No
Other Choice But To Fight! Indonesia And Case Of Ustadz
Abu Bakar Ba'asyir's
Writers Articles And Opinions
02 September 2010
By Al-Ikhwah Al-Mujahidun
There is no other choice but to fight the every
injustice that befalls the Islamic ummah, we
are a one body, mutually bearing one another's pain,
together groaning and crying over every wound suffered
by a brother, like crying over own's wound.
And the case of Ustadz Abu Bakar Ba'asyir's arrest is
a harassment against Islam and the Ulama's.
Without manners, the police who do not have feelings
dragged an old man. Is Ustadz Abu Bakar Ba'asyir more
contemptible than the corruptors who steal people's
money, who are fraudsters impersonating as law
enforcement, that he was treated inhumanely?
Come on, why are we still silent seeing all of these
injustices, are we scared that when we defend the
Ulama's we will meet with death, are we afraid
that if we fight munkar we will be tortured,
are we more afraid of the ruler of the dunya
than the Ruler of the dunya and akhira?
We must rise, do not let any insult on the Ulama'
and Islam continue, so that they know that we also
have self-respect, that we are also hurt when seeing
the Ulama' like Ustadz Abu Bakar Ba'asyir
being treated spitefully. Let us prove our love for
the Ulama's and Islam today, never mind if
our whole body disintegrate into the earth but at
least we die bringing glory and shedding the odiums
that continued to be given by those enemies of Allah.
Have we not had enough humiliation on Islam and the
Ulama's already, that we are still silent,
locking the house and dressing up as a sissy, letting
all this happen without any resistance? Woe to us who
had been given the burden to speak the truth and quell
the bathil, we're still playing games (not
serious) with our promises to Allah, the promise to
sell ourselves to the last drop of the blood to defend
His Dien until shaheed comes to
greet us, will we still be silent over all these?
Hanif, Jakarta
Personality: Ustadz Abu Bakar Ba’asyir
- A Big Mujahid, Made Big By His Enemies.....
Now Ustadz Abu Bakar Ba’asyir is arrested again. An
elderly ulama' who is firm in upholding Islam
is now becoming the public spotlight as he is accused
of having a link to terrorism network.
If we look at the da'wah journey of Ustadz
Abu Bakar Ba’asyir, all are far from the impression of
wanting to seek the pleasure of the world, especially
popularity in the eyes of the society. But his
assertiveness in delivering Islam with whatever is
available had made him suddenly famous amidst the
ummah.
And what is more astonishing was that there was no
effort at all from him to make himself known, in the
way celebrities, as well as political figures do to
leap up their reputation so as to be known by the
society.
Many political figures spend money in their billions (rupiah
-ed) so that they will be known by the public,
then smoothen their steps to become officials with fat
wallets. Any big Mujahid, such as Sheikh Ahmad Yasin,
Said Qutub, Usamah bin Ladin, Mullah Umar Muhammad,
Ustadz Abdullah Sungkar, etc. including Ustadz Abu
Bakar Ba’asyir was made big by his own enemies, they
are considered an impediment to the kafir
system.
All this happens because the Mujahids are assertive in
presenting and speaking about the truth of Islam. If
we come across in our midst a big Mujahid who is firm
in voicing out Islam, then give him your supports and
join his ranks, you will undoubtedly be safe, because
the indicator for the truth in the da'wah is
the many number of tests and trials, and not the
political podiums.
Biography
The long journey of Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, began in
Pekunden village, Mojoagung sub-district, Jombang
district, East Java. It was in that small village that
the elderly ulama' was born into this world.
His birth in Jombang was greeted by the faint hums of
takbeer that sounded in the corners of the
village, chanted by the children through the old
musollas around his house. The chants of
takbeer celebrating the remembrance of the
exemplary sacrifice of the Father of Tawheed,
Ibrahim AS who wanted to slaughter his son.
He was born on 12th Dzulhijjah 1359, two days after
the Eid al-Adha. The thundering takbeer
that thrilled the hearts, in conjunction with the roar
of the Indonesian people who were fighting for their
independence, in a deprived and pitiful condition, to
get out from the colonialism by the kafir
Dutch forces. The date of his birth coincided with
17th August 1938. Both parents accompanied the birth
of Abu Bakar Ba’syir with the facial expression of
shukr and tears of gratitude as they hoped he
would be able to emulate the sacrifice of Ibrahim and
the patriotism spirit of a warrior in upholding the
principles of truth and Islam. He was born into the
family with three other brothers and three sisters.
