In the beginning of 20th century, the phenomenon of dakwah focusing on movements emerged. This kind of dakwah is known as “dakwah harakah” (movement dakwah), implemented by Ikhwanul Muslimin in Egypt, Jamaat Islamiah in Pakistan, and Nur Khuluq or Harakah Nuriyah in Turkey, countries in which symbols of Islamic glory had been broken by western colonialism. In its time, dakwah of movement was really a new paradigm. If conventional dakwah in general are “tabligh” (submitting) and partial, then as said by al Qahtahi, dakwah of movement focuses on developing Islamic society systematically from individual improvement (“ishlah al fard”), family improvement (“ishlah al usrah”), society improvement (“ishlah al mujtamaâ”), and government and state improvements (“ishlah ad daulah”).

Characteristics of Movement Dakwah
According to Mustafa Masyhur, “dakwah harakah” is based on three powers at the same time, which are (1) power of aqidah and iman (faith), (2) power of unity and associations of Muslims (“quwwat al wahdah wa at tarabbuth”), and (3) power of jihad (“quwwat al jihad”).

According to Fathi Yakan, there are four very prominent characteristics of “dakwah harakah”, which are: (1) pure and authentic (“dzatiyyah”), which are authentic as calls of God, (2) encouraging advancements (“taqaddumiyah”), which are advancement that still uphold values of morality, (3) universal (“syamilah”), including all aspects of life, integrating three life systems (“manhaj al hayat”) that consist of Din (religion), Dunya (world), and Daulah (state government), (4) Emphasizing supreme religious principles and avoiding mazhab differences.

According to Sayyid Qutub, an activist and architect of dakwah harakah in Egypt, there are three characteristics of dakwah harakah, which are (1) putting more stress on actions than on theories, discourses, and rethorics, just like dakwah of Prophet Muhammad that didn’t build discourses (“la yuqim falsafatan”) but built ummah (“lakin yubni ummah”), (2) allowing usage of physical forces in form of jihad fisabilillah if the situation compels it. Jihad is required to guard dakwah and to defend from physical disturbances that hinder dakwah, (3) using organizations and networks (networking) at national, regional, and international levels. According to Sayyid Qutub, dakwah is not an individual task but instead is a collective obligation of all Muslims. Organizations of dakwah harakah should be open and built based on “aqidah tauhid” and brotherhood of Islam regardless ethnics, races, and skin colors.

Da’is of dakwah harakah
Any movement certainly requires cadres’ support. Cadres of dakwah harakah are da’is, but da’is (Islamic missionaries) here are da’is in paradigm of movement, which are dakwah strugglers (mujahid ad dakwah). Here, a da’i is a fighter and activist of Islamic movement that had equipped himself with certain knowledges, insights, and “ghirrah diniyyah” so that he will be able to be endured in facing scorns, physical tortures, and ready to die as a syahid. Slogan of mujahid dakwah is “Allahu maqshaduna” (Allah is our aim), “al Qurân imamuna” (al Quran is our imam), was sunnah sabiluna (sunnah of the Prophet is our way), and wa al mautu fi sabililah amanuna (die as a syahid is our hope).

Why dakwah harakah is required?
Dakwah harakah isn’t implemented all the time, but only when the situation compels it, which are when (1) dakwah is hindered by physical power, so that there’s no chance to spread Islam (do dakwah) peacefully, (2) no readiness on Muslims, including mental, moral, and power readinessess, (3) usage of physical power on dakwah harakah is an emergency. If the situation becomes conducive again to do dakwah peacefully, then usage of physical power should be stopped.

