REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has urged Muhammadiyah, one of the largest Islamic organizations in the country, to continue being progressive to support national development.
President Jokowi made the statement during the opening ceremony of the 47th Muhammadiyah Congress at Karebosi Stadium in Makassar, South Sulawesi, on Monday. He said that the organization had proved to be progressive in its efforts to support the fields of health, education and social affairs in Indonesia.
"How many babies were born in the Aisyiah Mother and Child Hospital? And how many of our students are educated in its schools? This proves that Muhammadiyah is a big organization that works to benefit people," he stated.
Aisyiah is the women's wing of Muhammadiyah.
Furthermore, Jokowi emphasized that the group should continue its initiatives and, along with the government and other civil societies, work towards development.
In addition, the head of state shed light on Muhammadiyah's role in promoting national unity, brotherhood and tolerance.
"We should serve as a model nation that maintains order and lives in peace amid diversity," he remarked.
Moreover, all this time, Muhammadiyah has been known as an organization that promotes moderate Islam and the concept of unity in diversity.
In his remarks, Jokowi reiterated his commitment to fight for Palestinian independence and world peace.
"As a state with the largest Muslim population in the world, we must bravely voice our support for Palestinian independence," he noted.
Established in 1912, the socio-religious organization of Muhammadiyah aims to adapt Islam into modern Indonesian life.
The organization was chiefly inspired by an Egyptian reform movement, led by Muhammad Abduh, which had tried to harmonize the Muslim faith with modern rational thoughts.
Muhammadiyah advocated abolishing all superstitious customs, mostly relics of pre-Islamic times, and the loosening of the rigid traditional bonds that tended to strangle modern cultural life.
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