Abu Bakar Ba’asyir's father was a not wealthy man like
most of the other citizens who were from the
descendants of the Arabs. However, it was his parents'
love of Islam and submissions to Allah that made the
little Abu Bakar able to survive. The descendant blood
of Hadramaut Yaman is flowing swiftly inside
him. His father's name is Abud bin Ahmad from the
family of Bamu'alim Ba'asyir which is the
reason why Abu Bakar bears the clan name “Ba’asyir”
behind his real name. There's not much sweet memories
with his father that he could feel and enjoy. When he
was seven years old, his father had to leave the
cheerful laughter of the little Abu Bakar. His father
passed away. He became an orphan in the midst of the
chaotic life of the Indonesian nation, despite having
gained its independence.
In the midst of the tangled life of the Indonesian
nation, his mother who was still illiterate with the
Indonesian Latin alphabets, parented the little Abu
Bakar on her own. His mother's name is Halimah who was
born in Indonesia although still of a Yemenese
descendant from the family of Bazargan. In
order to continue the mandate of religion and her
husband, the mother continued to instil Islamic values
for the sake of his son's future happiness. His
mother, who was good at reading the Qur'an and a
devout Muslimah, always accompanied the child's
religious education at home, although the little Abu
Bakar also never missed attending the village
musolla for religious education.
Not wanting to let their children fall behind in
ignorance, his parents enrolled the little Abu Bakar
to take up his first education at Madrasah
Ibtida’iyah (an Islamic school in the level
of Primary School). However, due to the state of
revolutionary conflict of the Indonesian people
against the Dutch at that time, his schooling had to
be delayed and experience a gap. Only later, after the
proclamation of Indonesian independence, that he was
transferred to the common school (a public school
equivalent to the Primary School today). While
becoming a student at the madrassa, the
little Abu Bakar had the opportunity to join the
activities of the Indonesian Islamic Scouts
(during the Old Order which later was fused into the
Scout Movement). To cover the
deficiencies of the child in religious knowledge,
every night, the little Abu Bakar studied the Qur'an
and religious knowledge in the village musolla.
Besides his activities in the musolla, the
mother still continued to directly assist in his
education at home.
After graduating from the common school, his education
continued to the secondary school level. He attended a
junior secondary school in the city of Jombang which
was 13 km away from his house. Every day, he had to
travel a distance of at least 26 Km with a bicycle.
While in this junior secondary school, Abu Bakar
actively participated in the organizational activities
of the Indonesian Islamic Youth Movement
(GPII), of the Mojoagung branch,
besides still a member of the Scout Movement.
Stepping into adolescence after finishing education in
the junior secondary school, he continued his
education in the upper secondary school. At that time,
he studied in Negeri Surabaya Upper Secondary
School. The condition of the Indonesian
economy then, which was experiencing a downturn and
evenly affecting all layers of the society, made his
education at upper secondary school lasted only for
one year. His organizational activity was also forced
to halt. Then he decided to move to Solo, to help his
brother who was setting up a company in selling woven
sarongs in the city of Solo.
In the year 1959 AD, with the encouragement and help
of his two brothers, Salim Ba'asyir and Ahmad Ba'asyir,
he registered as a santri (religious student)
at the Pondok Pesantren Darussalam Gontor,
a traditional Islamic boarding school which was known
to be the best and most advanced in Indonesia. With
the grace of Allah SWT's blessings, he managed to
become a santri at that pondok pesantren.
Here, his activeness of being in an organization was
channelized again in the umbrella organization of the
Indonesian Muslim Students (PII),
of the Gontor branch. His dream of continuing an
education which had been halted, made him feel as if
seeing a lamp in the middle of the blind darkness of
the night.
Four years of becoming a student at the Pondok
Pesantren Darussalam Gontor, with the grace
of Alah, he managed to graduate from the Mualimin
class in 1963 AD. His enthusiasm to pursue education
was still still burning inside him (still under the
support of his brothers), he continued his studies at
Universitas Al Irsyad in the city of
Solo, in the field of Da'wah for
approximately three years.
While being a university student, he was active in a
number of youth organizations. He became a member of
the Muslim Students Association (HMI),
of the Solo branch. In the HMI, he got the mandate to
be the chairman of the Islamic Students Da'wah
Institutions (LDMI) - a
semi-autonomous institution of the HMI- the Solo
branch, when Ir. Imaduddin became its General Chairman
at the time. In the Indonesian Islamic Youth
Movement organization, Abu Bakar Ba’syir also
got the da'wah mandate to be the Chairman in
1961. Besides that, in the Al Irsyad Youths
organization, he became the secretary for the Solo
branch.
Coming to adulthood, the call of heart to get married
directed him to conjoin a Muslimah named
Aisyah binti Abdurrahman Baraja'. Since then,
the presence of his wife always accompanies the
struggle of his da'wah. The wife's
faithfulness was not only proved by beautiful
expressions of words and adornment of compliments.
