Sunday, February 17, 2008

Love According to Al Quran
According to Al Quran, human is created by Allah SWT in a pair—a man and a woman, and they are bestowed with love and affection, and it is natural that human wants to love and to be loved. If the necessity of love is fulfilled in a correct way, then it will make a man or woman feel peaceful, tranquil, and happy; on the contrary, a love not following correct procedures will cause misery.

In Al Quran, love feeling between man and a woman is called “mawaddah”, “rahmah”, (Q: 30:31) “syaghafa”,(Q: 12:30) “mail” (Q: 4:129), and “hubb-mahabbah” (Q: 12:30). Those different terms indicate that love is delicate, deep, and has various forms. Love indeed has very broad and deep dimensions in which different characteristics of love will lead to different behaviours.

In Arabic, love itself is mentioned in three characteristics, (1) appreciative (ta’dzim), (2) attentive (ihtamaman), and (3) love (mahabbah). In the first, the beloved one has the position like that of tiger or sword (things that we afraid of but at the same time we admire). In the second, the beloved one is like a disaster we should wary of. In the third, the beloved ones is like a liquor (the thing we are addicted to)

The three groups of characteristics are united in the term “mahabbbah”. The person is called habib, habibah, or mahbuh. Specifically, Arabic mentions 60 kinds of love such as isyqun (or “asyik” in Indonesian), hilm, gharam (passionate love), wajd, syauq, and lahf. Al Quran, however, mentions only 6 terms.
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Man has a nature as a cultural being (madaniyyun bi atthob`i) and as social being (ijtima`iyyun bi atthob`i). As a cultural being, man has various concepts, ideas, and beliefs he adopts which in turn will guide him in fulfilling necessaries in his life. Man has concepts on beauty, honour, greatness, and humility.

As a cultural being, man is also knows theoretical values, economical values, religious values, power values, and solidarity values; the dominant value of which on a person will also determine whether he or she will become a scientist, economist, religious teacher (ulama or priest), artist, politician, or humanist. Furthermore, there are also mystical scientist, struggler-politician, rational ulama, corrupt human rights activist, philosophical artist, and repressive ruler. A highly-civilized person would feel humiliated if he gained success by making others suffer or if he gained victory by deceiving others.

Meanwhile, a lowly civilized person will be proud that he is able to deceive others, the government, and the society as a whole. According to a lowly civilized person, success is the main goal and the means is merely a technical matter, not a value, while for a highly civilized person, success relying on valueless means is a failure.

Man as a social being has a desire to cooperate and compete at the same time. Man realizes his weaknesses so that he wants to cooperate with other men to achieve common goals faster. Man, however, is also unique; every person is himself or herself, having mind, feeling, and will different from those of others. Therefore, while in cooperation a person may be sincerely cooperating for common goals, while another person may be unique, having his own agenda, wanting to achieve his own goals, beyond the common goals. People having their own agenda will compete with each other, sometimes fairly but often unfairly. The temptation to compete unfairly will stronger mainly in political and business competitions. A lot of people do things humiliating his dignity as a human being for their political and business goal.
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When Adam and Hawa (Eve) were still in the heaven, God invited them to enjoy all facilities of the heaven without having to struggle first, since the heaven is indeed not a field of struggle. Among those abundant heavenly enjoyments, like mentioned in Al Quran, there is only one forbidden by God, the fruit of khuldi that was not allowed to pick, wale arroba hardships syajarota fatakuna min al khosirin “and don’t approach the tree of khuldi, otherwise you will be in a loss”.

It is a kind of scenario to be learned from that man is often not thankful. After had been permitted to take everything except one thing, it is that one that is seducing man. Satan seduced Adam by saying the key of immortality is in the forbidden tree. Satan also seduced Adam by saying that all other heavenly enjoyments are meaningless without that one. Adam was indifferent; he didn’t want to touch the forbidden thing. Satan, however, wasn’t hopeless, after failing in seducing Adam; he came to Hawa, Adam’s wife. It seems also a kind of scenario that women have to tendency of being more easily seduced to find out secrets behind the forbiddance. It is also a kind of scenario, that men often can’t hold his principles any longer after they are seduced by women. Later, Adam broke his principles, violating what had been forbidden by God, picking the fruit of khuldi to make his wife happy.

