Beware of Radicalism and Terrorism Ahead of Religious Momentums
By: Nurul Janida )*
Ahead of religious moments such as the month of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, society often faces complex challenges. One of them is the threat of radicalism and terrorism, which often increases at these important moments. This phenomenon requires serious attention from various parties, including the government, religious leaders, and the wider community.
Religious moments are a time that is highly anticipated by religious people. Ramadan, for example, is a holy month for Muslims to strengthen spirituality and social solidarity. However, this moment is also often used by radical groups to spread extreme ideologies and carry out acts of terror. This raises concerns regarding the potential for security disturbances in the midst of religious celebrations.
The government, through a Circular Letter (SE) of the Three Ministers, has set a policy regarding school holidays during the month of Ramadan 1446 H/2025 M. This SE was signed by the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education (Mendikdasmen) Abdul Mu’ti, Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian, and Minister of Religion Nasaruddin Umar. This policy is expected to provide space for students to perform their religious duties and strengthen ties with their families.
However, this policy must be balanced with strict security measures. Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian, with his background as a former Chief of the Indonesian National Police, has experience in dealing with the threat of terrorism. Strategic steps such as increasing security patrols and monitoring groups suspected of being radical need to be carried out intensively.
The Minister of Primary and Secondary Education (Mendikdasmen), Abdul Mu’ti, said that during the Eid al-Fitr holiday, students are expected to carry out religious visits with their families and communities in order to strengthen brotherhood and unity. A circular regarding this has been issued.
As one of the largest religious organizations in Indonesia, Muhammadiyah also has an important role in dealing with this issue. Through the Muhammadiyah Central Leadership (PP), this organization has set the start of Ramadan on March 1, 2025. This determination is based on the Single Global Hijri Calendar (KHGT). In addition to ensuring uniformity of worship times, Muhammadiyah also continues to encourage strengthening religious moderation as an effort to combat radicalism.
Russian Ambassador to Indonesia, Sergei Gennadievich Tolchenov invited the Indonesian Minister of Religious Affairs, Nasaruddin Umar to attend the 2025 Kazan Summit. The invitation was an effort to strengthen bilateral cooperation, especially in the fields of religion and religious education.
Ambassador Sergei expressed the interest of large Islamic organizations in Russia to establish close relations with Indonesia, such as The Spiritual Assembly of the Russian Federation, The Muslim Assembly, and The Mufti Council, especially in order to strengthen synergy in dealing with global radicalism. Many countries come to Indonesia to learn methods of deradicalizing Islamic understanding, because radicalization is a major problem in many countries.
Radicalism and terrorism are not issues that emerge suddenly. Usually, extremist groups take advantage of gaps in social and political life to spread their ideology. They often target young groups who are considered more easily influenced. In this case, education plays an important role in building critical awareness and strengthening national values.
It is also important to understand that radicalism is not only related to a particular religion. All religions have the potential to be misused by individuals or groups who have a certain agenda. Therefore, an inclusive and interfaith dialogue-based approach must continue to be improved.
The momentum of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr is often accompanied by increased economic activity, such as crowded traditional markets and dense homecoming flows. This condition can be an easy target for acts of terrorism. Therefore, security in public places is increased to prevent potential attacks.
In addition to physical security, the government is increasing surveillance in cyberspace. Radical groups often use social media to recruit new members and spread propaganda. With increasingly sophisticated technology, security forces must be able to detect and counter this threat effectively.
The involvement of religious figures such as Abdul Mu’ti and Nasaruddin Umar is also very necessary in dealing with radicalism. As religious leaders, they have a great influence in shaping public opinion. Peaceful messages conveyed by religious figures can be an effective antidote to the spread of extreme ideology.
