Social and Cultural Relations in Islamic Law in Javanese Context: KH. Bisri Musthofa’s Thoughts on Qur’an and Hadith Issues
In epistemological studies, environment creates knowledge and meaning of life for society. Knowledge is used to achieve goals and expectations of society. As result and product of society, knowledge reflects existing phenomenon and information. The presence or the absence of innovative knowledge is determined by the existing knowledge system in the society. Studies of Islamic law epistemology in Indonesia, especially on the north coast of Java, are connected to the social and cultural settings. Social setting influences the study of the Qur’an and Hadith toward relations between individuals and groups and their behaviors. Cultural setting influences the authors of Qur’anic and Hadith commentary to negotiate their understanding of customs and traditions. Both settings influence Islamic law in Java. Thus, the understanding of the Islamic law on the north coast of Java is not only by passive, imitative and following the thinking in the Arabian peninsula. The interpretation of the Qur’an and the understanding of Hadith in Java show the existence of an active, creative and continuing process of negotiation on the realities of society, social and culture. The process is then reconciling both sources of law, among religious texts and cultural and social reality, and between sharia and haqiqa. The reconciling shows that Islamic law is in its epistemic space on the north coast of Java in the 20th century.