3.2 Discussion on the Place and Models
for Practicing Sharia
Why philosophically, sharia occupies high level in
Indonesia legal system? Philosophically, the
substance of Islamic law is in line with the substance
contained in the Indonesian Constitution. The
constitution of Indonesia and the constitution of
Medina in the time of the prophet have the same or
similar principles according to Harun Nasution and
Munawir Sjadzali.
Harun Nasution, in his paper Islam and the
System of Government as Developing in History
(Islam dan Sistem Pemerintahan Sebagai yang
Berkembang dalam Sejarah) said that the principle
of monotheism is mentioned in article 22,23,42,47 in
Medina Charter, it also mentioned in the first
principle of Pancasila, article 9 and 29 of Indonesia
Constitution (UUD 1945). The principle of unity
and togetherness is mentioned in article 1,15,17,25
and 37 of Medina constitution as well as mentioned
in the third principle of Pancasila, article 1 verse 1,
article 35 and 36 of UUD1945. The principle of
equality and justice is mentioned in article 13, 15,
16,22,24,37 and 40 of Medina Constitution. It also
mentioned in the fifth principle of Pancasila, article
27, 31, 33 and 34 of Indonesia’s constitution. The
principle of religious freedom is mentioned in article
25 of Medina Constitution it also mentioned in
article 29 verse 2 of UUD 1945. The principle of
defending state is mentioned in article 24, 37, 38 and
44 of Medina constitution. It also mentioned in
article 30 of Indonesia’s constitution. The principle
of preserving good tradition is mentioned in article 2
until 10 of Medina constitution. It also mentioned in
article 32 Indonesia’s constitution. The principle of
supremacy of sharia is mentioned in article 23 and
42 of Medina charter. (The disputes are ruled based
Allah rules and the judgment of Muhammad SAW).
This principle is not explicitly mentioned in
Indonesia’s constitution, but religious norms was
adopted as logical consequence of implementing the
first principle of Pancasila and article 29 of
Indonesia’s constitution. The principle of politics of
peace and protection is mentioned in article
15,17,36,37,40,41,47 (peace and internal protection)
as well as in article 45 (peace and external
protection) of Medina constitution. In Indonesia’s
constitution, this principle mentioned in preamble,
article 11and 13. (Nasution, 1985). See Table 4
Munawir Sjadzali, in his book Islam and
Government (Islam dan Tata Negara) said the
foundations laid down by Medina Charter as the
basis of state for the plural society in Medina are : 1)
all Muslims although from different ethnic or tribe
are one community 2) the relationship between
Muslims community and others is based on
principles (a) good neighboring (b) to help each
other in facing common enemy (c) defending who
are persecuted (d) giving advice to each other and
(e) respecting religious freedom. In addition,
Sjadzali said that Medina charter that often called by
many political scholars as the first constitution of
Islamic state not mentions state religion. (Sjadzali,
1990). In the Medina charter, the meaning of the
ummah is extended, it includes not only the Muslim
community but encompasses all citizens. (Al-Syarif,
1972)
If compared to other Muslim countries in placing
Islamic law in their constitution, Indonesia can be
paced in the third grade. (Nurrohman, 2002:17) See.
Table 5.
Indonesia is like Turkey in choosing secular state
for a Muslim-majority society. In fact, in the Muslim
world, twenty out of forty-six Muslim-majority
states are secular, including Indonesia, as they at
least, do not declare Islam as official religion, and
Islamic law does not control their legislative and
judicial processes. (Kuru, 2009). However, in
Indonesia Islamic law has entered into the life of the
state through structural and cultural processes,
through the transformation of values, norms or
symbols. As a source of ethics, morals and
spirituality, sharia for Muslims is a living paradigm
that can enter into various aspects of life, including
when they live in a secular state.
There is no correlation between the degrees of
state in placing the sharia formally in their
constitution with the degree of the state in practicing
sharia. For instance, although Indonesia placed only
in the third grade, but the values of sharia which are
practiced in Indonesia are better than Iran. Base on
Islamicity index made by Rehman and Askari,
Indonesia ranked at 140, higher than Pakistan that
ranked at 147, Egypt 153, and Iran at 163. (Rehman
and Askari: 2010). This is because sharia actually
can be flexibility practiced as long as it is directed to
achieve its purpose.
The acceptance of Muslims to the secular state
with Pancasila as its ideology, in which the word
sharia is not mentioned, not a one-off process, it
requires a long process as described by Faisal Ismail
(Ismail, 1995). Concerning the diversity of Muslims
in practicing sharia, H.A.R.Gibb as quoted by
Hamid Enayat said that in the Sunni community
there is no one universally accepted doctrine of
caliphate. What is does lay down is a principle: that
caliphate is that form of government which
safeguards the ordinances of sharia and sees that
they are put into practice. So long as that principle is
applied, there may be infinite diversity in the manner
of its application. (Enayat, 1982). Theocratic
caliphate cannot be accepted in a country that has