotherhood by explaining that Muslims are awliyyaa’ (allies, friends, supporters) of one another, and this again is based solely on Islam:

“The Believers, men and women, are protectors one of another: they enjoin the ma`roof (all of Islam), and forbid the munkar (all that is evil; kufr): they observe regular prayers, pay Zakat, and obey Allah and His Messenger. On them will Allah pour His mercy: for Allah is Exalted in power, Wise.” (The Holy Qur’an, 9:71)

Muhammad (Salla Allahu `alaihi wa sallam) indicated in several Ahadith on unity and brotherhood as we can see in his (saaws) Farewell Sermon (khuTbat ul-wadaa`):

“All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood.”

Other Ahadith further elaborate on the concept of unity and brotherhood:

"A Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. He does not oppress him, nor does he leave him at the mercy of others." (Sahih Muslim Book 032, Number 6219)

The Prophet said, "None of you will have faith till he wishes for his (Muslim) brother what he likes for himself." (Sahih Al-Bukhari Volume 1, Book 2, Number 12)

As the teachings of Islam clearly show us that Brotherhood and unity in Islam are based solely on the `Aqeedah of Islam (which is the foundation of Muslim belief).  The Mu’minoon are believers to one another and this belief has nothing to do with race or any other type of invalid reason to unite but is rather a bond based on an ideological belief in Islam. (brothermahdi.tripod.com)

Within society there are many different kinds of relationships and associations that are made between people. One of the highest forms of these relationships and a true milestone in terms of human interaction is that of brotherhood, a bond that ties the hearts of people together in a way that is governed by no worldly gain or desire.

The concept of brotherhood holds an important place in the religion of Islam and many essential elements of Islam are fostered under the rubric of this concept. Brotherhood harvests the fruits of faith and love for the sake of Allah the All-Mighty Creator. It is a gift from Allah that is shared between believers and granted to whomever Allah chooses from His servants.

Allah, The Almighty, says:  "And hold fast, all of you together to the Rope of Allah and be not divided among yourselves and remember Allah's favor on you, for you were enemies one to another, but He joined your hearts together so that by His Grace you became brethren." (Qur'an 3:103)

Allah(S.W.T.) also says in the Qur'an:  "And He has united their hearts. If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their hearts. But Allah has united them: Certainly, He is All-Mighty, All-Wise."(Qur'an 8:63)

This brotherhood of Islam creates a loyalty and fondness between people that cannot be duplicated in worldly relationships.

The concept of brotherhood in Islam can be defined as the act of loving in a person that which Allah loves in him. The Muslim loves Muhammad (pbuh), the Messenger of Allah, because Allah loves him and commanded his followers to love him. Allah, The Exalted, says:  "Say, if you certainly love Allah, then follow me [Muhammad] and Allah will love you." (Qur'an 3:31)

A strong, devoted Muslim is more entitled to the love of the believer, or in other words, is more entitled to become the brother of a believer, than a weak, disobedient person who falls short of his duties towards his Creator. Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "There is no greater or more complete love than the love of the believers to their Lord. There is nothing that deserves to be loved for its own sake except Allah(S.W.T.). Everything that is to be loved besides Him should be loved according to His love. Even the Prophet(S) is to be loved for the sake of Allah, to be obeyed for the sake of Allah and to be followed for the sake of Allah."

(www.ymsite.com)

The heart of the believer harbors no love for the polytheists and rejecters of faith even if they are of his kin. The hearts of the believers are however filled with love for other true believers, the people of jihad and the people of the mosques. These are his true brothers. Brothers in Islam love and hate in proportion to the qualities loved or hated by Allah(S.W.T.).

Brotherhood is the fruit of good character, for good character is what brings about loving each other and friendliness and it is also a reason for entering paradise. The Messenger(S) said in a hadeeth narrated by Tirmidhee: "What accounts the most for leading people into paradise is the taqwa of Allah and good character."

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) also discussed the importance of good character with Abu Hurairah. The Prophet (pbuh) said: "O Abu HuraYrah, maintain good character." Abu Hurairah then asked the Prophet (pbuh): "And what is good character, O Messenger of Allah?" The Prophet (pbuh) replied: "Connect with the people that shun you, forgive those that wrong you and give to those that deprive you."