After the violation, a new stage of man living has begun. Adam and Hawa were thrown from the heaven in which everything had been easy and enjoyable, and they were placed on earth as representatives (khalifah) of God. God said, “I have made everything available for you on earth, but nothing is free there. You may have all enjoyments and delightments after struggling to overcome difficulties”. It took a long time for Adam and Hawa to adapt to sunnatullah of living on earth. Adam and Hawa couldn’t escape from system of life. Adam had to face a reality in which his two sons, Qabil and Habil, were involved in a conflict and one of them later killed the other. Is living in this world a misery since we have to face difficulties? It appears that, as mentioned in Al Quran, after a difficulty there is easiness, and behind a difficulty there is easiness.
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In Al Quran, struggle is mentioned in the term “jihad”. The word “jihad” in various derivative words is mentioned 41 times in 19 verses. Some were revealed in Mecca, while the others were revealed in Medina. In perspective of lughawi (language), jihad means fighting against enemies, dedicating all abilities and power in forms of words, actions, and all other that one can do. The word “jihad” may mean struggling in form of war against enemies, and may mean working hard but not in relations with war. For the word root “jihad”, the word “ijtihad” comes, which is working hard intellectually, struggle intellectually, mujahadah an nafsm or working hard spiritually or spiritual struggle.

Meanwhile, in a hadith, the word “jihad” is also used in the context of spiritual struggle of hajj. Some of jihad commands are addressed to personals (mukhatab mufrad), but mostly to groups (mukhatab jamak). Some of jihad commands are given by mentioning the objects, but mostly without mentioning the objects. What mentioned is the meaning, jihad on Allah’s way fi sabililah. According to a rule of interpretation, if a transitive verb is mentioned in a verse without mentioning the object, then object of the verse is general. Therefore, objects of jihad are not only enemies in warfare, but all included in the phrase “fisabilillah”, for example giving foods to the poor and liberating slaves (al Balad; 13-16).

Therefore, jihad is not necessarily done with weapons, but also with pens and words. In this context, teachers are lack in prosperity but are trying their best in educating young generation of the nation are strugglers or mujahidin; social workers trying hard with all of their abilities to help dignify the society are actually mujahidin or strugglers too. Character of a struggler is diligent by firmly holding his principles although there is a risk to die. A person who dies while struggling is called dead as syahid (syahid means witness). It means that his death becomes a witness of his diligent efforts and his death is a risk for his respect. For respectful people, there are only two choices according to Prophet Muhammad: isy kariman aw mut syahidan, live respectfully or die as syahid.
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According to Muslim’s life insight, mukmins are brothers, innama al mu’minuna ikhwah fa aslikhu baina akhowaikum. Conceptually, every mukmin has a commitment to worship God; his or her prayers, his religious services, his life, and his death are dedicated to God only. Furthermore, similarity in vertical vision will make easy in organizing horizontal visions. Mukmins, in their same faith, are brothers. The most appropriate partners are those who having the same aspiration in faith. A faithful person, however, who has other interest than God will have his brotherhood in faith easily broken or weakened.

A figure who always becomes an enemy in performing various tasks of life, according to muslim’s life insight, is satan. Conceptually, satan is an enemy, aduwwun mubinm, since satan is indeed created by God as a kind of seducer, testing qualities of man. Satan can have a form of demon (jin), or man, min al jinnati wa an nas. Essence of satan is invitation to evilness. He is in man’s blood flow, always trying to find opportunities to make man go astray by using lust and syahwah as his vehicles. In angriness, arrogance, greed, and wrongdoings people do, satan always give his encouragements.