Problems of Muslims in the various parts on the earth are different, and to make decisions in responding difficult situations in those places deep thinkings and careful ijtihad are required. For Chechnya Muslims which had been overpowered by Soviet Communism, dakwah harakah is a must. Mujahidin dakwah in Chechnya, however, should be ready to be accused as terrorists by Soviet Union (and USA), since differences between strugglers and terrorists are indeed subtle. All of our strugglers for independence were also labeled as terrorists and extremist by the Colonialist Dutch. According to Palestinians, Hamas strugglers are mujahidin and Israel are a terrorist, but according to President Bush, Ariel Sharon, the former Israeli prime minister is regarded as a peace figure and former president Arafat is regarded as a terrorist. Similar problems had been faced by other Muslims colleagues in South Philippines, Kashmir, Afghanistan, and other countries. Wallahu alam.
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In the life of mankind, we can observe various life patterns, in scope of usual groups, ethnics, nations, and ummahs. This variety emerges since life patterns are products of life views. Life view growing and developing from aqidah creates a certain life pattern usually called “shariah”.

Shariah teachings are highly realistic in viewing man life in universal way. Hence, five components of life are introduced, to be referred to in manifesting a quality life (“hayatan thayyibah”) that guarantees honor and benefits of decent life for man.
Five components of life (“al kulliyyat al khoms”) introduced in Islamic shariah are (1) Intact-self of man, including his soul, body, and dignity, (2) His mind, (3) his properties, (4) His nasab/lineage, and (5) His faith/religion.

Safety of those five life components should be protected through legal devices that guarantee their welfare and safety justly.

That is the real form of Islamic law as a manifestation of shariah. Efforts to understand more of shariah are usually handled in Fiqh. Certain matters specifically in connection with politics are discussed in Fiqh as Siyasah. There we can see a study system that introduces us four main fields in describing the five man’s life components mentioned above. In this connection, we should pay attention to following things:

1. Faith to God and efforts to manifest it through rituals of ibadah, these are included in the main and first study of science of Fiqh.

2. Interactions between people, in this connection we will be introduced to studies of “munakahat” and “mualamat”.

3. Social order, in this connection legal enforcement and legal certainty implementation are required. These are in the latest part of study of fiqh.
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In the current crossroad of nation and state’s development, reconfirming national commitment is required, through effective communications by the state’s leaders. The national commitment is building a modern nation-state in form of republic, which is the concept of state built for public benefits—welfare is for all citizens without exception—not personal glories of rulers and officers like in monarchy systems.

Idea of building a nation-state had been proposed by founders of this nation since more than a half century ago. As we know together, however, nothing is free in this world, and nothing can be gain without efforts and sacrifices. The brilliant idea of nation-state are not automatically manifested although it had been proposed since Proclamation of Independence 1945, since manifesting it had been provenly very difficult due to lack of required of social and cultural infrastructures. A long trials and errors in the history of this Republic couldn’t be avoided.

Mistakes in history of this nation like those happened in 1965 and 1998 become bitter experiences and contain hikmah (wisdom) if they are learned from and not repeated. If mistakes fail to be lessons and we let them continues, let alone mistakes intentionally done by us since they are seemingly beneficial, then those errors or mistakes wouldn’t contain hikmah; on the contrary those mistakes or errors would be slanders and disasters. Intentional mistakes would be history’s crime.

To those who think that they can get anything without any costs, that they can be rich without efforts, we should remind that those beliefs are a kind of naked egoism, an anti-social life attitude that force others to be victims and cause a great loss on the society. The idea of getting something without any efforts certainly will lead us to immoral ideas, short-cut ideas, and selfish ideas. Glory of a nation is determined by its morality. If a nation’s morality crumbles down, then the nation itself will crumble down too (“innama umamu al akhlaqu ma baqiyat, fa in dzahabat akhlaquhum dzahabu”). This is a “sunnatullah” we can’t bargain; this will happen to any nation regardless religions of their people. As a religious nation, let alone oath of office’s text contain the words “with taqwa”, we should uphold moral of our nation ourselves, since the meaning of taqwa includes integral moral actions, harmonization between words and behaviours, and behaviours’ consistence with commitments.