The brotherhood described by the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and his followers has important conditions.First, the relationship must be established purely for the sake of Allah. This requires the brothers to abandon any type of personal interest that they might hope to gain through their relationship. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) once said: "A man set out to visit one of his brothers for the sake of Allah and Allah (swt) appointed an angel to watch over him. The angel asked the man, 'Where are you going?' The man replied: 'I wish to visit my brother.' 'Do you need anything from him?' asked the angel. 'No,' replied the man. 'Then why are you going to visit him?" inquired the angel. The man answered, 'I love him for Allah's Sake.' The angel said, 'Then know that Allah has sent me to tell you that Allah loves you because of your love for your brother and that He has decreed Paradise for you'." (Muslim)

The second condition is that the brotherhood must be paired with Iman and Taqwa.

The Qur'an says about the Day of Judgment: "Friends on that day will be foes one to another except the righteous (ones who have Taqwa)."

Third, the brotherhood should be of the Islamic manner and style. This is best exemplified by the hadeeth that gives an explanation of two men who loved each other for Allah's sake. The hadeeth states that the two met for Allah's sake and then parted for Allah's sake. The cause of Allah was always paramount, it is what brought them together, defined their relationship, and ultimately led them to part.

The fourth condition is that mutual advice for the sake of Allah(S.W.T.) should be an essential pillar of the brotherhood. If one finds something good in his brother, he should encourage and help him in that good thing. If he detects a shortcoming in his brother, he should advise his brother confidentially and exhort him to repent and return to a more correct behavior or attitude.

Fifth, the brotherhood should be built on cooperation and meeting each other's needs in both comfortable and difficult times. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "The example of the believers' love, affection, and mercy for one another is like that of the body: when one of its organs ails, the rest of the body responds and watches over it by contracting fever." (Bukhari and Muslim)

The meaning of brotherhood as we intend it is a brotherhood based on faith and respect. It is a brotherhood that exists between a large number of people who share the same beliefs and religious identity. Allah says: "And He has brought their hearts together. If you had spent all that was in the Earth, you would not have brought their hearts together."

If we look carefully into the literal meaning of brotherhood and its Islamic usage, we find that brotherhood is of three types:

(a). Brotherhood can be based on biological relatedness. This is the meaning of brotherhood with respect to the laws of inheritance. In this context, Allah says: "And each of his parents have a sixth of what he left if he had a child. If he did not have a child, and his parents are his only heirs, then his mother receives a third. If he has brothers, then his mother receives a sixth."

(b). Brotherhood exists between all people on account of their common humanity. This is the brotherhood between all the descendants of Adam. Allah says: "We have honoured the children of Adam and have carried them over land and sea and have provided for them good things and have preferred them over much of what We have created."

Ibn Kathîr says in his commentary on the Qur’ân: "This verse is used as proof that humanity is preferable as a race to the race of angels." Allah says: "O mankind, verily We created you from a male and a female and made you nations and tribes so you could come to know one another. Verily the noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you."

This refers to all of humanity: believers and disbelievers, people of lineage and those without, close relatives and distant ones.

(c). Brotherhood can be based on belief and religious identity. This is the meaning intended when speaking about faith and other related topics. Allah says: "The Believers are but a single Brotherhood." [Al-Hujurat 49:10] and "…so you, by His grace, became brothers."

(d). Ukhuwah wathaniyah wa an-nasab, the brotherhood in the descent and nationality.

(myquran.org)

When the Prophet came, this people united in the one religion, namely Islam approves of him. Allah SWT said, “And hold fast, all together, by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude Allah's favour on you; for ye were enemies and He joined your hearts in love, so that by His Grace, ye became brethren; and ye were on the brink of the pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus doth Allah make His Signs clear to you: That ye may be guided.”

(Ali Imran: 103)

How expensive this brotherhood, it can not be exchanged with the world and everything there. Allah said, “And (moreover) He hath put affection between their hearts: not if thou hadst spent all that is in the earth, couldst thou have produced that affection, but Allah hath done it: for He is Exalted in might, Wise.” (Al Anfal: 63)

The Truth of Ukhuwah Islamiyyah

Brotherhood is a bond of spirit that give feelings of affection, love, and a profound respect for every person, and the linkage soul is predicated by bond of Islamic theology, faith and piety.