According to a hadith of Prophet Muhammad, satan often stays in markets and intersections. It may mean that evil influences are always ready to play their roles whenever there is a transaction or transition. In every transaction, man is always seduced to commit crimes like taking benefits by unfair ways. Likewise, in every transition period, whether transition of times or transition of positions, people are often seduced to take benefits from the narrow times. Satan has a very wide territory, penetrating borders of time and space. Only the power of zikir (remembering God) can expel satan, therefore, we are advised to read bismillah and ta`awudz (taawuz) ; a`udzu billahi min as syaithan ar rajim, I seek the refuge of Allah from Satan, the accursed."
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Assumption that politics is dirty is actually a subjective one since it is based on subjective experiences in the field, not politics as a cultural concept. Man itself is a political being, zoon politicon, who has character of cooperating and competing at the same time. Man realizes his weakness; therefore, he wants to cooperate with others to achieve shared goals faster. Man also has uniqueness; every man is himself, having mind, feeling, and will that different to those of others.

Therefore, while in cooperating some people are really sincerely cooperating for the shared goals, but some others are unique, having different agenda and wanting to achieve their own goals beyond the shared goals. People with different agenda are competing with each other, sometimes fairly but often unfairly. Political world is a field of cooperation that is full of competition, internally and externally. To gain victory in the competitions, every competitor uses his/her intelligence, since without intelligence people will lose in competitions.

According to a psychoanalysis theory, expression of a man is a synergy of three pillars of personality, id, ego, and super ego, the animal aspect, the mind aspect, and the moral aspect. A politician with an animal personality will compete like an animal: greedy, impatient, and sadistic. A politician putting stress on mind will involve himself in politics smartly; he is able to play beautifully and to do a political engineering, although he is not necessarily moralistic in his actions. Meanwhile, a moralistic politician will compete fairly by strongly adopting moral principles, referring to the political aims pursued and, enduring the misery when having to pass very difficult stages; he doesn’t want to practice cow trading.
As a result of a competition, a political victory is not always in accordance with characteristics or ability of the politician. Amien Rais who is a PhD in politics doesn’t always gain victory in political stage.

Instead, he had to inaugurate Megawati who wasn’t a bachelor replacing Gus Dur. Political idealism doesn’t necessarily guarantee actual victory. Idealism indeed often strengthens when facing a too-pragmatic political reality. Wisdom, intelligence, toughness, patience, and courage are required in facing political reality tending to be pragmatic.

Just imagine, political idealism proposed by founding fathers of this nation to develop a just and prosperous state based on the philosophy of Pancasila, until 62 years of independence still has been have to fight against political pragmatism full of corruptions and conspirations. Other intelligences other than intellectual intelligence are required here.

There kinds of intelligences
Previously people only proud of their intellectual intelligence, but not two other intelligences have been introduced, emotional and spiritual quotients (EQ and SQ)

1. Intellectual Quotient /Intelligence (IQ) can be seen from one’s ability in viewing a problem scientifically, explaining it logically and creating a theory-based problem-solving formulation. Sometimes, however, a person that is intellectually intelligent gets lost at logic irrelevant with the problem solving itself. He tends to be satisfied with his logical analysis and is proud of his loyalty to scientific rules. A research showed that people with a very high IQ are very rarely success in leading an institution; on the contrary, most of them are working at institutions led by people with a moderate IQ.

2. Emotional Quotient (EQ) is indicated from one’s ability to control himself in facing difficult situations. With a strong self-control, he can calmly view the problem and calculate impacts of a decision or action. An emotionally intelligent person’s focus of interest is not scientific and logic methods but how a problem solving can be implemented; hence, he doesn’t only think logically but also think wisely and sensibly. He doesn’t only know himself, but he also tries hard to know others relevant with the problem at hand. Victory is not his target, but success is. A lot of people win at the beginnings but lose in the end; instead, an emotionally intelligent person is willing to give in at the beginning for the real victory later.

3. Spiritual Quotient (SQ) is indicated from one’s ability to view problems using his inner sight, not his physical eyes. Physical eyes are limited by space and time, while people having spiritual intelligence aren’t only able to see things in connection with space, but also able to communicate with anyone in the past and in the future. If main characteristic of a person having emotional intelligence is able to interact in harmony with situation or problems today, then main characteristic of a person having emotional spiritual is having a vision on a far future, beyond his era.

