• Home
  • About RSIS
    • Introduction
    • Building the Foundations
    • Welcome Message
    • Board of Governors
    • Staff Profiles
      • Executive Deputy Chairman’s Office
      • Dean’s Office
      • Management
      • Distinguished Fellows
      • Faculty and Research
      • Associate Research Fellows, Senior Analysts and Research Analysts
      • Visiting Fellows
      • Adjunct Fellows
      • Administrative Staff
    • Honours and Awards for RSIS Staff and Students
    • RSIS Endowment Fund
    • Endowed Professorships
    • Career Opportunities
    • Getting to RSIS
  • Research
    • Research Centres
      • Centre for Multilateralism Studies (CMS)
      • Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre)
      • Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS)
      • Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS)
      • International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR)
    • Research Programmes
      • National Security Studies Programme (NSSP)
      • Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme
    • [email protected] Newsletter
    • Other Research
      • Future Issues And Technology (FIT)
      • Science and Technology Studies Programme (STSP) (2017-2020)
  • Graduate Education
    • Graduate Programmes Office
    • Overview
    • MSc (Asian Studies)
    • MSc (International Political Economy)
    • MSc (International Relations)
    • MSc (Strategic Studies)
    • NTU-Warwick Double Masters Programme
    • PhD Programme
    • Exchange Partners and Programmes
    • How to Apply
    • Financial Assistance
    • Meet the Admissions Team: Information Sessions and other events
    • RSIS Alumni
  • Alumni & Networks
    • Alumni
    • Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO)
    • Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National Security Officers (APPSNO)
    • SRP Executive Programme
    • Terrorism Analyst Training Course (TATC)
  • Publications
    • RSIS Publications
      • Annual Reviews
      • Books
      • Bulletins and Newsletters
      • Commentaries
      • Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses
      • Commemorative / Event Reports
      • IDSS Paper
      • Interreligious Relations
      • Monographs
      • NTS Insight
      • Policy Reports
      • Working Papers
      • RSIS Publications for the Year
    • Glossary of Abbreviations
    • External Publications
      • Authored Books
      • Journal Articles
      • Edited Books
      • Chapters in Edited Books
      • Policy Reports
      • Working Papers
      • Op-Eds
      • External Publications for the Year
    • Policy-relevant Articles Given RSIS Award
  • Media
    • Cohesive Societies
    • Great Powers
    • Sustainable Security
    • COVID-19 Resources
    • Other Resource Pages
    • Media Highlights
    • News Releases
    • Speeches
    • Vidcast Channel
    • Audio/Video Forums
  • Events
  • Giving
  • Contact Us
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
RSISVideoCast RSISVideoCast rsis.sg
Linkedin
instagram instagram rsis.sg
RSS
  • Home
  • About RSIS
      • Introduction
      • Building the Foundations
      • Welcome Message
      • Board of Governors
      • Staff Profiles
        • Executive Deputy Chairman’s Office
        • Dean’s Office
        • Management
        • Distinguished Fellows
        • Faculty and Research
        • Associate Research Fellows, Senior Analysts and Research Analysts
        • Visiting Fellows
        • Adjunct Fellows
        • Administrative Staff
      • Honours and Awards for RSIS Staff and Students
      • RSIS Endowment Fund
      • Endowed Professorships
      • Career Opportunities
      • Getting to RSIS
  • Research
      • Research Centres
        • Centre for Multilateralism Studies (CMS)
        • Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre)
        • Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS)
        • Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS)
        • International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR)
      • Research Programmes
        • National Security Studies Programme (NSSP)
        • Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme
      • [email protected] Newsletter
      • Other Research
        • Future Issues And Technology (FIT)
        • Science and Technology Studies Programme (STSP) (2017-2020)
  • Graduate Education
      • Graduate Programmes Office
      • Overview
      • MSc (Asian Studies)
      • MSc (International Political Economy)
      • MSc (International Relations)
      • MSc (Strategic Studies)
      • NTU-Warwick Double Masters Programme
      • PhD Programme
      • Exchange Partners and Programmes
      • How to Apply
      • Financial Assistance
      • Meet the Admissions Team: Information Sessions and other events
      • RSIS Alumni
  • Alumni & Networks
      • Alumni
      • Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO)
      • Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National Security Officers (APPSNO)
      • SRP Executive Programme
      • Terrorism Analyst Training Course (TATC)
  • Publications
      • RSIS Publications
        • Annual Reviews
        • Books
        • Bulletins and Newsletters
        • Commentaries
        • Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses
        • Commemorative / Event Reports
        • IDSS Paper
        • Interreligious Relations
        • Monographs
        • NTS Insight
        • Policy Reports
        • Working Papers
        • RSIS Publications for the Year
      • Glossary of Abbreviations
      • External Publications
        • Authored Books
        • Journal Articles
        • Edited Books
        • Chapters in Edited Books
        • Policy Reports
        • Working Papers
        • Op-Eds
        • External Publications for the Year
      • Policy-relevant Articles Given RSIS Award
  • Media
      • Cohesive Societies
      • Great Powers
      • Sustainable Security
      • COVID-19 Resources
      • Other Resource Pages
      • Media Highlights
      • News Releases
      • Speeches
      • Vidcast Channel
      • Audio/Video Forums
  • Events
  • Giving
  • Contact Us
  • instagram instagram rsis.sg
Connect