This genuine brotherhood will give a sense of deep affection in the soul of every Muslim and a positive impact, such as mutual help, altruistic, friendly, and easily forgiving.

The brotherhood also will avoid harmful things to stay away from any thing that can cause harm to others, whether in relation to life, property, honor, or the things that undermine their dignity. Indeed Islam has appealed to his people to always keep this brotherhood, because in fact the believers are brothers. They like building has solid structure that mutually reinforce one another.

Benefit and Advantage of Brotherhood

There are several advantage of brotherhood, they are:

1. ثَلاَثٌ مَنْ كُنَّ فِيْهِ وَجَدَ بِهِنَّ حَلاَوَةَ اْلإِيْمَانِ مَنْ كَانَ اللهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِمَّا سِوَاهُمَا وَأَنْ يُحِبَّ الْمَرْءَ لاَ يُحِبُّهُ إِلاَّ ِللهِ وَأَنْ يَكْرَهَ أَنْ يَعُودَ فِي الْكُفْرِ بَعْدَ أَنْ أَنْقَذَهُ اللهُ مِنْهُ، كَمَا يَكْرَهَ أَنْ يُقْذَفَ فِي النَّارِ

“Three cases that whoever found him, he will taste the sweetness of faith, which he loves Allah and His Messenger more than than than the love of the two, he loves his brother and he does not love her but because God, he hates to return to disbelief as he hates to be thrown into in An Nar.” (HR. Al Bukhari dan Muslim)

2. God will protect and shelter from the horrors of the Day of Judgment later. This, as mentioned in a hadith of the seven groups that will get God shade on the day there is no shade except His shade, among which are two people who love each other for Allah.

3. The Prophet said:

لاَ تَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ حَتَّى تُؤْمِنُوا. وَلاَ تُؤْمِنُوا حَتَّى تَحَابُّوا. أَوَلاَ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى شَيْءٍ إِذَا فَعَلْتُمُوهُ تَحَابَبْتُمْ ؟ أَفْشُوا السَّلاَمَ بَيْنَكُمْ

“You will not enter Al Jannah until you believe. And you have not said to believe until you love each other. Will I point to an act which, if you do will make you love each other? Cast out the peaaaace among you.” (HR. Muslim)

4. Brotherhood will give a noble character, including a friendly attitude, love, care for the needs of other brother in the faith and helping them. So that the realization isa safe life, peace, and harmony without hostility and hatred.

5. Brotherhood will strengthen the power of the Muslims so that the triumph of Islam and the Muslims would be realized.

CONCLUSION

1. If we look carefully into the literal meaning of brotherhood and its Islamic usage, we find that brotherhood is of three types:

(a). Brotherhood can be based on biological relatedness.

(b). Brotherhood exists between all people on account of their common humanity.

(c). Brotherhood can be based on belief and religious identity.

(d). Ukhuwah wathaniyah wa an-nasab, the brotherhood in the descent and nationality.

2. If we look the brotherhood that exists between people on account of their common humanity or we can call it as ukhuwah basyariyah, we all are the brothers, not separated by race or countrie.

3. If we look the brotherhood that can be based on belief and religious identity, we all Muslims are brother that no enemity or disunity, especially couse of politics and so on.

REFERENCES

As-Siba'i, Mustafa. Agama dan Negara: Studi Perbandingan Antara Yahudi-Kristen-Islam. Pasusuran: Media Dakwah. 1983. Translated by Muhammad Hamidy.

An-Na'im, Abdullah Ahmed. Toward an Islamic Reformation: Civil Liberties, Human Rights, and International Law. New York: Syracuse University Press. 1996.

http://myquran.org, access on 25th of April 2013.

http://brothermahdi.tripod.com, access on 25th of April 2013.

http://www.ymsite.com, access on 25th of April 2013.

http://tabayyun.wordpress.com, access on 25th of April 2013.

Lipmann, Thomas W. Understanding Islam: An Introduction To The Moslem World. New York: The New American Library. 1982.

Ishomuddin. Agama Produsen Realitas. Malang: UMM Press. 2007.

Qutb, Sayyid. This Religion of Islam. California: Almanar Press. 1967. Translated by ISLAMDUST.

