Indonesian Ulama, Dr. Kiai Achmad Mustofa Bisri alias Gus Mus, traveling around Europe at the invitation of a Swedish NGO. In Denmark, Belgium and the Netherlands, Gus Mus met many high-ranking officials from the prime minister to local NGOs.
Gus Mus is concerned about the condition of a world ruled by an ideology of hatred due to a misunderstanding of Islam which is often described as a religion of terror. This is not only detrimental to the Muslim community, but also to the international community who respects civilization.
Reporter Bari Muchtar from Nederland radio interviewed Gus Mus after giving a scolding at Leiden University.
Gus Mus (GM): Between those who hate Islam and those who are passionate about using Islam as an ideology for their interests met there (ed: Europe). There are people like Usama bin Laden who use Islam for their own ends. People who don't know he will justify bin Laden's actions as an arena for Islam. Meanwhile, non-Muslims who have their own political agenda then use this. That is Islam. Islam is like bin-Laden. That's an example.
Radio Netherlands (RN): Like in the Netherlands there is Geert Wilders (red: chairman of the right populist party PVV)?
GM: Yes. I am not sure if Wilders is using the issue of Islam because of faith but because of politics. He's a very accomplished politician. He is very smart very smart in taking opportunities to be driven by his political interests.
RN: So your mission is a mission of peace, showing a peaceful Islam.
GM: It's not a peaceful Islam. Islam is a religion of peace.
RN: Islam actually, Islam is peaceful. In the west, people see events in Indonesia as mentioned earlier as being extreme. For example, the Islamic Defenders Front or FPI.
GM: In every group there are extremists, not only in Islam. There are also Catholics, Protestants, everywhere. There are always people who do not understand their religion, but do not want to learn their religion because they think they understand it completely. This is always what creates problems. Always making trouble. This does not only happen in Indonesia, but everywhere. If there are people who do not understand their religion and then feel that they understand and then do not want to learn about their religion, they will become a problem in society.
RN: So the Islamic Defenders Front does not understand the correct religion?
GM: Yes! They read the Qur'an, the spirit does not read it, the meaning is not read. Imagine what is called religion, the mercy of the religion of compassion. The Rassulnya Mohammad was not sent except to spread love.
