Page 109 - Demo
P. 109
92Islam, Democracy and Human Rights in Contemporary IndonesiaAlso, the explicit use of the term %u201cIslam%u201d in the constitutionswas tentative in its nature. The formulation of a nationalconstitution might mention Islam explicitly or might onlydescribe the intentions of Islam in a general formula.Therefore, Natsir viewed the attempts of non-Muslims tocontradict a %u201cnationalist state%u201d on the one hand, and an %u201cIslamicstate%u201d on the other, as a %u201cmasterpiece agitasi%u201d (masterpiece ofagitation) and %u201cpropaganda%u201d to discredit Indonesian Islamicparties. As agitation and propaganda, they had all oversteppedthe boundaries of honesty and openness in listening to eachother%u2019s different opinions. Natsir himself did not see anydichotomy between a %u201cnationalist state%u201d and an %u201cIslamic state%u201d.The Muslim struggle in Indonesia intended to establish anationalistic state on the basis of Islamic principles.Natsir also did not see any dichotomy between a %u201cPancasilastate%u201d and an %u201cIslamic state%u201d. In one of his speeches at Pakistan%u2019sInstitute of World Affairs in Karachi in 1952, Natsir stated thatPakistan was an %u201cIslamic state%u201d, whether %u201cseen from its citizensor from the characteristics of its state%u201d. At this time, Pakistanhad not yet declared itself to be an %u201cIslamic republic%u201d. Onlyfour years later, in 1956, did the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan complete its task of composing a constitution to replace theGovernment Act 1935, which was applied as a temporary constitution. Thus, according to Natsir, although Pakistan wassearching for its political format, one that was in accord with Islamicand national aspirations, the majority of its population and thewillingness of its leaders to give Islam a proportional place in thestate would be the indication that Pakistan was an %u201cIslamic state%u201d.Based on the Pakistan situation, Indonesia could also becategorized as an %u201cIslamic state%u201d. The reason for this was simple:

