Religious Exclusivity, Harmony and Moderatism amid Populism: A Study of Interreligious Communication in West Sumatra

The religious moderatism is one of the constructive efforts in a diverse religious society. Plurality of beliefs as a whole part of the social landscape of Indonesian society is not yet fully understood and believed by the religious community. In the era of Populism, moreover in the dimension of religious practice, the case in West Sumatra shows horizontal disagreement or disharmony related to symbols and material aspects of religion such as the establishment of religious ritual places and supporting resource. This article confirms that communication serves vitally in addressing religious exclusivity. Resistance to religious entities is always found, as one of the markers of Populism, so that the symbolic interaction of religious leaders in undermining conflict and violence is indispensable. Religion pays particular attention to a social construct and practice with the main purpose of harmony and moderatism of religion. It serves effectively as a contribution of communicative actions, as conveyed by Jurgen Habermas, through reconciliation among religious people. The values of interaction between religious people are emphazised with the principle of agreement and respect as fellow citizens and human beings.

Bissu on Contesting Indigeneity with Islamic Puritanism in the Sacred Arena

The presence of Islam in the Bugis Bone tribe not only changes people's beliefs but also traditional activities such as wedding rituals, mappalili (traditional ceremonies before planting rice), guarding arajang (heirlooms). The positions of Bissu, who is an indigenous leader, are very influential in the Bugis Bone community, but nowadays, its existence is discredited by the presence of Islamic hegemony. This research focuses on the transformation of the perseverance of Bissu in the leadership of traditional rituals in the Bugis Bone Tribe, before and after interacting with Islamic religious values. This study uses a descriptive method that describes the social conditions in the life of Bissu, by observation and interview techniques to the Bissu, Muslim leaders, and cultural actor. This study found the fact that the existence of Islam had a dominant influence on the social status of Bissu, which resulted in their role as leaders of traditional rituals being less respected by the community. The role of Bissu in daily activities has become less involved because it has been replaced by the values of religious puritanism. The government needs to educate the history of Bissu and the cultural traditions of Bone to the public and young generation.

Islamic Utopianism and Political Reality: Ali Hasjmy Reconsidered

This article describes the political philosophy of Ali Hasjmy in formulating the ideal Islamic state. Hasjmy is an intellectual who has produced many works in the topics of politics, literature, and culture that are very useful for the progress and welfare of the Acehnese people and the Indonesian nation in general. The main source of this research is the work and writings of Hasjmy which are directly oriented to politics and the concept of the state. By using analytical content, this article shows several premises on Hasjmy’s utopian visions, which are; First, Muslims should not be anti-politics due to its important in achieving the benefit of the people; Second, the existence of a Islamic state as mandatory; Third, an Islamic state does not have to exist constitutionally but what must exist as Islamic values in a state; Fourth, the importance of obeying the leader; Fifth, every official or government element is responsible for exercising power.

The Ideology of Spiritual Practices in Persatuan Seni Silat Cekak Malaysia (PSSCM)

Malay martial arts is often associated with the practice that contains elements of superstitions. This can be seen when religious authorities such as the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia or popularly known as (JAKIM) and Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) published guideline books for martial arts associations in Malaysia according to Islam. Therefore, there is a martial arts association in Malaysia, namely Persatuan Seni Silat Cekak Malaysia (PSSCM) have a clear vision of upholding the original Malay Silat, especially Malaysian martial arts, and clean from all superstitions which are not align with the Islamic faith. Therefore, the approach of this study is to identify the ideology of spiritual practices found in PSSCM that are free from superstitions and capable of educating morals and noble practices. This study uses a qualitative methodology based on content analysis and this study will analyze documents related to the ideology of spiritual practice in PSSCM. The study found that PSSCM has an ideology of spiritual practices that are aimed at educating the spiritual and the virtuous. This practice also does not conflict with the Islamic Shariᶜa. Therefore, PSSCM is not merely educating people to take care of themselves but also signaling them with good moral characters.

