Islamic Modernism and The Future of Pluralistic Indonesia by Faqihuddin Abdul Kodir

Historiography of Islam generally portraits Islamic modernism in Indonesia influenced by purification movement of Wahabism in theology, reformism of Abduh and Rashid Ridha in thoughts, Islamic state of al-Mawdudi in politics, and Pan-Islamism of al-Afghani in international relation. Those movements brought in new characteristics of Islam in Indonesia; back to the pure of Islam, avoiding Sufism and fiqh-oriented Islam, rejecting local traditions, reform Muslim’s thought, engaging social activities, developing educational institutes, promoting nationalism against colonialism, and creating political parties to ensure Indonesian state for being Islamic and holding Islamic Shari’ah. However, modern Islam has no one monolithic thought and movement in Indonesia. Obviously, it has developed and changed in response to internal factors of socio-political conditions in Indonesia rather than to the outside of the country.
Despite its successful movement in building educational institutions and health care services, modern Islam failed to organize and mobilize Muslims to establish Islamic state, even to keep ‘seven words’ of Djakarta Charter –obligating Muslims to follow the Shari’ah- in the Constitution. Sukarno was very strict to limit the influence of political Islam, while the whole period of Suharto was full of simultaneous efforts to demolish all powers of political Islam. However, the later period of Suharto was in favor to non-political thoughts of Islam pioneered by youth wings of modernists such as Usep Fathuddin, Utomo Danandjaja, Ahmad Wahib and Nurcholis Madjid. Their movement later called Islamic neo-modernism was basically to declare the failure of Islamic politics, and instead to bring Muslims a new awareness of cultural Islam empowering Muslims in the level of individuals and communities.
In contrast to movement of Islamic modernism, the most important feature of neo-modernism is its interpretation of Islam as tolerant and inclusive religion, in favor of religious pluralism, and that Pancasila is not only Islamic but rather the most appropriate and final model for Indonesian Muslims living in pluralistic society. Those issues, although were very controversial among Muslims from a theological point of view, has had the possibility to develop and spread around the nation all the time during the authoritarian era of Suharto. This makes many people the opponents especially, suspicious and accusing neo-modernism as a product of the New Order in the one hand. While on the other hand, its proponents are also pessimistic with the future of inclusive Islam in the absent of the support from Post-Suharto regime. Moreover, progressive Muslims who promote inclusive Islam are standing up directly against civil-military groups of radical Muslims. The state in many cases, especially SBY regime, is very weak to counter hardlines of Muslim organizations.
Although the vast majority of Indonesian Muslims remain tolerant and inclusive, however the small size of radical Muslim has ‘social cultural chances’ and poses a danger as it may co-opt moderate majority in the absence of effective counter measures. The chances are that the ideology of Islamic state still remain in the head of many Muslims lay people as well as those who seat in the Parliament, the absence of national identity, the abrupt decline of central government, the demoralization of police, the cases of corruptions and poverty, and the weakness of national leadership. The situation will be worse if the effort of civil society remain outside of and are not linked with the government’s actions. Media, I think, also should not overemphasize to blow up the news of radical Muslims because it will give them free publicity they seek. The most important is the institutional commitment of the biggest ‘modern’ organization ‘Muhammadiyah’ and the biggest ‘traditionalist’ organization ‘Nahdlatul Ulama’ to ensure all of their missions are in favor of inclusive Islam.

Readings:
1. Robert Hefner, “The Modernist Travail” in Civil Islam, pp. 94-127.
2. Nurcholish Madjid, “In Search of Islamic Roots for Modern Pluralism, The Indonesian Experience” in Mark Woodward, ed., Toward a New Paradigm: Recent Developments in Indonesian Islamic Though, pp. 89-116.