Getting to RSIS

Map

Address

Nanyang Technological University
Block S4, Level B3,
50 Nanyang Avenue,
Singapore 639798

View location on Google maps Click here for directions to RSIS

Get in Touch

    Connect with Us

      rsis.ntu
      rsis_ntu
      rsisntu
    RSISVideoCast RSISVideoCast rsisvideocast
      school/rsis-ntu
    instagram instagram rsis.sg
      RSS
    Subscribe to RSIS Publications
    Subscribe to RSIS Events

    RSIS Intranet

    S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies Think Tank and Graduate School Ponder The Improbable Since 1966
    Nanyang Technological University Nanyang Technological University

    Skip to content

     
    • RSIS
    • Publication
    • RSIS Publications
    • CO16114 | Islam Nusantara: NU’s Bid to Promote “Moderate Indonesian Islam”
    • Annual Reviews
    • Books
    • Bulletins and Newsletters
    • Commentaries
    • Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses
    • Commemorative / Event Reports
    • IDSS Paper
    • Interreligious Relations
    • Monographs
    • NTS Insight
    • Policy Reports
    • Working Papers
    • RSIS Publications for the Year

    CO16114 | Islam Nusantara: NU’s Bid to Promote “Moderate Indonesian Islam”
    Alexander Raymond Arifianto

    17 May 2016

    download pdf
    RSIS Commentary is a platform to provide timely and, where appropriate, policy-relevant commentary and analysis of topical and contemporary issues. The authors’ views are their own and do not represent the official position of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), NTU. These commentaries may be reproduced with prior permission from RSIS and due credit to the author(s) and RSIS. Please email to Editor RSIS Commentary at [email protected].

    Synopsis

    Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Indonesia’s largest Muslim organisation, has sponsored an international conference as part of its strategy to promote “Islam Nusantara” worldwide. However, the concept remains deeply contested, even within the NU itself.

    Commentary

    INDONESIA’S LARGEST Muslim organisation Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) has launched a drive to promote what it calls “Islam Nusantara” – or Islam from Indonesia – with an international conference in Jakarta attended by delegates from over 40 countries, including Islamic scholars (ulama) from the Middle East, Europe and the United States. A number of prominent ulama and intellectuals spoke during the conference on 9-10 May 2016, including Ahmad Muhammad Ahmad El-Tayeb, the Grand Mufti of the al-Azhar Mosque in Egypt, Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and founder of the Grameen Bank, and Hamza Yusuf, co-founder of Zaytuna College, the first Muslim liberal arts college in the United States.

