Attending Islamic Book Fair Discussion, Vice President Affirms Islam Upholds Human Values

Jakarta, wapresri.go.id – Vice President (Vice President) KH Ma’ruf Amin today attended the Panel Discussion on “Brotherhood and Consistency” at the 2022 Islamic Book Fair organized by the Al-Muslimin Hukama Council in Hall A Jakarta Convention Center, Jl. Gatot Subroto No. 1, Central Jakarta, Friday (05/08/2022).

In his speech entitled “Humanity Dimensions in Islamic Civilization”, the Vice President emphasized that the presence of Islam has transformed into a civilization that highly upholds human values.

“Islam is a religion that upholds human values. Since its arrival, Islam has been transformed into a civilization,” said the Vice President.

This, he continued, had been explained in the Qur’an that the position of all human beings regardless of ethnicity and nationality was equal, because they came from the same source of descent.

“O mankind, indeed We have created you from a male and a female, then We made you into nations and tribes so that you may know each other,” said the Vice President, interpreting Surah Al-Hujurat verse 13.

In fact, continued the Vice President, in Islamic teachings, human beings had a very high position, namely as the caliph (leader) of the earth as long as they had good behavior and produced positive things to build civilization.

“But when humans do not have good and constructive behavior, humans are then in the lowest position,” he said.

Another proof, said the Vice President, that Islam highly upheld human values was the command of Allah SWT to mankind to prosper the earth and maintain the continuity of civilization. One of them was by empowering the community’s economy.

“That’s why we want Islamic boarding schools not only form people who understand religion but also empower the community economic,” he said.

Furthermore, on this occasion the Vice President explained that in building harmony and peace in Indonesia, Muslims developed the principle of tri ukhuwwah (brotherhood), namely ukhuwwah Islâmiyyah (brotherhood in Islam), ukhuwwah wahaniyyah (national brotherhood), and ukhuwwah insâniyyah (human brotherhood).

“To maintain or care for these conditions, we need to strengthen the understanding of religion in a moderate manner (wasathiyyah), in accordance with maqâshid al-syarî’ah (sharia goals),” said the Vice President.

Therefore, the Vice President hoped that the implementation of the Islamic Book Fair in 2022 could present the views of moderate-minded scholars.

“And also give color to the life of the Indonesian people and describe Islamic civilization and humanity, especially in Indonesia in a clear and bright way,” he concluded.

Previously, the Executive Member of the Al-Muslimin Hukama Council Muhammad Zainul Majdi (Tuan Guru Bajang) said that one of the panel discussions was aimed at answering the challenge of Islamophobia.

“Fighting Islamophobia is not enough just with narration and words but with concrete examples from history of how Islamic civilization has been able to humanize mankind,” he stressed.

In addition, one of the founding figures of the Hukama Al-Muslimin Council, Quraish Shihab, in his speech explained the nature of Islamic civilization. According to him, whoever and from any religion a human being, if he succeeded in creating a work that benefits humans both physically and spiritually, then the results of his work were part of Islamic civilization.

“Because Islamic civilization emphasizes the human side, it is very open. Whoever initiates (the work), whether Muslim or non-Muslim, as long as it is wisdom, as long as it is useful, then it is Islamic civilization,” he explained.

Present at this event were Former Minister of Religion Lukman Hakim Saifudin and Secretary General of Majma’ Al-Buhuts Al-Islamiyah (Egypt’s Al-Azhar University Research Institute) Nazhir Ayyad.

Meanwhile, the Vice President was accompanied by his Special Staff for General Affairs Masykuri Abdillah, his Special Staff for Economics and Finance Lukmanul Hakim, and the his Personal Secretary Sholahudin Al Aiyub. (DMA-BPMI Setwapres)