Last Saturday, I went to the movie and saw "Sang Pencerah". It's a movie based on a true history and life of K.H. Ahmad Dahlan, the founding father of Muhammadiyah, one of the two biggest Muslim Organizations in Indonesia.
It was actually a great movie... I learned a lot from it.
Because every story told in the movie was very much a reflection of what is happening in Indonesia today.
There is this one scene, where one Kiai came to Ahmad Dahlan School. That day, a school that used chairs, tables, books (other than Quran), was considered a non muslim school, or in a more harsh word: "Kafir" school. Because all those school necessities were made by non muslim people or Kafir Poeple. He then "lectured" Ahmad Dahlan how by establishing the school, Ahmad Dahlan have betrayed his faith, religion and the people.
Ahmad Dahlan in all the calmness just smile and asked the Kiai. How did he came to the village where the school located. Did he walk?
The Kiai laughed at his question and said, "I am not a fool. Only a fool who like to torture himself wants to travel far a way by foot. Of course I took the train."
Again, with smile, Ahmad Dahlan said, "Then only fools would refer this school as a Kafir School. Because obviously the train was also a product made by non muslim."
The Kiai was dumbstruck, and left the school without any words.
The situation took place in the scene reminded me of a situation happened in our country recently. How several Kiai of certain muslim communities and organizations were planning to put the "haram" label for the internet, specifically Facebook. Because it is created by non muslim (a Jew guy) which for them meant that it can harm Muslim people.
Another scene told how the other Kiai who didn't like the way Ahmad Dahlan teach his student, provoked the villagers to destroy Ahmad Dahlan's langgar/small mosque. Just because he taught differently from other senior Kiai in the village.
The scene is another reflection of what is happening in our country. How people destroy other religion's place to pray. Just because they don't like what they teach or don't understand.
These very narrow minded people are the ones who clearly don't understand the essence of Islam.
Now, I may not be an expert in Islam. I'm not even a Kiai or an Ustad. Hell, I sometimes even still missed my daily prayers. But I am a muslim. And from what I read and learned about Islam, that it is a religion of peace. A religion that is not only guiding and protecting its followers but also other people. People with different faiths and beliefs.
A religion that very much open to new science, technologies, and other modern things the world can offer. If it is useful for the improvement of umat (Muslim people), then we should and must embrace it.
