Haedar Nashir highlights gaps between religious commitment and public behavior

Muhammadiyah chairman Haedar Nashir says Indonesia's religious identity is not consistently reflected in daily behavior, pointing to corruption as one of the clearest signs. He raised the issue at Muhammadiyah Day at Muhammadiyah University Jakarta on Sept. 5.

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God is angry with us when we keep speaking, but are not consistent in carrying out what we say. The majority of Muslims, yet corruption is still rampant, even becoming massive, systematic and structured.

Nashir cited bribery, abuse of power and office, and lavish lifestyles as practices that can lead to corruption. "God is angry with us when we keep speaking, but are not consistent in carrying out what we say. The majority of Muslims, yet corruption is still rampant, even becoming massive, systematic and structured," he said.

For Nashir, religious values must move alongside honesty, including in the way people earn money and use authority. He said people can become dissatisfied even after achieving sufficient prosperity, then turn to bribery, misuse of power and extravagant living before reaching corruption.

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This is the strongest indicator that our religious commitment is not proportional to our behavior of being honest, including in earning a lawful livelihood.

He also called for renewal in religious life so that faith continues to serve families, society, the nation and humanity. Quoting Muhammadiyah founder Ahmad Dahlan, Nashir said, "Religion was initially radiant, shining brightly. But over time it dimmed. Not because of the religion, but because of its people, its followers."

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Religion was initially radiant, shining brightly. But over time it dimmed. Not because of the religion, but because of its people, its followers.

Nashir linked social progress to greater awareness of knowledge, reading and critical thinking. He said only one in 1,000 people enjoyed reading, making national progress impossible if those habits remained weak. Despite his criticism, he said Muhammadiyah retained strong public trust. A 2024 Kompas Research and Development survey found 91% positive public trust in the organization, while an Ahmad Dahlan University public policy survey found roughly 91% to 92% positive views among millennials and Generation Z. He said that trust showed Muhammadiyah continued to hold a consistent role as a religious and social organization able to preserve diversity in society.

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Only one person out of 1,000 likes to read. The result is that we cannot progress as a nation if our society still has low awareness of knowledge and critical awareness.