Akhiri Korban Filsafat

Judul : Misykat (Refleksi Tentang Westernisasi, Liberalisasi, dan Islam)

Penulis : Dr. Hamid Fahmy Zarkasyi

Penerbit : INSISTS (Institute for hte Study of Islamic Thought and Civilizations)

Tebal Buku : 302 halaman

Cetakan : Pertama, 2012

Harga : Rp. 65.000,00

“Secara brilliant dan tangkas, Dr. Hamid Fahmy, dalam buku ini mampu mengurai konsep-konsep yang rumit tanpa harus terjebak pada “oversimplikasi”, sehingga buku ini mudah dinalar dan enak dibaca”. Demikian sekelumit komentar tentang buku ini yang disampaikan oleh salah seorang dosen IIUM, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, ialah Dr. Anis Malik Toha.

Layaknya Cak Nur (Dr. Nurkholis Majid) yang menggebrak dunia pemikiran Islam Indonesia dengan gagasannya yang menggoncang nalar umat, kali ini hadir Dr. Hamid Fahmy sebagai seorang pembaharu pemikiran-pemikiran Islam dan sekaligus mengakhiri pemikiran sekuler Cak Nur.

Tak ayal dunia pemikiran dewasa ini banyak menuai pertikaian dan korban-korban. Namun bukan korban dalam ranah fisik, melainkan pergumulan itu terjadi dalam aspek pemikiran, filsafat, agama, dan kebudayaan.

Banyak kalangan, tua dan muda, yang memikirkan hal-hal secara kelewat mendalam. Saking dalamnya sehingga mereka menemukan kegelapan yang tak terarah dan membutakan mata hati. Mereka tidak menemukan titik akhir di penghujung pencarian mereka, sampai tak berujung. Fauz Noor, penulis novel filsafat Tapak Sabda, menjuluki orang-orang yang seperti itu sebagai para korban filsafat. Mereka yang memperkaya otaknya dengan khazanah pemikiran namun rela mengorbankan akidah mereka karena mengandalkan otak yang kerdil, bahkan menarik Tuhan ke dalam dimensi akal yang sama sekali tidak mungkin menjangkau Tuhan. 

Nalar diciptakan oleh Tuhan. Tentu banyak hal yang tidak dapat dinalar, melainkan Tuhan sendiri yang memberitakan hal-hal yang di luar jangkauan nalar, dan manusia hanya patut untuk percaya.

Hegemoni westernisasi dan liberalisasi sekarang menjadi bumerang bagi keberlangsungan pemikiran Islam. Keduanya bak amunisi tak terelakkan bagi kehidupan para ilmuwan dan cendikiawan muslim. 

Ulama dan cendikiawan muslim, Dr. Hamid Fahmy Zarkasyi, dalam bukunya yang berjudul MISYKAT : Refleksi tentang westernisasi, liberalisasi, dan Islam, mengungkapkan kegelisahannya dalam sebuah refleksi yang ditulis secara bernas, lugas, dan pas, bahwa kini di Indonesia dan di negeri-negeri Muslim lainnya sebagian cendikiawan Muslim mulai ikut-ikutan risih dengan konsep Allah Maha Kuasa (Supreme Being). Tuhan tidak lagi mengatur segala aspek kehidupan manusia. Bahkan kekuasaan Tuhan harus dibatasi. Benteng pemisah antara agama dan politik dibangun kokoh. Sebagian kyai dan cendikiawan Muslim seperti berteriak “Politik Islam, No” tapi lalu berbisik “Berpolitik, Yes”...”Money Politics laa siyyamaa (apalagi)”. Murid langsung Prof. Dr. Syed Mohammad Naquib al-Attas ini memang cerdas dan kritis dalam menanggapi isu-isu pemikiran dewasa ini. Buku Misykat berisi berbagai opini dan refleksi tentang westernisasi dan liberalisasi terutama dalam kaitannya dengan Islam. Buku ini merupakan himpunan artikel-artikel yang ditulis oleh Gus Hamid di Jurnal Islam Republika selama 3 tahun. Alur pemikiran yang dituangkan di setiap artikelnya bersifat induktif. Ia menarik berbagai pengalaman-pengalamanya sehari-hari lantas dikaitkan dengan kebudayaan dan konsep yang komprehensif.  Hal ini tentu memberikan rasa dan aroma khusus yang dapat dinikmati oleh setiap pembaca dalam menyusuri kata demi kata tulisannya. Dalam pada itu, meski merupakan kumpulan artikel-artikel terpisah, namun susunan penulisan buku ini terasa begitu teratur dan sistematis.