An idealistic statesman usually has those three kinds of intelligence, so that decades and centuries after his death his political ideas will be relevant, while a pragmatic politician will have his political ideas buried after he is resigned
10 January
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The so called practice of terrorism had been known in Indonesia since a long time ago. Our heroes in the past were also labelled as terrorists and extremists by the Dutch, since they provoked terrors against the colonizer, not horrific terrorism but heroic terrorism. After the proclamation of independence, in seeking national system deemed suitable for Republic of Indonesia, radicalism can’t be evaded. First, because of different concepts on state, movements led by following figures/organization emerged: DI/TII (Java), Daud Bereuh (Aceh), and Kahar Muzakkar (Sulawesi). Second, because of political pressure given by New Order. Third, because of intelligent game/”scenario” like in case of Imran’s KOMJI. Fourth, because of influence of global dynamics, like wars in Central East, Iran Revolution, Arqam movement in Malaysia, Afghanistan wars, and America occupation on Afghanistan and Iraq. The figure seems to play the most important role in labelling terrorism in Indonesia, however, is Sidney Jones.

Sidney Jones, the Director of Indonesia International Crisis Group centred in Australia had spent 20 years to document various conflicts in Indonesia in his capacity as an NGO activist and as an American accomplice. Sidney Jones periodical reports become official inputs for American Congress, FBI, and CIA. Many things reported by Sidney Jones surprises Indonesians and even surprise people whose name mentioned in the reports, because he seems to understand things on events of radicalism to their details, including the actor’s underpants, such in the report on The Case of The Ngruki Network in Indonesia.

It is not clear yet whether terrorist actions in Indonesia so far are planned by Indonesians themselves or only “games” masterminded by western intelligences, whether the terrorists are the only terror actors or they are actually victims of global political games. Sidney Jones’ reports obviously show his double standards, but they also obviously create negative image on Indonesia internationally. Indonesian press also refer to Sidney Jones’ thesis since there is indeed no other report can be its equal so far so that subject matter of terrorism in Indonesia only has one main reference, Sidney Jones. Meanwhile, a multinational non-profit organization centred in Belgium, International Crisis Group, led by the Finland President, Martti Ahtisaari, although also tends to be pro-America, but isn’t as courageous as Sidney Jones in concluding things regarding radicalism in Indonesia.

Amrozy and Imam Samudera
Amrozy’s smile when he’s accepting his verdict of death sentence really annoyed the families of Bali Bombs’ victims and confused Western psychologists, so that the Western people called him a smiling terrorist. Meanwhile, Imam Samudra had written a book called “I am a Terrorist”. Until today, they don’t want to ask for presidential pardon and still smiling in welcoming their dying day. Amrozy and Imam Samudera actually are only samples of global political impacts, impacts of America’s political double standards.

US, CIA in this respect, wasn’t careful when deciding to train mujahidin in Peshawar to fight against Soviet Union in Agnostic. CIA thought “technically” that enemy’s enemy is friend, while those non-Afghan mujahidins coming to Afghanistan were mainly motivated by spirit of repelling disbeliever (kafir) soldiers from Afghanistan. They were ready to die not for any formal task or job, but due to call of their souls. In Afghanistan, Imam Samudera didn’t feel that he was an Indonesian, but an earth’s citizen struggling for wiping out oppression of disbeliever soldiers, such a spirit was felt by mujahidins around the world, both who were fighting in Afghanistan and those who were preparing themselves to go there.

