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Countering Extremism With Harmony: World Muslim League Points To Indonesia's Pancasila
The dialogue framed Indonesia's pluralistic success under Pancasila as a powerful real-world counter-narrative to sectarian extremism, offering the global Muslim community a concrete example of a harmonious and moderate Islamic society.
Jakarta — In a world often riven by sectarian conflict and extremist ideologies, a high-level dialogue between Indonesia's parliament and the World Muslim League (MWL) proposed a compelling alternative: the Indonesian model under Pancasila. The meeting on December 4, 2025, strategically positioned Indonesia's experience of religious moderation and pluralistic harmony as a practical and successful counterforce to global narratives of hatred and division. By inviting the Secretary-General of one of the world's most prominent Islamic organizations, the dialogue aimed to amplify Indonesia's story as an essential reference point for promoting a peaceful and inclusive vision of Islam.
MPR Chairman Ahmad Muzani opened the forum by grounding it in the immediate reality of national adversity, speaking about the recent floods and landslides that struck several Indonesian provinces. He presented the nation's collective response—guided by patience, faith, and communal solidarity taught by religious leaders—as the first evidence of its ideological strength. This resilience, Muzani suggested, is the everyday manifestation of the values that Pancasila seeks to uphold, demonstrating that the state ideology is lived and experienced by its citizens, especially in times of crisis.
Chairman Muzani elaborated on the deliberate construction of the Indonesian state, born from a consensus to prioritize unity over any single religious identity. He highlighted the nation's vast demographic and geographic diversity—thousands of islands, languages, and ethnic groups—as both a challenge and the raison d'être for Pancasila. The ideology, he explained, provides the "common ground" (dasar kesepakatan bersama) that allows different faiths to not only be tolerated but to actively strengthen the national fabric. This framework transforms potential fault lines into sources of collective energy.
The critical role of religious leaders in maintaining this delicate balance was a central theme. Muzani referred to ulama and kiai as the "guides of the people" who work tirelessly for national interest. He acknowledged that the state's stability is deeply indebted to their grassroots efforts in fostering social harmony, suggesting that the relationship between religious authority and the state in Indonesia is synergistic rather than adversarial. This partnership is presented as a key ingredient in the country's recipe for stability.
Secretary-General Dr. Muhammad Al-Issa of the MWL then provided the crucial external validation of this model. His praise was unequivocal: Indonesia is "one of the best examples" of coexistence and moderation for the Islamic world. More importantly, he directly connected Indonesia's success to the global struggle against anti-Muslim prejudice, stating the MWL's commitment to "facing misleading campaigns against it, especially those known as Islamophobia". In this framing, Indonesia is not just a successful country but a strategic asset in a global ideological battle.
Dr. Al-Issa expanded on his rejection of civilizational conflict, outlining the MWL's practical work in building bridges. He cited initiatives like the Mecca Charter, inter-madhab agreements, and interfaith conferences in Riyadh. By noting the significant contribution of Indonesian scholars to these documents, he illustrated that Indonesia is not a passive example but an active contributor to global Islamic thought and dialogue. This positions the country as a thought leader in formulating moderate, inclusive Islamic discourse.
The Secretary-General's theological insight was particularly significant. By asserting that Pancasila aligns with the higher objectives of Islamic law (maqashid syariah), he provided an Islamic intellectual justification for the ideology. This argument is a potent tool against ideologues who claim that Muslim-majority nations must adopt formally Islamic constitutions, showing that the goals of justice, peace, and communal welfare can be achieved within a pluralistic, Pancasila-based framework.
Concluding with condolences for Indonesia's flood victims, Dr. Al-Issa tied the lofty discussion back to shared human compassion. The dialogue successfully projected Pancasila beyond Indonesia's borders, recasting it from a domestic political formula into a globally relevant paradigm. It presented Indonesia as living proof that a large, diverse Muslim-majority nation can champion pluralism, defying both the predictions of clash-of-civilizations theorists and the agendas of extremist groups, thereby offering a beacon of hope and a practical model for other societies seeking harmony.
(Baasim Ghava)
Read Too: Beyond The Courtroom: Indonesia's Legal Reform Prioritizes Victim Recovery
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