From the Indigeneous to the Religious Practices: Islamic Construction of the Local Tradition in South Sulawesi, Indonesia

Islam and indigenous tradition in Indonesia have long established interconnected relations in both social and ritual practices. This study elaborates on the Islamic construction of the indigenous Bugis-Makassar tradition. The “Haji Bawakaraeng” is one the familiar practice and is believed to exist in the South Sulawesi region. Term Haji Bawakaraeng is a religious practice contained with local Muslim beliefs carried out on Mount Bawakaraeng. This research uses a descriptive qualitative approach with data collection done through observation, interviews, and documentation studies. This study finds that the Bugis-Makassar habit of carrying out a series of rituals on the summit of Mount Bawakaraeng is an old belief facing the process of negotiation and adaptation to the teachings of Islam. The presence of the term Hajj as an Islamic construction and Bawakaraeng as a local cultural construction is the result of the construction of Islam on the local beliefs of the Buginese-Makassarnese. In addition, this study also illustrates the dynamics of the inclusion of Islam in South Sulawesi as a variative and authentic inclusion. Finally, this study explains the diversity of the Bugis-Makassar people which tends to change from indigenous traditions to religious practices due to the ongoing construction of Islam. This paper recommends the need for further studies on the issue of religious and cultural relations at the micro level to see the dynamics of changing socio-religious practices in the community.

The Discourse of The Qur'anic Metaphors: The Embryo of Theological Sects Disputes in Comprehending the Holy Qur'an

This article aims to examine problems related to metaphors (majāz) found in the Qur’an which were debated by scholars of Arabic literatures during the classic times. Majāz, opposed to ḥaqīqah, is a part of the Qur'an language styles which triggers theological debates among its supporters. This article used a qualitative approach, through library research, with a comprehensive and comparative analysis method among supporters of theological sects in understanding the problems of majāz in the Qur'an. The results of this study indicated that the debates on the issue raises three opinions in theological sects; Firstly, the Ẓahirī and Salafi sects reject the existence of majāz in the Qur'an. They refuse the interpretations of things that are not standardized in the text of the Qur'an. Secondly, the Mu'tazilah sect is exaggerated in accepting majāz and attacking other theological sects that are inconsistent with their interpretations of the text. Thirdly, the Ash’arī sect which is more moderate in confirming majāz. The starting point of their debates over majāz in the Qur'an is the difference in analysis and conclusions about the origin of language. The Ẓahirī and Salafi groups conclude that language is solely a gift from God, so there should be no change in terms of meaning. The Mu'tazilah believes that language is an invention and human power, that’s why a word may have more than one meaning. Whilst, the Ash’arī argues that language is indeed a human creativity, but it cannot be denied that God also plays a role in giving human abilities, so there are other possible meanings of a word

Mediated Tarekat Qadiriyah wa Naqshabandiyah in the Digital Era: An Ethnographic Overview

This article examines how Tarekat Qadiriyah wa Naqshabandiyah (TQN) utilizes online media to strengthen its existence. As an integral part of the Islamic revival in Indonesia, Sufi orders (tarekat) are facing remarkable challenges and opportunities in maintaining their existence in the digital era. Nevertheless, previous studies observed Sufi orders as a traditional community that would be exterminated by the pace of modernization and globalization. This article argues that Sufi orders may survive in the internet of things era, contrary to preceding discourses. Based on ethnography research, both online and offline, the authors found out that the vitality of the Sufi order can adapt, develop, and innovate using online media. TQN's use of online media through various platforms proves Sufi order’s adaptive efforts to the internet-based era. TQN’s online media provide informations on Islamic and Sufism teachings, news, schedule of activities, and fundraising. Even though TQN members’ being active in cyber-Islamic environments, they resist online asceticism thus leverage the vertical-personal obedience, conservative authorities, and sacred rituals. These practices done by TQN members illuminate its identity as an authentic online sufism. Premises shown in this paper may enrich the scope of study within the relationship of Sufi orders and Islamic-cyber environment, especially in Indonesian context.