Buku Misykat diumpamakan Dr. Syamsuddin sebagai secangkir ilmu yang mengandung banyak vitamin dan antibiotik intelektual, bukan hanya setetes ilmu seperti semboyan para penerbit buku pada umumnya. Dalam buku Misykat terdapat vitamin islamisasi dan antibiotik untuk mengenyahkan demam westernisasi dan liberalisasi.

Buku ini pun mengupas tuntas tentang esensi westernisasi dan liberalisasi terutama dalam kaitannya dengan Islam. Dalam buku ini juga dibahas tentang dewesternisasi yang memiliki cakupan bahasan tentang Barat, Timur, Agama, Tuhan, Kecerdasan dan Keimanan, Filsafat Agama, Iconoclasme, dan pembahasan-pembahasan menarik lainnya. Selain itu, Dr. Hamid Fahmy pun membahas tentang Ideologi dan teologi liberal, Evil of Liberalism, Pluralism dan Islam, Toleransi, Toleransi Tanpa Pluralism, dan lain-lain.

Tentang teologi misalnya, ia menyampaikan kritik mendalam dengan tulisan yang amat renyah dibaca. Ia mengungkapkan bahwa teologi (theos dan logos) secara etimologi tidak lagi memiliki akar ketuhanan. Istilah teologi pembebasan, teologi emansipasi, dan sebagainya tidak lagi berurusan dengan Tuhan. Agama bagi postmodernisme tidak lebih dari sebuah narasi besar (grand narrative) yang dapat diotak-atik oleh permainan bahasa. 

Sungguh renyah dan enak dikunyah. Menarik dan mudah dicerna. Namun, tidak lengkap rasanya bila sebauh buku tanpa kekurangan. Karena kekurangan sudah barang tentu menjadi sebuah keniscayaan bagi semua makhluk selain Allah Yang Maha Sempurna, tanpa kekurangan, karena sempurna tak berarti lengkap. Sebagaimana ungkapan sebuah peribahasa, a perfect book has never been published. Kekeliruan tifografis atau penulisan huruf agaknya menjadi kekurangan yang dapat ditemukan dalam buku ini. Memang, tulisan reflektif tidak perlu disertai catatan kaki yang berjibun, tetapi dalam buku ini tidak ada footnote sama sekali sebagai buku pemikiran.

Walhal, mengomentari perihal absolutivisme dan relativisme dalam sebuah artikel yang berjudul “Agama”, Gus Hamid menulis, “Tuhan tidak pernah meminta kita memahami yang absolut apalagi menjadi absolut. Dalam Islam yang relatif-pun bisa mengandung yang absolut. Secara berkelakar seorang kawan membayangkan di Jakarta nanti ada papan iklan besar bergambar seorang kyai dengan latar belakang ribuan santri dengan tulisan singkat, “Yesus Tuhan kita juga”.”.

Hanif Rahmat

11611101

hanifr.3@gmail.com

THEOLOGY AND ACADEMY

Hanif Rahmat

11611101

Faculty of Mathematics and Science, Major of Statistics, 

Universitas Islam Indonesia, Yogyakarta

THEOLOGY AND ACADEMY

(a resume and reflection of "The Routledge Companion to
the Study of Religion", topic of "Theology" by David Frank Ford)

ABSTRACT

This paper explains how to understand the theology based on the perspectives of religions and the academy in terms of some religions that have a lot of major influences on the world civilization and was instrumental in the development of theology in the world, the Christian, Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu, and Judaism. But the tendency of this paper is to understand based on the perspective of Christian theology because of the author's own background.

The problem of theology would invite controversy from various parties depending on how each culture and thought unite the theory that yielded various different conclusions.

Theology is closely related to academic and cultural issues. They is two factors that affect the existence of theology. In addition, political factors also influence the emergence of sects who claim their own theological background so that the problem started happening and started venturing into many spheres of life.

