Efforts to Observe the Communication Patterns of Da'wah in the Commotion of Gus Miftah Insulting Tea Sellers

Kapanlagi.com - Gus Miftah has been a hot topic of public discussion over the past week. It all started from the viral clip of an old video of him giving a sermon at a gathering in Magelang, Central Java. At that time, Gus Miftah was asked by the congregation to buy out the ice seller's goods.

Gus Miftah then asked, "Is there still ice?" The ice seller, later known as Pak Sunhaji, replied, "Yes, there is." Gus Miftah then said, "Then sell it, you fool!" in Javanese. He and the other religious leaders burst into laughter, but not Pak Sun and some other congregation members.

The incident went viral and caught the attention of netizens. Many prominent influencers also shared their opinions about the video. They criticized Gus Miftah and expressed sympathy for Pak Sun.

Interactions with similar insults have not been uncommon in sermons. Previously, in mid-2024, there was Gus Iqdam who got angry at a tea ice seller. According to him, the iced tea seller was too 'attention-seeking' while selling during the religious gathering. He even boasted that he would buy his iced tea for Rp500 thousand, but the seller should not sell until the Day of Judgment.

As his anger began to subside, Gus Iqdam then said that he forgave the iced tea seller and asked him not to sell during the religious gathering. Although not as viral as Gus Miftah, the incident caught the attention of netizens and Gus Iqdam faced a lot of criticism.

Both Gus Iqdam and Gus Miftah clarified the situation. As of this news being reported, Gus Miftah has met with Pak Sunhaji and apologized in person. Nevertheless, netizens still criticize Gus Miftah because his apology to Pak Sunhaji was deemed 'insincere.' Gus Miftah arrived with a group and showed a gesture of placing his hand on his neck, which seemed to indicate his position of power over Pak Sunhaji.

During his meeting with Pak Sunhaji, Gus Miftah also promised to send him on Umrah. Not only Pak Sunhaji but also his two children, wife, and mother-in-law will be sent as well.

The wave of protests continues as this news is reported. On social media, there are many posts about iced tea sellers as a form of support for Mr. Sunhaji, such as works by Mice Cartoon, Juki, and illustrator Zia Ul Haq. There are also those who quote Pramoedya Ananta Toer, 'Everyone who works is noble'.

Amidst the flood of ridicule and protests against Gus Miftah's actions, there are also many who defend him. Gus Yusuf Chudlory and Habib Zaidan bin Yahya provided defenses on their respective social media accounts. There is also Deddy Corbuzier who refused to comment publicly on this matter because Gus Miftah is his friend.

Responding to the ongoing controversy, the author attempts to analyze the communication patterns that occurred in this incident. With the hope that readers can gain a more comprehensive understanding of what happened and take lessons from it.

1. Street Vendors at the Study

Gus Miftah © PCNU Magelang via Youtube/Sulselsatu

In general, studies like those in Gus Miftah's video usually attract around 10-20 thousand attendees. With such a large number of attendees and a study duration of over 2 hours, street vendors see this as an opportunity to sell their goods and earn a living.

From the author's experience, they roam among the attendees sitting on the floor while selling iced tea, mineral water, or fried peanuts. In one study session, there are usually more than 10 vendors.

The presence of street vendors, according to Gus Iqdam, can disturb other attendees. Especially when they continue to sell during the study session. According to Gus Iqdam, these vendors have been selling since the afternoon and should take a break during the study.

According to Ahmad, one of the NU attendees who regularly follows the studies of Gus Idham and Gus Kautsar, the presence of street vendors is very helpful. When they roam, Ahmad and other attendees can buy snacks or drinks without having to leave their seats.

Yes, with thousands of attendees, Ahmad has to compete for the most comfortable seating spot. He is certainly reluctant to get up just to buy fried peanuts because his seat is at risk of being taken by other attendees. However, Ahmad also feels disturbed if there are vendors who are too noisy while selling their goods.

2. The Habits of Religious Figures Buying Up Iced Tea

Gus Miftah © PCNU Magelang via Youtube/Sulselsatu

The behavior of these traders was responded to in various ways by the religious figures who were on the pulpit. One common occurrence is that they buy up the goods of these sellers.

Gus Miftah often does this. Gus Iqdam once gave Rp100 thousand to each iced tea seller so that they would stop selling during the lecture. This habit then led the congregation to collectively ask Gus Miftah to buy up Pak Sunhaji's iced tea in the viral video.