Nahw Wajh Jadīd: al-Muḥāwala fī Tarsīkh Maqāṣid al-Sunna al-Nabawiyya bi Indūnīsiyā [Toward a New Perspective: An Attempt in Strenghtening Maqāṣid al-Sunnah in Indonesia]

The notion that the Qur'an is always relevant all the time and space can also be applied to hadith. Its due to hadith itself, in fact, is an embodiment of Qur’anic teachings which means it comes from God’s revelation-Allah directly. Therefore, the slogan should not only be comprehended on rhetoric limitation, but rather be applied in religious life, national life, and state of life regularly. Considering the length of time and space in which starting from the emergence of Hadith until nowadays, of course, the gap between the hadith and the reader space was founded. Furthermore, added with the dark stories and dark histories in the past such as the phenomenon of hadith forgery, of course, it adds to the tension and the extent of the gap. According to the fact as mentioned, lead the researcher to conduct this study. Moreover, as a form of problem-solving to minimize the gaps, it really necessary attempts. Maintaining the values of hadith and the main objectives of hadith is the answer that can be pursued through two important attempts, there are: The first one is contextualization and revitalization of the hadith message. This step is carried out to reveal the fundamental message of the hadith in order to answer the gap as well as a bridge time and space, and the second one is applying it to the ulumul hadith principles, such as asbabul wurud and also is influenced with local wisdom. Furthermore, the scope of this study not only limited to focusing on studying the reconstruction of interpretations of hadith but also includes information on how to produce meaning and apply the concept of contextualization of the hadith's message. In addition, studying of how to explain the contextualization of hadith with the context of contemporary Indonesia through the reinterpretation and reproduction of the meanings of three phenomena; 1) the unification of the hijriyah calendar in Indonesia, 2) the reading of sighat ta'liq for the bridegroom, and 3) the inheritance of different religions.

Translating the Transcends of God's World in the Arabic-Quran into Balinese

The development of Quranic translation in Indonesia generally showed the total adoption of the fixed theological words and phrases of the Arabic-Qur’an as loanword in the translation work. For some local communities, it does not make them easier in understanding the messages of the Quran through its “untranslated” words and phrases. So, some parties within Muslim communities tried to translate them using the local language. Cakepan Suci Al-Qur'an Salinan Ring Basa Bali by I Wayan Rupa Mengwi is one of the Qur’an translation into local languages, it is the first Balinese translation of the Qur’an, which prefer to translate them rather than to borrow them in translation. But it remains questions how the author vernacularized some “fixed theological terms and phrases” of the Arabic-Qur’an into Balinese and why did he chose to “translate” them rather than to “borrow” them in his translation work? The result showed that (1) it used terminological approach to vernacularize some fixed terms and phrases, (2) The special appeal of using Balinese words and phrases when translating selected Qur'anic words and phrases is to reflect typical local beliefs (Balinese), as well as to carry out da'wah through a socio-cultural approach. Even though, this pattern reflects the platform and strategy of international Ahmadiyya movement through the translation of the Qur'an, but this work is not connected formally under the organization program of Ahmadiyya.

Enriching Socioreligious Dynamics: A Macrostructural Analysis on Publications of the Indonesian Association for the Sociology of Religion (ASAGI)

Indonesian Association for the Sociology of Religion (ASAGI, abbrivated from Indonesian) accomodates 15 Study Programs of Sociology of Religion within the state Islamic universities of Indonesia. The association have had a deal in vision, mission, scientific development, curriculum design, compulsory courses and others. However, each of the fifteen study programs has its own scientific characteristics due to the differences from its history, background, and developmental direction. Academic journals, the output and the media that are directly related to the intellectual society, should be able to reveal the scientific characteristics of each institution. However, the characteristics is not necessarily easy to carry out. This writing reveals two premises, namely; First, differentiating each institution's idiosyncratical theme through its journal's macrostructure; Second, the suitability of discourses published by a ASAGI associated-journal with the identity and narative expectation of each institution concerned