With regard to the issue, "we will focus more on cooperating with mass religious organizations, religious leaders, and various elements, including state institutions," he stated here on Monday after officially declaring the change of status of state Walisongo Islamic Institute into state Walisongo Islamic University.

He remarked that the cooperation was aimed at intensifying efforts to spread moderate Islam as a "rahmatan lil alamin" or blessing for the entire world that respects tolerance and is able to live with pluralism.

"As taught by the predecessors, including Walisongo, Islam must be spread without causing bloodshed in the country," he affirmed.

Lukman stated that Islam must be spread in Indonesia with complete wisdom, peace, and tolerance. It must never be propagated using any means of violence unlike the approach followed by radical groups such as the ISIS.

Walisongo University Rector Professor Muhibbin Noor pointed out that radical ideologies similar to the one propagated by the ISIS were wrong.

"Indeed, there are calls for religious propagation, but propagation must be done sincerely or wisely through good words or discussions," he emphasized.

The professor admitted that there was indeed a verse in the Quran that calls on Muslims to uphold the truth and fight against evils, but the verse is intended for those who have an authority.

"It means that only those who are given the authority are allowed to force others such as law enforcers, the police, judges, and others," he noted.

Muhibbin stated that civilians, who have no authority to order, cannot use the verse as the basis for propagating the religion through forceful means.