Example of Religious Maturity & Tolerance
Looking back, if it had been back in Malaysia, such a matter would have generated a huge religious storm by Perkasa and UMNO supporters and like-minded people. The engagement would have been annulled by the UMNO religious fanatics.
By ChinCH
Hi! I have been working in Indonesia close to 19 years now. I am now leading my company’s operation on Sulawesi island. Of the middle to senior staff with me, more than 85% are Muslim and the balance are mainly of Christian faith.
Lately a junior middle level staff of mine decided to get engaged to a local Desa/village girl. Being a Javanese of Sundanese decent, his parents are far away on Java island and may be too poor to afford the long travel by air to attend their 2nd son’s big occasion. Nevetheless they have given him their blessing to marry the girl of his love.
A month before the “hantar mas kahwin” occasion, the whole office and operating unit employees irrespective of religion gladfully chipped in with contributions in cash of various amounts to make up the amount of cash needed for the “Mas Kahwin” asked by the girl’s parents.
Out of the blue I was suddenly sought by this staff concerned to be his “Wali” on his engagement day. Being a non-Muslim, I was not too sure whether the local Muslims will accept me, a non-Muslim more so a Chinaman and a foreigner, to be the prospective groom’s Wali/Guardian at the occasion.
Putting up a brave front on the engagement day, I then led the prospective groom’s “rombongan” to the prospective bride’s house and met up with her parents and the Desa Pak Lurah as pre-arranged. At the small ceremony, I was fully accepted there and there was not a single sign of surprise displayed by the small but almost 100% Muslim crowd present and there was not a single comment or objection raised of any kind that I am a non-Muslim etc. The ceremony was over within 40 minutes.
Looking back, if it had been back in Malaysia, such a matter would have generated a huge religious storm by Perkasa and UMNO supporters and like-minded people. The engagement would have been annulled by the UMNO religious fanatics.
Taking this as an example, again the Malaysian Muslim fanatics especially from UMNO, have a lot to learn from our Indonesian brothers and sisters across the strait. My main point here is, will these people ever learn to make our country a better place to live or are they bent on destroying it with all sorts of rhetorics from their stretched fanatical religious imaginations?
Religion should be left to the individual and our goverment should strictly focus on it’s role of good governance instead of fanning religious fanatism to break up the country time and again. On top of it our Judiciary, our Educational system, our Police force and our Civil servants the main pillars of our society are nothing to be proud of these days but a shadow of their past.
On his recent wedding day, I was again requested by the bridegroom to be his “Wali” during the “Akat Nikah” ceremony. As one who does not understand Arabic verses at all, I politely told one of the local Muslim senior staff to take over my role but remained as a key witness at the ceremony.