But, the presence of his wife, Aisyah Baraja’, in the
struggle of da'wah, materialized in the form
of concrete actions and facts. From the womb of his
wife, both have three children whom now are already
married and all are still alive. The three children
are made up of 1 daughter and two sons. They are
Zulfah, Rosyid Ridho
and Abdul Rohim.
His journey of da'wah then continued by
setting up a da'wah radio named radio
ABC (Al-Irsyad Broadcasting Center)
in the building of Al Irsyad Solo which until now
still running. Actively participating with him were
Ustadz Abdullah Sungkar (rhm),
Ustadz Abdullah Thufail (rhm), and
Ustadz Hasan Basri (rhm). Due to
misunderstandings with a some of Al-Irsyad's
managements, relating to the radio shows, he then
moved out with some managements of the radio ABC and
established the Radio Da'wah Islamiyyah
Surakarta (RADIS) which was
densely loaded with firm da'wah and avoiding
sinful songs. RADIS was set up in the old complex of
Masjid Al Mukmin, which was eventually closed by the
New Order regime as it was considered as against the
government.
Not enough with just da'wah through the aired
frequency, he founded the Madrassa Dienniyah
(a kind of non-formal institution which teaches
Islamic religious education, normally held in the
afternoon ) at the complex of Masjid Al Mukmin Gading
Wetan (today it has become an Islamic High School 1
Surakarta, not the Al-Islam High School 1 Surakarta).
In the beginning, this madrassa which only
give inputs in the afternoon, provided Arabic Language
education and Islamic Shari'a materials.
Thereafter, it was this Madrassa Dienniyah that became
the forerunner in the making of the Pondok
Pesantren Al Mukmin Ngruki which is still
operating today.
Seeing the rapid development of the madrassa
and driven by the mandate given by KH.
Zarkasyi (the founder of Pondok
Pesantren Darussalam Gontor), Abu Bakar
Ba’asyir initiated in expanding the Madrassa Dienniyah
to become a pondok pesantren which at that
time was located in Gading Kidul-Surakarta occupying a
narrow area. It was only after two years later that
the Pondok Pesantren Al Mukmin moved to a larger
ground in the village of Ngruki purchased from one of
the religious figures in Solo. The village of Ngruki
itself was still “controlled” by the communists who
were still quite solid at that time.
Along with Alm. (the late) Ustadz
Abdullah Sungkar, Alm.
Ustadz Hasan Basri, Alm.
Abdullah Baraja', Alm.
Ustadz Yoyok Raswadi and Ustadz Abdul
Qahar Haji Daeng Matase, Ustadz Abu Bakar
Ba'asyir continued to build and develop the educations
in Pesantern Al-mukmin. The main supporters of the
establishment of that Pondok Pesantern were
the members of the study circles who were nurtured by
the prominent founding figures, especially members of
the Zuhr study circle at the complex of
Masjid Agung Surakarta.
Alhamdulillah, the teaching activities are still
running today.
Since the beginning, Ustadz Abu Bakar Ba’asyir and his
friends had a character which is; they are not
reluctant to speak the truth wherever they are and in
whatever circumstances they must face, even if they
have to deal with the authorities. It is this
character that had made the government become
stiflingly sweltered. Because the materials they
presented were considered as against the regime at
that time, in the end Ustadz Abdullah Sungkar, Ustadz
Hasan Basri and Ustadz Abu Bakar Ba’asyir themselves
were jailed for 4 years for no clear reason, that
ultimately Ustadz Abdullah Sungkar and Ustadz Abu
Bakar were re-sentenced to 9 years in prison. Not
accepting the judge’s decision, both of them appealed,
until it was reduced to 4 years which was fitting with
the detention period they had already served. Not
satisfied with the outcome, the Attorney General made
an appeal to the Supreme Court.
These two ustadzs were often referred to by
some as a single duo. If the nationalist people have
the Soekarno-Hatta, then the people of the Islamic
movements have the Abdullah Sungkar-Abu Bakar Ba’asyir.
After being freed, while awaiting the result of the
appeal, Ustadz Abu Bakar Ba'asyir along with Ustadz
Abdullah Sungkar (rhm), still continued their
educational and da’wah activities just like
before.
This had made the New Order regime pressure the
Supreme Court to raise the sentence to 9 years so as
to be made the reason for their re-arrest. When the
subpoena from the Sukoharjo court to listen to the
court's decision arrived, the single duo understood
well the sly intent and purpose of the government.
