Chief Constitutional Justice Anwar Usman in a photo session with teachers before speaking during the Mawlid celebration at Madrasah Aliyah Negeri 1 Bima, West Nusa Tenggara on Sunday, (25/11). Photo by Humas MK/Ilham.

Islamic youth of Indonesia must be adhering to Pancasila and the Constitution. This was conveyed by Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court Anwar Usman in his proselytizing during the Mawlid celebration at Madrasah Aliyah Negeri 1 Bima, West Nusa Tenggara on Sunday, (25/11/2018).

Chief Justice Anwar said that the Mawlid celebration of Prophet Muhammad is not only a celebration of his birthday, but also of his struggles. The example that he taught was of tolerance to all human beings. When drafting the Medina Charter, Prophet Muhammad included a provision that all people must respect each other. “Whoever harm other communities; shall any Muslims, Christians, Jews harm each other, they are harming me (Prophet Muhammad,” Justice Anwar said. He believes it is a manifestation of surah Al-Hujurat verse 13 and in accordance with the principles of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla said that the upcoming elections of Indonesia will be the most complex in the world due to being one man one vote. Justice Anwar believes that the elections will be even more so because the concurrent elections of the House of Representatives (DPR), Regional Representatives Council (DPD), President-Vice President, Provincial Legislative Council (DPRD), and District/Municipal Legislative Council (DPRD). All candidates are vying for positions.

Unlike this, Justice Anwar said, after the passing of Prophet Muhammad, companions of the Prophet believed that the other were more deserving of leadership. Then Abu Bakr were appointed leader of Medina in place of the Prophet. In his speech after his appointment, Abu Bakr appealed to the people of Medina to follow him when he was right, and remind him when he was mistaken. “Unlike [him], today appointed [leaders] say Alhamdulillah [(“praise be to God”)] when appointed,” Justice Anwar said.

Justice Anwar also talked about a famous adage by Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus,  “Fiat justitia ruat caelum,” meaning "Let justice be done though the heavens fall." The adage is inappropriate, observed from its history. According to Justice Anwar, Piso had cruelly sentenced three innocent Roman soldiers and an executioner to death. It started with a death sentence ordered on a soldier who was to have been executed because he had allegedly killed two other soldiers during a leave of absence.

When the executioner was to execute the sentenced soldier, suddenly the two soldiers allegedly had been killed by said soldier appeared, and the executioner did not carry out the execution. For this incident, Piso said Fiat Justitia Ruat Caelum or “Let justice be done though the heavens fall,” and finally the three soldiers and the executioner were sentenced to death by Piso, because they did not carry out what had been decided by the court, regardless of the verdict. Observing the history, the sentence was not appropriate because it was often used by tyrants to act arbitrary, provided the law had been established. Justice Anwar stressed that the incident showed that upholding justice is different from enforcing the law.

Justice Anwar also cheered on the students of MAN 1 Bima to keep learning. He said that several chief constitutional justices, including himself, Jimly Asshiddiqie, Mahfud M.D., and Hamdan Zoelva graduated from religion-based schooling. (Ilham/LA/Yuniar Widiastuti)