JABAR EKSPRES – The symposium of the Middle East-Africa Association of Indonesian Students of the World Region (PPIDK) agreed on the Tunis Charter which contains a manifesto of religious moderation as a joint movement.
“The Tunis Charter contains a manifesto of religious moderation, a joint movement, and recommendations. With this we intend to encourage students studying in the Middle East so that their orientation is science,” said Chairman of the Middle East-Africa PPIDK Symposium Ahmad Hashif in Tunis, Tunisia, Saturday (7/22).
He said the recommendation on religious moderation movement is a product born from the awareness of Indonesian students in the Middle East about Indonesia which has great potential to inspire the world.
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According to him, deep knowledge of religion will lead to a moderate way of religion.
“Our current goal and vision is how students in the Middle East can contribute to the nation and state,” he said.
Hashif assessed that currently the issue of radicalism and terrorism in the name of religion is still ongoing. This, according to him, coupled with cases of intolerance that have become a disease for the world makes Indonesian students feel worried.
“We hope that the Tunis Charter can be a guide that leads Indonesian students in the Middle East to be able to strengthen the insight of nationality and humanity,” he said.
He assessed that God’s purpose for religions on earth is only one, namely to maintain the world order and improve the condition of its people.
This, according to him, was confirmed by Ibn ‘Ashur in his book Ushul al-Nizham al-Ijtima’i fi al-Islam that then there are religious people but harming human values is the result of a wrong religious understanding.
“So, in this ‘Tunis Charter’ we make a joint movement to examine more deeply the paradigm of religious moderation,” he said.