Don’t think that advancement of the West is without any moral commitment. Thomas Jefferson once said, “Leave money, leave fame, leave science, and leave this earth itself with all of its contents.” Those will be better than we do immoral actions. Don’t ever think that we may do something dishonorable, however small it may be in our eyes”

Whenever we do something, although no one see us, just imagine if all eyes in this world see us, paying attention to what we do. If we cheat in the state’s general affairs, imagine the loss that will be suffered by common people, imagine all people’s eyes see us (direct their sights on us). Just contemplate that various international institutions has placed us into category of one of the lowest countries, worst countries, most messy countries, most uninteresting countries, etc. Can we still proud ourselves as a big nation and a country with the most Muslims majority?

Above all, as a religious nation, whose state is based in belief on One and only God, we know terms “kafir” and “fasiq”. Cheating is a form of fasiq attitude. Fasiq people are people whose behaviours ignore values of etiquette and moral since those values had been subordinated to greediness and lust.
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Friday prayers are done together (collectively by jama’ah/congregation) by people of the same village or environment in a public mosque, every Fridays. What is the meaning of the Friday prayers actually? Allah says that man and genie are created to worship (doing ibadah to) Allah. “Wama khalaqtu al jinna wa al insa illa liya`budun” (Q: 51:56). Making Allah the only one to be worshipped (“la ilaha illa Allah”) is called tauhid, meaning making Allah the only one God. Salat is the most complete ibadat rituals, consisting of movements, readings, and prayers. As one of religious shariahs, salat doesn’t only indicate tauhid but also symbolize the ideal order of man’s society.


Man is created by God from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and is made into nations and tribes, that they may know each other “lita`arafu” (Q: 49:13). Prayers’ order also symbolizes how man society achieves the goals, knowing and benefiting each others. All people in their prayers should face the same kiblat (direction), with the same reading and the same language (Arabic). To build togetherness, it is a shariah that prayers should be done in jama’ah, doing them together led by an imam.

Like in a social leadership, an imam is required to meet three requirements: (1) fluent in his readings, (2) having the most religious knowledges compared to the others, and (3) oldest among the others. These requirements symbolize requirements of a common leader or even a president: (1) able to communicate with his people, (2) achieving relevant scientific standards, (3) senior. If a person is acting as an imam then the makmums behind him should totally obey him, they shouldn’t do something (a movement etc required) in the prayer before the imam doing it and they shouldn’t do it lately. If the imam does a mistake, however, then the makmums may remind him by reading “subhanallah” loudly. If the imam is failed since he had broken wind, for example, then he should immediately resign, replaced by a person exactly behind him.

Similarly, in society order, if a person had been elected to be a leader (president, for example), then the people should respect and obey his/her leadership. If the leader does a mistake, then his people may warn and criticize him, and if the Leader violates his/her oath of office then he/she should resign to avoid social turbulence, not waiting till his/her people dethrone him, since dethroning a leader requires big (economic and social) costs.

Societal order has grades, and so collective shariah (“syari`at berjama’ah”) also has grades. In every household there should be collective prayers, the father becomes the imam and his wife’s and children become his makmums. On five-times prayers there should be congregational prayers (salat jama’ah) in every mosque and mushalla. Once a week a wider community holds Friday prayer in a big mosque, called masjid jami’ (public mosque). Twice a year in a wider area, collective prayers are held in a grand mosque or alun-alun (town square), which are Idul Fitr and Idul Adha prayers. Geographically, it is a shariah that once a year representatives of nations should be together in a same place, doing hajj in Makkah al Mukarramah. Be together; be in jama’ah, since in a jama’ah there is a lot of grace. Wallahu a`lamu bissawab.
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A man whose mind is well-functioned can recognize himself and his surroundings. People around him and things and occasions he can see and feel create a concept of nature and living in his mind. The concepts later develop toward perfection through a belief or religion held by his people, mainly his parents and through education and teachings given to him later.

