Furthermore, Nur Khafid observed a similar phenomenon in the religious culture of Surakarta. Khafid observed that groups like NU and Muhammadiyah in Solo tend to stay silent and constitute the silent majority amidst minority (radical) groups (Khafid, 2023).
This poses a shared concern as the majority (moderate) groups tend to revel in comfort behind their majority status. They tend to turn a blind eye and underestimate radical groups, who are a minority in terms of quantity.
Dr. Nur Hasan Wirayuda once stated during the opening speech of the Yogyakarta Dialogue, “Our success in the fight against terrorism, in the medium and long term, will depend on our efforts to empower moderates within society and among moderate countries” (Banawiratma, et al., 2010).
In the realm of the digital world, research conducted by the Center for the Study of Islam and Society (PPIM) at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta (2020) also indicates the minimal role of moderate groups in mainstreaming the discourse of moderate Islam. The mainstream discourse is often dominated by conservative (radical) groups, despite being in the minority compared to the moderate majority.
This has implications for discourse production in the digital realm. Radical groups tend to produce discourse aligned with their ideologies, far from principles of tolerance and peace. Consequently, they can internalize their ideologies among netizens and recruit new members through social media. Worse yet, if the latter succeeds and proliferates, their minority status can transform into majority. In other words, radical groups not only win discourse contests in the digital world but also in the real world.
Here lies the necessity for maximum involvement of moderate groups, especially in the digital dimension. They have been decisively surpassed by radical groups. Similarly, in the real world, moderate groups need to adhere to principles of law, democracy, justice, and human rights. Otherwise, the efforts to suppress radicalism might lead to the shift of moderate groups into a “new radical group” due to the use of violent means that contradict the aforementioned principles.