Religious Movements and Politic in Indonesian History By Nihayatul Wafiroh

Discussion religious movements in Indonesia will not separate from politic. Delier Noer clearly addressed that religious movements influenced in the political sphere in Indonesia. Religion is not seen just as the relationship between people and God. Religion, indeed, affects in the all human being’s activities including politic. Although in the early movement, the religious movements just focused on education and religious activities for instance, in the development, the condition of politic in Indonesia pressed them to take place in the politic. Muhammadiah and Nahdlatul Ulama are the great examples of religious organizations that right now deal with politic. Although they always argue that, they do not involve in political parties, in reality, the leaders of these organizations become the participants in political parties. For sure, it will be difficult to make distance when they are the leaders of religious organizations and when they are participants of political parties. The distance is blur.

Indeed, the Islamic movement in Indonesia connected to the scholars who studied in Middle East. For example, the figures of reformists in Minangkabau which is the important area in the spreading of the ideas of reformation, had mostly studied in Middle East. The knowledge that they received from Middle East was brought to Indonesia. Their activities were not only pure on teaching Islam but also they dealt directly or indirectly with politic.

In my view, there are positive things when religious movements can also inspire in the political spheres. However, the negative points could not also be avoided. In the positive things, we are able to figure out that Indonesian people at the time had skeptical perception of politic. However, when religious leaders involved in politic, people began to realize that politic would be another way to achieve the Indonesia freedom. On the other hand, when religions already engage the politic, the functions of religion and state are not clear. As the result, state takes parts in the religious roles. Another thing is that people become antipathy with religious organizations since they think that religious organizations are not pure religious movements any more. In fact, political agendas are already behind of their agendas. As Indonesians, I think we have to determine whether to put religions as a private or public sphere. In some cases,