Jakarta. Indonesia’s second-largest Muslim group Muhammadiyah is beefing up its international network as the organization seeks to support more marginalized communities across the world.

Muhammadiyah -- a group of at least 60 million people -- had gathered its sister organizations and global partners in Jakarta on Monday. Some of them had come from fellow ASEAN neighbors Malaysia and Singapore. Others had traveled all the way to the Indonesian capital from Thailand and Cambodia.

Yayah Khisbiyah, the secretary of Muhammadiyah’s international relations agency, told the press that the organization was open to partnering with everyone, regardless of their religions. As a case in point, they had teamed up with Buddhist and Christian groups based in other countries.

“We may be different in faith and nationality. However, we are united by our love for people and the planet. We care about the livelihoods of the people, particularly those suffering from conflicts and wars. We share the same goal of eradicating hunger and poverty. We wish to improve the capacity of the marginalized communities,” Yayah stated.

“This includes women, children, people with disabilities, and ethnic or religious minority groups.”

Peace-building is a key focus in Muhammadiyah’s international partnerships. Yayah said: “At times of conflicts, we wish to help in a non-violent manner. That includes in response to what is happening in Palestine.”

She went on to say that Muhammadiyah wished to promote a progressive Islam.

“One that seeks to find the middle ground, an Islam that does not lean towards the extreme left or right,” Yayah explained.

Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim-majority country. According to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), the Muslim population in the country had reached 207 million people as of 2024. This is equivalent to around 87.2 percent of the entire population. At home, Muhammadiyah’s membership is only second to another major Islamic group, the 91-million-strong Nahdlatul Ulama (NU). Muhammadiyah is turning 113 this year. 

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