Thus, after a consultation with several ulama’s,
they both decided not to attend the summons of the
court because it is a sin. There was no other choice
for them except to do hijrah or remain at
home until they were arrested by the police. For them
both, that is more honourable in the sight of Allah
SWT than to surrender themselves to the thaghut.
It appeared that to migrate was the option selected,
because this path is the best of the two options.
With Allah’s help through Mr. Muhammad Natsir,
former chairman of Masyumi and the
Da'wah Islamiyah Council of Indonesia,
they both managed to emigrate to Malaysia and settle
there. Then, they were followed by the families who
later settled there as well for 15 years. During the
period of his migration, he was still working and
preaching as before.
Year 1998, Allah SWT willed that the despotic power of
the New Order was overthrown. Then in 1999, Ustadz Abu
Bakar Ba’asyir decided to return to Indonesia with
Ustadz Abdullah Sungkar. But not long after that i.e.
in the year 2000 to be exact, Ustadz Abdullah Sungkar
passed away. Next, Ustadz Abu Bakar Ba'asyir decided
to return to the Pondok Pesantren Al Mukmin Ngruki to
continue the education and da’wah to realize
their future goals i.e. for the sake of the
implementation of the Islamic Shar’ia in
Indonesia. In order to develop the da’wah
Ustadz Abu Bakar Ba'asyir keeps up with the congress
of the Islamic ummah initiated by some
da’wah activists in Yogyakarta, where in the
congress, the Islamic ummah agreed to create
an umbrella organization for the Muslims to unite for
the sake of establishing the kalimah of Allah
in the land of Indonesia. Hence, the Majelis
Mujahidin Indonesia (MMI)
was formed. The congress decided that Ustadz Abu Bakar
Ba'asyir was appointed as the Amir Ahlul Halli Wal
Aqdi (AHWA) MMI or simply called
the Amir of MMI.
Year 2003, he was arrested again by the government of
Megawati for allegedly being involved in terrorism
which had caused him to be sentenced to two years in
jail despite the absence of evidence. Strangely, the
verdict was given not because of an involvement with
terrorism which so far had been accused on him. The
direction of the allegation in the trial diverted
towards treason and forgery of KTP (ID Card), although
the witnesses at the trial, made up of the Sukoharjo
local government officials, themselves stated that
there was no irregularities of any sort in the process
of the making of Ustadz Abu Bakar Ba’asyir’s KTP.
Year 2004, after being released from Salemba prison,
he was immediately stopped by the police to be thrown
back into jail. Again and again for the same charges.
He was believed to be involved in the Marriot hotel
bombing case. Whereas, when the Marriott bombing
incident took place, he himself was inside the Salemba
prison since 1.5 years earlier. Up to the time during
the rule of SBY, Ustadz Abu Bakar Ba'asyir still had
to remain in jail for 30 months because of the
pressure from foreign parties until June 2006. Only
then he was feeling the freedom. Next, he still
continued his da’wah activities by travelling
around Indonesia to promote the implementation of
Islamic Shari'a in Indonesia.
Now, through the da’wah umbrella organization
of Jamaah Ansharut Tauhid (JAT),
which he formed as a consequence to the differences in
principles with the management of the Majelis
Mujahidin Indonesia (MMI), he is still struggling for
his dream goal to establish the implementation of the
Islamic Shari'a until the soul departs from
the body.
Not only from among the scholars that he had visited,
not a few residentials, housings, office complexes,
majelis (assembly) of ta’lim (learnings),
masjids, musollas, officials and
bureaucrats, as well as prisons that he had visited
together with the Islamic activists and Islamic
elements. To the Presidents of Indonesia (Megawati and
SBY) too, he did give a gift book and firm advices in
accordance with his principles of applying polite ways
(read his book Nasehat Untuk Penguasa
– [Advices For The Rulers –ed]). His
preoccupations with da’wah after being freed
from the prison almost leaves no time at home for him
to mingle with his family, children, as well as his
grandchildren the way old folks who are enjoying
retirement should, because he knows well that the the
world of da’wah has no retirement. Now, he is
going back to prison. Quoting the words of Ibnu
Taimiyah, Ustadz Abu often advises :
ما يفعل
أعدائي بي ؟ .. أناجنتي و بستاني في صدري .. أين ما رحت فهي معي
.. أنا حبسي خلوة .. و نفييسياحة ..( يعني الترحيل عن البلد
) و قتلي شهادة .. المأسور من أسره هواه
.. و المحبوس من حبس قلبه عن
ربه
What can my enemies possibly do to
me? My paradise is in my heart; Wherever I go it goes with me, inseparable from
me. For me, prison is a place of (religious) retreat; Execution is my opportunity for shaheed; and Exile from my town is but a recreation Be patient O Big Mujahid, the generations after
you are sure to follow your steps.
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