Amrozy was belonging to the last category, since he only went to Malaysia. When US were showing their double standard clearly by relating terrorism to Islamic groups, Peshawar-graduated mujahidins turned to fight US previously training them. Bush once said, “Now for all nations of the world, there are only two choices; join America or join the terrorism”, those mujahidin veterans can’t possibly choose America. They were forced by America to be the superpower’s enemies. The America’s arrogance in only giving two alternatives is similar to that of in Cold War 1950, at that time John Foster Duller once said, to all the Asian and African countries there are only two alternatives either they going to join Washington, or they join Moscow.”
In his war against terrorism, Bush determines to run after the so-called terrorists wherever they are, while responses of the Peshawar alumni are no less strict, killing Americans, Civilians and military any where and any time. Amrozy and Iman Samudera have not been making Indonesia an enemy, but have been involved in a global war against America. Soldiers, however, may have certain mental disorders in war. For example, a super-sophisticated American ship once shot a pick-up car containing electrical poles since the pilot thought the vehicle was a tank. Similarly, Imam Samudra and Amrozy, in Bali bombs, couldn’t distinguish Australians from Americans. Therefore, global terrorism at present is more a political and economical tool and intelligence engineering than an ideological war. Furthermore, it is usually only stupid and narrow-minded people who can be trapped into becoming field actors of terrorism, while the intellectual actors are sitting comfortably while “calculating benefits of their projects”.
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Practice of terrorism can be seen of its historical roots in an extreme Shiah figure named Hasan bin Sabah from Hassyasyin (1057 M) sect which was given title The Old Man of The Mountain in Alamut (near Caspian Sea) and the name “Hassyasyin” (has something to do with use of hasyis—a kind of drug) then was westernized into “Assasination” since this group always suddenly killed their political enemies. Meanwhile, ideology of modern terrorism in general is originated from Darwin’s evolution theory: “struggle for survival between the races” and natural selection theory. Furthermore, Maximilien Robespierr, a figure of French revolution is regarded as the person setting up basics of modern terrorism, followed by Vladimir Lenin (Russia), and Joseph Stalin (Russia), who was given the title executive master of terror (1924), followed by Mao Tse Tung (China) who in provoking terrors to secure people loyalty to the state destroyed family and religious institutions.

In United States, terrorism hasn’t been a strange thing since a war in the 17th century. This nation was even, as one historian note, conceived and born in violence, so that American war against terrorism is actually war against itself, or part of its terrorist culture.

Internationalization on Terrorism
There are two things that serve as bases for internalization on terrorism at present: Usamah bin Laden and Afghanistan or Peshawar city.

1. Actually Usamah bin Laden emerges at international stage as an impact of Saudi Arabian domestic politics. Usamah as a Muslim and Saudi nationalist together with about 50 Saudi ulama/intellectualls raised a strict protest once against the kingdom on American military base in holy cities of Mecca and Medina. The Saudi kingdom didn’t give any respect on the aspiration of Usamah and other 50 Saudian figures; instead, they preferred to show their commitment on their cooperation with US. Usama was then deported from his native land and he made all Islamic states his “native land”. He lived in Sudan once and then in Afghan, at present, he has probably passed away, but his figure is often shown to guard the war project against global terrorism.

2. When Soviet Union was occupying Afghanistan, US had the strong interest to expel it. In its effort to expel the communist soldiers out of Afghanistan, US assisted, trained, and armed Afghan’s Mujahiddin. Communist invasion on Afghanistan highly motivated Muslims around the world to do jihad in the poor country. US found a potential power to disturb Soviet Union there, and then it facilitated non-Afghanistan coming from all Islamic countries, including Indonesia, in Peshawar, Pakistan.

Peshawar was just like a military academy with 100.000 mujahidins around the world were trained there under guidance of CIA’s instructor team led by William Cassey, M16 (UK), ISI (Pakistan), and financed by Saudi Arabia. After Soviet Union had been expelled from Afghanistan’s territory, the Mujahidins felt that it was they who had expelled those unbelieving soldiers from Afghanistan, but US thought that it was it who had succeeded in defeating Soviet Union by training Afghan and non-Afghan mujahidins. After the leaving of Soviet Union, there were still war veterans (mujahidin) in a very big amount. Mujahidins’ success in expelling the super power Soviet Union soldiers psychologically caused a positive self-concept on the mujahidins; they feel they can overcome any difficult problem. Hence, waves of Afghan war veterans entered Bosnia, Chechnya, Daghestan, Moro, Poso, and Ambon.

