International Journal of Indonesian Studies Volume 1, Issue 3 | Página 199

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INDONESIAN STUDIES
SPRING 2016
freedom movement is a freedom without any ideological justification, except the interest of
human beings (Abdurrahman Wahid, 1999b, pp. 169-170). In this regard, Wahid views that,
in the course of social changes, religion functions as supplementary, providing a medium for
social transformation, not, conversely, a driver of social change. This is due to worldly affairs
developing following its natural law, and religion influencing the course of it only as long as
it is open to to receiving the influence of religion. This implies that Wahid does not want to
make Islam an alternative tool for power, which would be a transplantation of an alien
paradigm into religion (Abdurrahman Wahid, 1999b, p. 167).
Wahid’s thought on the theology of Islamic democracy is a further elaboration of the
theology of the social pillar. This theology of social pillar was his efforts of providing a
philosophical framework for the manifestation of Islam in public life. By so doing, he argues
that it is misleading to contrast Islam and liberalism, as in Islamists campaigning. Islamists
repudiated a liberal state as it gives freedom to individuals. Indeed, they tended to control
the individuals as were the cases in some Islamic states, such as in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
Wahid analysed that the cause of this misleading perception was due to the Muslims’
neglect of the social pillar as the midway between the pillars of faith (Rukun Iman), which
are naturally individual, and those of Islam (Rukun Islam), which are implying the public
goods. Wahid argued that the Qur’an 2: 177 also informs about this intermediary pillars, but
most Muslims understand ihsan in terms of personal life. On contrary, Wahid understands
ihsan as public goods which would absorb the antagonistic natures of the individual and
social life. In line with this, he believes that public goods are not aimed directly to both the
Muslims and the God, but to all people, apart from their religious background.
(Abdurrahman Wahid, 2001, p. 149).
Wahid’s theology of social pillar was also to respond to Soeharto’s adoption of
Soepomo’s integralistic theory, arguing for centralizing power. In line with this, Indonesian
culture was respectful to the leader and this implied that people would give more power to
the leader, namely the president. In this regard, President Soeharto followed the previous
regime of Soekarno (Nasution, 1992, pp. 90-103). Through theology of social pillars, Islam
respects the rights of the individual, such as the Islamic concept of khulliyatul khams (the
five objectives of Shari’a), which is similar to the Universal Declaration of human rights.
In line with the political approach, Wahid tried to develop religious communities,
namely pesantren communities of the NU, to play a role in civil society, providing checks
and balance to the state, as the crucial element for the efficacy of the democratic institution.
For that purpose, he tried to empower pesantren as the agents of community development.
By so doing, he developed the social economic basis of pesantren which would support their
civil society role. Moreover, Wahid provided the theological base so that their role was
broader than that of the Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), and this included the
theology of social pillars as well as a theology of Islamic democracy. This theological base
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