However, in that viral video, instead of buying up his goods, Gus Miftah then made a harsh remark towards the trader, Pak Sunhaji. This became the starting point of the ensuing controversy.

Inayah Wahid clearly expressed her disagreement with Gus Miftah's actions in her tweet on Tuesday (3/12). The track record of buying iced tea does not give religious leaders the right to demean traders.

"There's no point in pretending to buy up iced tea if you're demeaning him in front of the public. What is mandatory is to uphold the dignity of fellow human beings, not to buy up goods," she tweeted.

Especially in the context of that video. Gus Miftah ultimately did not buy up Pak Sunhaji's tea. Instead, he asked Pak Sunhaji to continue selling, insulted him, and laughed at him. In his statement, Gus Miftah claimed it was just a joke.

3. Is Gus Miftah's Joke Appropriate?

Gus Miftah © KapanLagi.com/Bayu Herdianto

Viewed from the context of communication, communication can be said to be successful if there is a shared frame of reference between the communicator and the communicant. It can be said that the joke is not a message that is equally understood by Gus Miftah and Mr. Sunhaji. This is evident as only Gus Miftah laughed, while Mr. Sunhaji just sighed deeply.

Culturally, 'guyonan' (jokes) is indeed one way to lighten the atmosphere and build closeness. In the case of Gus Miftah, Gus Yusuf Chudhory mentioned that such jokes are indeed part of Gus Miftah's communication with his congregation.

Further regarding 'guyonan', Karen Tracy, a communication professor at the University of Colorado, stated that joking is closely related to the power relations between the joker and the target of the joke.

"If someone has more power than the person they are joking with, then joking can become a form of harassment or intimidation," said Karen Tracy in her book Human Communication Research.

Viewed from the power relations between Gus Miftah and Mr. Sunhaji, it can be concluded that the power relationship is imbalanced. Gus Miftah holds a superior position with his prominent name as a cleric and even a special staff member of the president, which means he is 'close' to the authorities. Meanwhile, Mr. Sunhaji has an inferior position as he is just an ordinary citizen. Such an unequal relationship is very likely to be interpreted as a form of intimidation.

Within the NU (Nahdlatul Ulama) community, one of the ustaz known for his humor and whose lectures are always fully attended by the congregation is Anwar Zahid. The Ustaz from Bojonegoro - East Java often jokes with the congregation. Almost all of his material is accompanied by jokes that relate to the lives of the congregation.

For example, when he talks about the behavior of mothers who like to gather when going to study sessions. He categorizes these mothers based on their economic class and habits, even down to their cars. The jokes hit home instantly but are met with a roar of laughter.

There is also Gus Kautsar, who once threw a joke about his married life. Instead of making the congregation the object of his jokes, he chose his household as the subject of laughter. In the world of humor, this is called the technique of self-deprecation, which is generally safe to practice.

4. The Controversy of the President's Special Envoy Position

Gus Miftah © KapanLagi.com

Gus Miftah was appointed as the Special Envoy of President Prabowo Subianto on October 22, 2024. In this role, he is responsible for Religious Harmony and the Development of Religious Facilities. This appointment is part of President Prabowo's policy to form an advisory team that supports his leadership for the next five years.

As a Special Envoy, Gus Miftah has several main tasks, such as promoting harmony and building international communication related to tolerance issues. His duties are regulated in Presidential Regulation Number 137 of 2024, which states that the Special Envoy is directly responsible to the President and must report his work results to the Cabinet Secretary.

According to Tempo, Gus Miftah receives a salary equivalent to that of a ministerial-level official. Based on the same Presidential Regulation, his basic salary is around Rp5 million with allowances reaching Rp13 million per month, bringing his total salary to around Rp18 million per month. In addition, he also receives other facilities such as an official residence and an official vehicle.

Gus Miftah is known to have visited Mr. Sunhaji's house and apologized. Nevertheless, public anger did not subside. Cited from Tempo on Thursday (5/12), it was recorded that more than 40 thousand citizens signed a petition to remove Gus Miftah from his position as the president's special envoy. Moreover, an old video of Gus Miftah, which is considered to have insulted Yati Pesek, is also circulating.

This incident serves as a reminder of how the communication of humor cannot be done carelessly. There must be a mutual consensus to prevent bullying due to the imbalance of power relations as experienced by Mr. Sunhaji and Gus Miftah. If humor continues to be a part of da'wah communication, there are many ways of 'jokes' that can be made without belittling others.

(kpl/dka/tdr)