A Jazz Festival In A Jakarta Mosque Shows Another Image Of Islam

[cdnvic]

JAKARTA- Islam in Indonesia is a very soft form of religion, where local traditions and even elements from other religions are blending together, giving to the faith a very distinctive and relaxed character. Except for a few fanatics, Indonesian Muslims are rather open-minded people.

A good testimony of Indonesian approach to religion is reported by the e-magazine Khabar Southeast Asia which highlighted the recent hosting of a Jazz festival in late July within the compound of the Cut Meutia Mosque in Jakarta. This was the second edition of the annual Ramadan Jazz Festival where musicians and groups from all across the archipelago came to entertain thousands of viewers.

"We want to send a message to Muslim youth that the mosque is actually a cool place for Muslim youth to hang out," said Agus Setiawan to Khabar reporter. He works with Jakarta-based jazz promoters Warta Jazz, which produced the festival together with the Cut Meutia Mosque Islamic Youth Association (RICMA). "The mosque is actually not only a worship place. It is also a place to socialise," Agus added.

“Jazz is very popular among young Muslims in Jakarta. We use jazz music as a medium to preach and approach young people, so there would be more Indonesian youth coming to the mosque more often," he added.

Full story: http://www.traveldailynews.asia/news/article/50167

[londoedan]

Lovely article - thanks for that.

The sentiment expressed in the first paragraph above is absolutely my experience of living and visiting Indoensia.

Eid mubarak

[khaowong1]

Yes, excellent article.. nice to read something nice about the Muslim faith.

[spidermike007]

I agree. Islam needs some good PR. They have been having a PR issue worldwide, as the goombah thugs are attempting to take it over. The support of the creeps in Saudi Arabia does not help. The Wahhabis are the most corrosive influence in Islam. Allah does not even know their first names. It has nothing to do with God, or spirit. It is all about a group of incredibly insecure men, trying to dictate their misguided policies to the world. If one is comfortable in one's own skin, one does not need to chance the world, or have the world mimic their every move, right? Yes, in my experience most of the Muslim world are kindhearted, gentle people just living their lives, and leaving people alone. It is the freaks that give them a bad name.

[janetdoe]

Is this the same 'soft form' of Islam that is making my local bar and restaurant cover up the word 'bar' on its signage and serve drinks in coffee mugs during its holy month?

[londoedan]

Is this the same 'soft form' of Islam that is making my local bar and restaurant cover up the word 'bar' on its signage and serve drinks in coffee mugs during its holy month?

Yup - I'm sure you can cope. Exactly the same sort of thing happens on Buddha days in Thailand.

I reckon respect goes both ways and I have no problem eating and drinking behind closed doors during the holy month of Ramadhan.

Edited August 19, 2012 by londoedan

[londoedan]

Yup - I'm sure you can cope. Exactly the same sort of thing happens on Buddha days in Thailand.

I reckon respect goes both ways and I have no problem eating and drinking behind closed doors during the holy month of Ramadhan.

Comparing the 'restrictions' of Buddhism vs Islam is ridiculous...many orders of magnitude apart.

...and why are we supposed to respect Ramadan exactly?

...are they respecting...say...Jewish holidays?

Nice to hear from you again Vinnie - have a nice day.