At present, man’s knowledge on nature is already well-developed. Science and technology has developed so well, so as if man can conquer this universe through his success in breaking through the outer space and in breaking atoms, if only no heavy earthquake shaking Armenia, heavy typhoon sweeping beaches of America and Japan, heavy floods striking parts of India and other natural disasters and strange diseases such as AIDS, all of which show weaknesses of man’s power and limitations of man’s knowledge. With such an advanced development, however, human life is still as mysterious as previous

This universe whose width is hard to describe and the man that is very prominent among all other creatures in this universe had passed a very long life process so that it can hardly be described by using century as the parameter but instead it is measured by using light year

People that have a high ability to reason using his mind has known the process of life, although they are not able to understand nature of the life itself. In the very wide and still-developing knowledge of man, the interest to understand the beginning and the end (“mabda” and “maad”) is not comparable to the interest and efforts to understand the life process. Therefore, in general man’s knowledge becomes cripple and not intact. Efforts to understand life process during the history had led man to understand exact and accurate laws controlling this universe.

Real description of this knowledge can clearly be seen in physics, chemistry, biology, and astronomy. Those sciences reveal how this nature is created regularly and controlled so accurately through exact laws. Astronomy introduces to us on how regularly stars move through their orbits.

The earth we live on rotates on its axes and circulates on its orbit around the sun during certain periods certainly leading to nights and days coming alternately and seasons changing regularly. All of these mechanisms run accurately and can be calculated mathematically. Natural sciences introduce us laws of physics, chemistry, and biology, such as proportion law, conservation law, movement law, gravitation law, relativity law, Pascal law, genetics law, laws of reproduction and embryology.

Various findings of natural laws as mentioned above give us clear information that all parts of this universe—from smallest particles in atomic nuclei whose smallness can hardly be imagined to galaxies whose largeness and width can’t be imagined—move according to the natural laws controlling them. Furthermore, things that can be observed closely are our bodies. Science reveals that human body consists of 50 millions of cells, length of all of its blood vessels is 100, 000 kms and more than 500 chemical processes happen in our livers.

Human body is more complicated and more amazing than a computer. Functions of body that can’t be seen are more impressing. Without we realize it, our bodies control our temperatures, our blood pressures, digestions, and do a very lot of other tasks. The body controlling centre, the brain, is able to record and store more information than any other devices. Those body organs work automatically beyond our control and knowledge. Blood circulations, lungs, hearts, kidneys, and respirations work routinely and accurately, without any command from human themselves. Even they very probably don’t know how busy body organs do their tasks for their lives.

Latest developments of sciences, marked by the emergence of social sciences, had led to a same conclusion, that man and society are also controlled by accurate and exact laws, like nature outside the man. These sciences reveal that life and behaviours of man are controlled by certain rules beyond the man’s wish, like ecology laws (environment’s influence), instinctive drives, genetic heritages, supernatural powers, and laws of history.

Behind those findings, a new scientific theory called scientific determinism (“al-jabriyah al- ilmiyah”) had emerged, which describe human beings as pawns of fate (things that had been determined before). Stoicism views that man and even the whole universe had been rationally determined by the universal mind (this is a philosophical terms meaning power that is the source that controls the universe). According this theory, man’s task are only understanding and placing himself within the frame of mind.

Exact rules acting as laws regulating all creations and movements in the universe are generally called natural laws. In language of Al Quran, sometimes it is called “sunnatullah” like mentioned in surah al-Fathir: 43 “But no change wilt thou find in sunnatullah; no turning off wilt thou find in sunnatullah”.

In perspective of theology, such a thing is categorized into “qadha” and “qadar” (fate). However, this term (scientific determinism) is more dominant in things having something to do with human behaviours, and often carelessly regarded as identical to concept of Jabariah (theory of determinism).
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Talking about nature or “hakikat” is talking about something fundamentally. A “dangdut” singer with erotic body movement was singing a song on a stage inviting people to dedicate to God. Was she a “da’i” (Islamic missionary)? The reply is clear, that the singer was singing the lyrics of dakwah, but basically she wasn’t submitting a dakwah. Dakwah is not only words spoken but also a psychological invitation coming from soul of the da’i. We often seen dakwah activities but basically those activities are not necessarily dakwah, in the contrary those may be contra-productive to dakwah itself. Then what is dakwah? The nature of dakwah can be seen from the da’i or from the meanings perceived by the people receiving the dakwah.

1. Dakwah as a “tabligh”. Tabligh means submitting, the person is called “muballigh”. Dakwah as tabligh has a form of a muballigh submitting a dakwah material (preach) to people. Dakwah material may consist of statements, informations, teachings, invitations, or ideas. Tabligh is usually done on a podium in a mosque, a “majelis taklim” (a kind of gathering to gain knowledge), or other place. Dakwah material may consist of statements, informations, teachings, invitations, or ideas.

Focus of attention in tabligh is on submitting, “illa al balagh”. After it, people’s response will not be responsibility of the muballigh. To people, unclear tablighs will merely be sounds, tabligh in form of information will cause understanding, tabligh in form of contemplation will become comprehension, and dakwah in form of ideas will encourage people to think continuously. A muballigh submitting an Islamic material he himself doesn’t really understand is like a soulless cassette. Tabligh’s power exists if the muballigh really becomes the “fail” (subject), becoming the actor feeling responsible to do the tabligh. A lot of muballigh don’t become “fail” but become the “maul” (object). He doesn’t have a program but he’s been programmed by other person. He only works to meet market’s demands, waiting for invitation to do tabligh. A “fail” has clear achievements, but a “maul” has achievements difficult to measure.

2. Dakwah as an invitation. People will be interested to an invitation, if the aims are interesting them. Therefore, da’i should formulate aims to which people can be invited. There are two aims, macro and micro ones. Macro aims is already clear, inviting people to happiness here in the world and in the day after. Da’is and mubalighs in general are not able to formulate micro aims, short-time aims that are easily achieved and interesting.

3. Dakwah as a planting activity. Dakwah also means educating people so they will act in accordance with Islamic values. Educating is planting values to the souls of the people. Values planted in dakwah are faith, honesty, justice, discipline, affection, modesty, and other values of noble akhlaqs. Like in other planting activities, the seeds should be excellent, the land should be fertile, watered, and prevented from pests and it will take a long time for the seeds to grow into beautiful green grass or into fruity and shady high trees. Teachers at schools (and the educational institutions) are da’is giving dakwah in form of planting activities. Certainly not all teachers are da'is. Teachers who are also da'i are teachers who had became educators not merely teachers or teaching people. Teachers only transfer knowledge; meanwhile educator transfers behaviour patterns or culture.

4. Dakwah is an acculturation. Dakwah by Wali Songo (Nine Holy Peoples) in Java is a concrete example of acculturation. Those wali didn’t change various form of Javanese traditions but they changed the contents. Traditions of thanksgivings (“selamatan”) for three days, seven days, and 100 days previously were traditions carried out by Javanese people when members of their families had passed way. Such an event was filled by staying awake the whole night, eating, gambling, and eating drugs. The form was maintained by the walis, the eating was maintained but the wrongdoings were replaced with Islamic things, such as reading sentences of tahlil. The foods were replaced with rice of “tumpeng” indicating tauhid, and everyone coming back from the tahlilan would bring “brekat” (blessing or “berkah”). Thanks to acculturation, Javanese people became Muslims. The weakness was that syncretism couldn’t be avoided.

5. Dakwah is a developing activity. In a macro way, dakwah also means to develop. Developing what? As has been exemplified in history, dakwah also means to develop an Islamic world order (“daulah Islamiyah”), an Islamic nation, or Islamic society or society of Islam, or merely Islamic community. While developing, demolishing the old building sometime is unavoidable, and this often means conflict. Like in an activity of erecting a building, dakwah in form of developing something should pass its stages. First, there should be a design or mock-up for the building to be erected. Second, examination on land use should be done; in this case, local culture should be referred to for erecting a building. The first and second activities are interchangeable, meaning that the concept is may be made first and then the location is seek, or the concept is made based on condition of the “soil”.