Principally, those mujahidins were and are ready to jihad and die as syahid wherever Muslims are oppressed. When those tough war veterans were no longer find other jihad fields, most of them returned to its original habitat as ordinary people, farmers, traders, or religious teachers, but some of them experienced psychological problems like those of Vietnam veterans in US. Hambali, Amrozy, Imam Samudera and many other are village (local) people entering global political cyclone.

They live in small villages, but they always listen to world global information through the Internet, and, like Rambo, their souls are easily shocked whenever they see US’ arrogance that always uses double standard. They are not the kind of terrorist labelled by public opinion in American media, but they are ideological strugglers in needing of appropriate standing base. Therefore, treating the group arbitrarily by using paradigm of war against international terrorism like what has been provoked by President Bust is not only ineffective but will resurrect spirits of war veterans now staying quietly in their original habitats.

A Pentagon’s Defence Science Board report entitled Strategic Communication, as quoted by BBC.com (Thursday, 25, 11, 2004), openly blamed the war against terrorism that precisely broadened terrorism network against America, since public diplomacy by US on democracy to the Islamic world is not more than merely a pretension. US’ actions on the Islamic world, according to the report, are driven by a hidden motive and intentionally controlled to fulfil US’ national interests by victimizing the Islamic world.
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People Conscience Party (Partai Hanura) is one of new political parties that will fight in the 2009 general election. Wiranto as the founder and general chairman has placed political advertisements putting stress on conscience. Is there really a conscience in politics?

“Nurani” or conscience comes from the Arabic word “Nur” meaning light, while “nuraniyyun” means something having character of light. What light? According the perspective of Islamic Psychology, psychological devices of man are mind, heart, conscience, syahwah, and lust. Mind is the problem solving capacity whose task is thinking, heart is the device to understand reality, “nurani” or conscience is the inner sight as opposed to eyes of the head. Syahwah is behaviour motivator or motive, and lust is the destructive force testing the soul ability. As a system, the five subsystems are led by the heart, so that a person whose heart is good will have a good behaviour too; on the contrary, if his heart is bad then his behaviour is also bad.

Emanation Theory
The concept of conscience comes from israqy theory (emanation theory) stating that God is a Nur (Allahu nur assamawati wa alardh), like the sun that always emanate its light. The sun leaves its traces on the earth in the forms of living, warmth or heat, and brightness. At night, the sun’s heat and light try to go back to its source, leaving the earth dark and cool. Similarly, God also radiates His light and among the traces of God is man; therefore, in man there is a divine light called bashirah (inner sight) or nurani (something having characteristics of a light). “Nurani” (conscience) has a longing to return to God as his original light. It is different from heart that is inconsistent. Sometimes heart hates something, another time it loves the thing. Sometimes it remembers (something), sometimes it forgets. Sometimes it is relaxed, sometimes it is restless. Meanwhile, conscience is a divine light that is consistent, unwilling to compromise dishonesty and crimes. Although one is winning a case in the court by bribing the judge, his conscience honestly tells that he is the guilty one on the case. However, like a light that is sometimes dim, man’ conscience is sometimes also dim or dead that is when it closed by something. If a conscience is dead, then the person is like a person in a dark place (dzulm) and his behaviour is like that of a person in darkness; misplaced, taking and placing things wrongly, misperceived, and taking wrong steps. From the word “dzulm”, then a person whose conscience is closed or dead is called dzalim or despotic person, person placing things not in their correct places.

Conscience is closed by two things: greediness/ambition and sinful deeds. A greedy person certainly has a conscience not in function. He possibly has the highest position with the highest salary but he still manipulates the poor’s rights. Similarly, an overly ambitious person will use almost any way to achieve his ambitions, he doesn’t care whether the way is right or right, he doesn’t care whether his acts will inflict a loss upon the country and the nation or not.

Political Character
If politics is understood as power, then one of its characters is corrupt. Corruption is manipulating numbers and facts for one’s own interests. In connection with psychological typology, a politician more influenced by his or her mind will tend to be rational although sometimes he/will be “dry” (too much focusing on ratio), while a politician more influenced by his/her heart will tend to be careful, a politician more influenced by his/her syahwah will tend to easily and overly motivated by ambitions, a politician more influenced by his/her lust tend be destructive and evil. Meanwhile, a person who is involved in politics because his conscience called him/her to do so tends to desire to give than to receive.

