By: Dwi Larasati *
This year’s Christmas feels very special compared to the previous Christmas. In addition to the absence of sweeping actions carried out by the FPI army against shopping centers that use Christmas symbols, this year’s Christmas celebration has also become full of political content. If concluded, the politicization of Christmas this year is felt. The politicians who will come down in the General Election next year make Christmas a place for imaging. The politicians were competing to win the sympathy of the Christians who were celebrating the birthday of Jesus Christ, the Lord and his Savior, by delivering Christmas greetings through various media.
There are even politicians who buy a page full of newspapers just to wish you merry Christmas. What is the goal? surely to portray themselves to the public that he is a caring politician, a tolerant politician, a politician who upholds the values of diversity. But on the other hand, there are also those who strongly oppose the Christmas congratulations. They argue that saying merry Christmas has violated the faith.
Saying merry Christmas is tantamount to acknowledging Jesus Christ, which in the Qur’an is known as Jesus, as God, as the Son of God. However, even though Christians have repeatedly stated that they do not really expect Christmas greetings from non-Christians, the clerics and congregation 212 still make a fuss about it. Haikal Hasan for example. In his poetry, he even denied what Christians believed that Jesus was born in a sheepfold in Bethlehem, which made Jansen Sitindaon upset over his opinion. Ustaz Abdul Somad also said in his old video that went viral again in recent days, arguing that saying merry Christmas was unlawful. Likewise, Rizieq Shihab, the high priest of FPI and Jamaah 212. Through his Twitter account, he explicitly called on his followers not to say merry Christmas or to celebrate.
Until here it’s quite clear. That there are two different opinions about Christmas. The scholars who happened to support Jokowi did not mind the Christmas greeting. While the scholars who stand on Prabowo’s side also have the opinion that saying merry Christmas is haram and violating aqidah. However, when the congratulations on Christmas were a Prabowo, the presidential candidate they supported, they seemed to have no intention. They were silent, they seemed lost in the earth. There was not a single word they delivered to Prabowo just to remind him that what Prabowo was doing was not right.
Apparently it didn’t stop there. After Prabowo congratulated his Christmas, he was seen participating in celebrating Christmas with his extended family. The Christmas moment this year which fell on Tuesday was of course a moment to gather with his family. Portrait of Prabowo’s presence at the family event was uploaded by Rahayu Saraswati, daughter of Hashim Djojohadikusumo who was Prabowo’s nephew. Rahayu previously uploaded a large family photo on the Christmas celebration. From the photo, the figure of Prabowo is present in the middle of the family. Prabowo looked so happy. He is so happy. He is not stiff. He really is like himself without feeling depressed. There was not the slightest bit of compulsion and anger on his face. Prabowo enjoyed it so much. With joy, he danced, he danced with the whole family accompanied by Christian spiritual songs. His presence at the family Christmas event, at least has shown us all, that Prabowo, whom they glorified, was not as great as they had been.
With the silence of the Prabowo supporters of the ulama on Christmas greetings delivered by Prabowo, as well as his presence Prabowo celebrated Christmas with his family, making us aware that they were not defending Islam as long as they often convey. In fact they are only a political tool for Prabowo. The movement which has so far been held is not to defend religion, nor to defend Tauhid. But their only goal was to increase Prabowo’s electability by emphasizing religion. Look, when Prabowo took effect “not in accordance with the faith,” they kept quiet. No one spoke out. Even Rizieq Shihab who was considered holy chose to be silent. Now Indonesian people must be aware of who deserves to lead without hiding the true mask of their true self.
)* FISIP Student of Udayana University Denpasar