Third, experts should be involved from architects to assistant stone workers, and four, availability of building materials. Developing an Islamic country without any proven concept will only cause “mudlarrat” (uselessness), like building a thing without experts and fund. For Indonesian Muslims, the most appropriate method is building Islamic community, Islamic society, or society of Islam, since Indonesia has a culture conducive to such a method, we need only improve the concept, and it can be said that we have the human resources, and the cost will not be too high. Wallahu ‘alam.
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Cultural variety of Indonesian nation is expressed in the sentence “Bhinneka Tunggal Ika” meaning that although Indonesian nation consists of various ethnics, cultures, and languages, essentially Indonesian nation is one as a nation. Conceptionally, cultural variety is a national asset, so that those differences shouldn’t be debated, as long as those differences are in the framework of unity.

Pancasila is often mentioned to be the life view of Indonesian nation. This means that values of silas (moral principles) in Pancasila are indeed explored from the khazanah (treasure) of national culture. Therefore, existence of each people’s life view is guaranteed. Each citizen is guaranteed by Constitution to implement their religion based on their faith and belief. During history of this nation, even Communism was once accommodated in Nasakom axis (Nationalism, Religion, and Communism). Only mistake of PKI using violence in the incident of 30 September Movement caused communism to be forbidden later by the constitution in Indonesia.

Data of national history shows that Islamic aspiration as a way of life never ceases to be involved in ideological struggle, including in the processes of formulating Constitution 1945 and all of those struggles are normal since majority of Indonesian citizens adhere Islam. Therefore, it can’t be denied that Pancasila as a life view of the nation actually contains items of Islamic way of living.
Islam as a way of life can be revealed if we understand matters on LIFE that essentially consists of three matters, which are (a) Life View, (b) Life Pattern, and (c) Life Etiquette.

Life View
Mankind during their history note various life views, both those known as philosophies and ancestor’s teachings, and those known as religion/God’s teachings. In Islam, life view is called “aqidah” (a belief binding man’s spiritual part). Since it binds the spiritual part, then aqidah becomes a guidance. Aqidah of Islam introduces God, universe, and man, including each individual, to man
All people instinctively know themselves, the environment surrounding them, and the universe.

Instinctively people also know God (although in various perceptions) and when their knowledge becomes a belief, this belief will give a certain life view to be life guidance for them. The life view taught by Islam explains to man that Living is something highly noble and highly precious. The life bestowed by God on man is a basic capital to fulfill their functions and to determine their own values and dignities Therefore, messages in Al Quran and hadith give a lot of warnings on man to use the basic capital as careful as possible and not to make it useless, since it is very limited in terms of space and time. Furthermore, it is mentioned that there are two kinds of life, one of them is man’s life on earth, which is highly limited in terms of space and time and, due to the limitations, is not eternal but real so everyone can recognize and feel it.

Basically, this life is pleasurable to man, since earth and nature had been prepared in such a way by Allah to support man’s life. The pleasurable nature later dominates the life view of most of people so they identify with life itself. This view is noted in surah Al Hadid in which it is described that the so-called life of this world is but play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting and multiplying, (in rivalry) among people, riches and children (Q: 57: 20). This is further explained in surah Ali ‘Imran in which it is mentioned than people becomes interested in loving all charming things, among others are women, children, piled golds and silvers, selected vehicles, cattle, and rice fields. All of them are a reality highly familiar to all people and some of them have the chance to enjoy the pleasure.

Basically, all those things shouldn’t be hated or neglected; since all of those things are parts of the enjoyment had been prepared by Allah to support man’s life. But their usage should be in accordance with the guidance and this has something to do with life pattern.
Further, another kind of life introduced in Islam is life in the day after whose quality is higher since it will be unlimited and eternal. All pleasures in the day after will be very perfect. Those lives are not independent from each other; on the contrary, the second life will be continuation and perfection from the first. The day after will be the time and place for the final calculation and determination of permanent values for each person who experiences life in the world. The day after will no longer be the time and place to work and do, but only will be the time and place for receiving results of working and behaviours done while we are living in this earth. Therefore, it is clear that the previous life (in this life) is very important. The opportunity to work and do is only given in the life in this world. Hence, life in this world is really the basic capital for man.
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