LEYAKET ALI MOHAMED OMAR

History of Religion Part 2- Prof Bernard Adeney- Risakotta and Prof Margana
Readings are from : Stephen C. Headley- Durga Mosque;
Mark Woodward, Islam in Java- Normative Piety and Mysticism in the Sultanate of Yogyakarta.
Julia Day Howell- Sufism and the Indonesian Islamic Revival

Let me start from a point that I’m clinging on to; which is derived from a well known scholar on this subject in general. Abu Hamid, Muhammad bin Muhammad Al-Ghazali (450-505 H/1058-1111) he said “ He who learns Islamic jurisprudence and neglects Sufism becomes a good-for-nothing he who learns Sufism and neglects Islamic Jurisprudence becomes an apostate and he who combines both attains realization of the truth”

Reading Headley’s work on ‘Sacred Wells and Shopping Malls’; glimpses of the reconstruction of social confidence in Solo after the fall of Soeharto. The reading reveals the performance of rituals and purification of a blended multi-religions mysticism practices. Mixture of Javanese indigenous practice, Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam. The ritual starts from the wayang, but not as the usual wayang, the content dialogues from the dhalang was transformed to another senario. He related its dilemma to the ‘Broom of the world’ to seek help from the current situation of mishaps that happened and on the same ritual, for the well, offerings are classified by the number nine that signifies and symbolise in Javanese and Islamic perspectives. On top of that many other elaborated offerings were also done. These are actually part of the rituals that are believed to be sacred to ‘ward off’ or so to speak ‘clean’ the ‘unwanted evil’ that dwells around the places of interest obstructing or being the cause of hindrance to their prosperity and ironically with a grand finale of invoking Allah as the One who will grant the fulfilment of prayers (p. 459, 465).

It is obvious to highlight that Islam is based on the basic understanding of Tauhid (unity of Allah) as Schimmels, 1975:146 puts it “In its most basic sense it means monotheism”. On the other hand here in this practice it is the interpretation and intention that played a larger role. Those who are interested in spirituality practices as mentioned above, mysticism will always bring excitement for most human kind. Well understood as a ‘something’ from the other world that not many has ‘seen’ from their naked eyes but certainly it would be safe to seek refuge from. Much as the drama can tell, personally I felt this is a result of cultural and religious diversity in Java. It takes a person with wisdom to separate every single practice into its own box. Therefore, there is no need for a call to say this is an Islamic practice or it is not a practice in Islam; as far as it is understood it is neither. For me it belongs to a unique set on its own.

Mark R. Woodward in his interesting research, Islam in Java provides a profound understanding in the Muslim world now and then; interestingly it provides information not only in Java but related Islamic world that brought in the ideology of Sufism to Java. He mentions great deal on the lifestyle in pasantren, it details the mysticism and the Sufi way of life from the days of the nine Saints to the present day of practicing Sufi.

In line with this Julia Day Howell in ‘Sufism and the Indonesian Islamic Revival’ portrays another set of bird-eyes view on this field. She mentions ‘Indonesia’s Islamic revival has been portrayed as ‘scripturalist’ that is, as conforming to a conception of proper Muslim practice that rejects Sufi traditions as idolatrous accretions to the pristine faith….(p.702) She argues, despite this movements were made but Sufism still survives and in fact being enthusiastically pursued. Embarking on her notes my argument is that there are no doubts about Sufism being the traditional practice of one being closer to God’s path and more over it’s a favourite subject for most, in her article she mentions about a contemporary Neo-Modernist spirituality programs going on where usually about 40 people attended the lectures but when it comes to talking about tasawwuf, the class can come up to 120 people attending it(p.720) having said that I believe that Sufi teachings need extra caution on certain matters, therefore from my point of view it has to be carefully select by each and every individual, as the level of understanding differs from each other. Not every Muslim can directly jump into a Tariqah without having a proper fraction in their understanding of Islam. In other words, the ideology of Sufism has to be properly guided by a teacher. Like what I mentioned from the beginning of this response paper, from the sayings of al—Ghazali ultimately the best way is balancing the understanding of Sufism in Islam with Islamic Jurisprudence.