Political Syahwah
Syahwah is a tendency on things desired. Political syahwah is a tendency on ruling others, their mind, their tastes, and even their wills; then political syahwah will motivate the person to be number one as a chairman, director, head of village, or even president so that he can rule and control others. Actually syahwah is humane, neutral, and not necessarily bad. If a person fulfils his syahwah by following procedures and laws (God’s law, state’s law, and ethical law) and by being honest then the syahwah actualization is allowed and even can be an “ibadah” (religious deed or worship). Since politics tends to be corrupt, however, then political syahwah in general motivates us to try to achieve ambitions, while ambitions may close our consciences. Therefore, seemingly focusing on conscience in political movements and manoeuvre has tendency on manipulation, not honest in judging a thing, not honest in criticizing, and forget to be introspective. When a chairman of an opposition party in a political party commented that President visiting an area is merely “tebar pesona” or trying to attract people, then the comment is certainly not a voice of his conscience but is based on his political syahwah. Because of his syahwah, then he forgets his own criticism and does exactly the same thing, trying to attract people. Similarly, when a presidency is still in its halfway, but a lot of people had declared their intention to be the next president, then their declarations are not voice of their consciences but their political syahwahs, since syahwah is indeed impatient.

Are there leaders with conscience? Certainly. Character of a leader motivated by political conscience is that he emerges because of his inner call, not because of calculating advantages and disadvantages. In a seemingly hopeless situation, an always-wrong situation, when a nation is almost in its destruction, “conventional” leaders are preoccupied with calculating their positions, fighting for new ones, although their heads are possibly almost sunk. In such a situation, a true leader usually emerges whose conscience is called to clean up all the mess. He’s ready to give anything needed without much calculation of advantages and disadvantages. His heart and mind are free from selfish interests. He emerges not because he wants to rule but because he wants to contribute his potentials to salvation of his nation, and he even is sincerely ready to give he leadership to others deemed more appropriate.

Conscience advertised is certainly not a real conscience. If a consumptive thing advertised repeatedly will attract consumers although such a thing is possibly not of high quality, then advertising a quality conscience repeatedly for a long time will cause the “conscience” sounded unattractive to the ears of the “consumers”.
Man has a kodrat as a cultural being (madaniyyun bi atthob`i) and as social being (ijtima`iyyun bi atthob`i). As a cultural being, man has various concepts, ideas, and beliefs he adopts which in turn will guide him in fulfilling necessaries in his life. Man has concepts on beauty, honour, greatness, and humility. As a cultural being, man is also knows theoretical values, economical values, religious values, power values, and solidarity values; the dominant value of which on a person will also determine whether he or she will become a scientist, economist, religious teacher (ulama or priest), artist, politician, or humanist. Furthermore, there are also mystical scientist, struggler-politician, rational ulama, corrupt human rights activist, philosophical artist, and repressive ruler. A highly-civilized person would feel humiliated if he gained success by making others suffer or if he gained victory by deceiving others. Meanwhile, a lowly civilized person would be proud that he is able to deceive others, the government, and people. According to a lowly civilized person, success is the main goal and the means is merely a technical matter, not a value; while for a highly civilized person, success relying on valueless means is a failure.

Man as a social being has a desire to cooperate and compete at the same time. Man realizes his weaknesses so that he wants to cooperate with other men to achieve common goals faster. Man, however, is also unique; every person is himself or herself, having mind, feeling, and will different from those of others. Therefore, while in cooperation a person may be sincerely cooperating for common goals, while another person may be unique, having his own agenda, wanting to achieve his own goals, beyond the common goals. People having their own agenda will compete with each other, sometimes fairly but often unfairly. The temptation to compete unfairly will stronger mainly in political and business competitions. A lot of people do things humiliating his dignity as a human being for their political and business goals.
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