This paper tries to uncover how widespread the problem solves both the problems and the application of the concept in the real world. That different thoughts arise many questions about the solutions that should be done by academics in particular to understand the theology.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

The religious communities mentioned in the definition above all place a high priority on learning and teaching. An immense amount of time and energy is spent on such activities as the study and interpretation of key texts, and instruction in tradition, prayer and ethics. Much learning happens through imitation, and the adoption of habits of thought, imagination, feeling and activity, which are assimilated through participation in a community’s life. Such learning and teaching have been important in helping those traditions survive and develop over many generations (Hinnels, 2005: 62). So, the problem statements is what the conceptual framework of the author and how he solve the problem of theology based on the academy and religions.

THE BASIC CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

The paper of David Frank Ford broadly defined theology as thinking about questions raised by and about the religion. It then went on to describe the modern world in terms of multiple overwhelmings, with religions as both agents of overwhelming and shapers of life within them, and theology pursuing its questions in that context. He also described briefly some of the overwhelmings in the sphere of education and research, where specifically academic theology is located, and he suggested that the phenomenon labelled ‘posmodernity’ is in some ways helpful to theology.

In this paper, there are three point that discussed with fuller treatment of academic theology :

First, theology in the academy is located at a convergence of what have been described above as overwhelmings. The religion are fundamentally about being overwhelmed and are also undergoing massive trasformations; the academy is deeply involved in modernity. Both in shaping it and studyin, and has itself been undergoin major changes; and the multipliation of disciplices and explosion of knowledge make a specially strong impact on a subject which draws on a great many disciplines.

Second, theology in some academic settings is in a particularly sensitive situation. He refers to those institutions which are not run by a church or other religious community but teach theology.

Third, there is an issue which presses further the discussion of modernity begun above and deserves a brief concluding section to itself (Ford, 1999: 11-12).

THE STEPS, THE PROCEDURES, AND THE APPLIED EXAMPLES

Philosophy, theology, and other areas of thought have contributed to a mood of radical suspicion dericted at anyway of making overall sense of life. They have especially foccused on key ‘integrators’ of human existence.

For example, one way in which we try to make sense of life is to see ourselves as part of some overarching history or drama. This might be the story of our family, of our nation, of God’s involvement eith the world, of human progress, of a revolutionary movement, or even of a television ‘soap’ drama.

A second example of an integrator under attack is the idea of human self. This can be seen as a bundle of conditionings, drives ,and attractions which modern conditions is fragmanted or even shattered. There is no centre of a person’s identity; many pressures overwhelm us from outside us and from parts of ourselves (especially the subconsocious or unconsocious); and in the midst of all this we are continually trying to invent and reinvent who we are fairly arbitrary ways.

A third example is the loss of confidence in reason or rationality. It is seen as an exercise on domination. ‘Knowledge is power’, and is used to manipulate people. So there is deep suspicion of rational argument and debate because they are seen as instruments of coecion by powerful groups who use them for their owh ends. These try to contro education, the directions of research, communications, who is consired knowledgeable and authoritative, and what is regarded as conceivable or true. Specially intensive attention has been paid to language: does it really refer to reality, or is it a theoritic in the service of power and control? Without some trust in language’s aility to identify reality and create a trustworthy shared world of meaning, reasoning is impossible (Ford, 1999: 12-13).

CONCLUTION

Academic theology is distinguished from theology in general mainly by its relation to the various disciplines of the academy (Hinnels, 2005: 62).

In this paper, the author suggested that theology deals with questions of meaning, truth, beauty, and practice raised in relation to religions and pursued through a range of academic disciplines. That is still very broad because it is intended to embrace theology in different types of institution. This matter of the different settings in which theology is studied is important and controversial, and it needs to be faced now (Ford, 1999: 16).

REFLECTION

This paper offers a concise and original introduction to the whole of the theological discipline. Writing with a focus on Christianity, David Ford provides a trenchant and balanced discussion of the study of faith and religion. He describes the development of the field of theology, and explores such issues as knowledge, community, worship, salvation, God, prayer, and evil. Ford also weaves the idea of the quest for wisdom into the entire fabric of his discussion, and concludes with a look ahead to the theology of the next century. 

REFERENCES

Ford, David Frank. 1999. Theology: A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press.

Hinnels, John R. 2005. The Routledge Companion to the Study of Religion. New York: Rouletge.