    The conference also received support from Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi). This can be seen from the fact that the meeting was opened by Vice President Jusuf Kalla, with speeches delivered by a number of high level officials from his administration, including Luhut Panjaitan, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs; Commissioner General of Police Tito Karnavian, Head of the Indonesian National Counter Terrorism Agency (BNPT); and Sutiyoso, Head of the Indonesian National Intelligence Agency (BIN).

    Islam Nusantara as Defined by NU

    The conference serves as a venue for NU to promote Islam Nusantara – its brand of moderate Islamic thought – to the conference participants. NU defines Islam Nusantara as the application of Islamic teachings in the Indonesian socio-cultural context. It combines classical Islamic theology (aqidah) and jurisprudence (fiqh) with Sufism and localised practices and rituals originated from Java – where the majority of NU’s claimed 60 million followers live.

    Islam Nusantara’s proponents, including Said Aqil Siradj, NU general chairman, considers it as an antidote against radicalism and extremism, especially those expressed by terrorist organisations such as the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS). They also believe these organisations derived their ideas from an ultra-conservative interpretation of Islam originating in the Middle East, which seeks to eradicate other Islamic interpretations, including those advocated by NU.

    Said Aqil believes that such literalist interpretation is not a reflection of the Islamic faith. Instead, it is grounded in Middle Eastern culture which is very different from those that most Indonesian Muslims grow up in. As an alternative to the nihilistic vision proposed by extremist groups, he argues that Islam Nusantara can promote tolerance and peace in Muslim societies currently suffering from violent conflict, such as Iraq, Libya, and Syria. It also can show how Islamic values can be made compatible with secularist values, such as democracy and nationalism.

    Exporting Islam Nusantara?

    By sponsoring this international conference, NU seeks to promote Islam Nusantara to other countries. This can be seen from the conference’s concluding declaration. While it does not explicitly call for the ‘exportation’ of Islam Nusantara beyond Indonesia, the declaration considers it as “an idea that needs to be learned and practised by other Muslims throughout the world”. It also clarifies that Islam Nusantara is not a new school of Islamic thought (madhab) within Islam and is not in conflict with the fundamental tenets of Islamic law (shari’a).

    A number of Islamic scholars who attended the conference have declared their intention to establish NU affiliates (jamiyah) within their own countries, to promote moderate Islamic principles similar to Islam Nusantara. Abdul Nasheer Jabri, a Lebanese Islamic scholar, states that “Moderate Islamic paradigms like those promoted by the NU need to be supported, because this is the real essence of Islam propagated by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)”.

    NU plans to work with the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to promote ‘cultural diplomacy’ in the Middle East in order to explore and tackle the root causes of radicalism and extremism in the region.

    Potential Obstacles

    However, such efforts face a number of serious obstacles. Boston University’s political scientist Jeremy Menchik argues that as Islam Nusantara is grounded in the Indonesian (primarily Javanese) interpretation of Islam, the localised practices and institutions that help to sustain it cannot be replicated beyond Indonesia’s borders. The concept is running into fierce opposition from other Islamic organisations which argue that Islam Nusantara is an innovation (bid’ah) that should be prohibited from Islam.

    For instance, Irfan Awwas, head of the Indonesian Mujahideen Council (MMI), believes that “Islam Nusantara is not Islam, because it believes [its teachings] is different to Islam in the Arab world. Thus, it is damaging the real essence of Islam”.

    Such views are not just expressed by scholars outside of NU, but also by some NU ulama. For instance, Buya Yahya, a conservative scholar with a popular following within the NU, has argued that Islam Nusantara is “a form of ‘liberal Islam’ that seeks to replace the fundamental Islamic teachings prescribed by the Qur’an, the hadith, and the ulama consensus (ijma). It is promoted by liberal thinkers such as Said Aqil Siradj and Ulil Abshar Abdalla. Thus, we should not use this label to describe Islam as it is practised in Indonesia”.

    Lastly, some NU senior leaders oppose Islam Nusantara due to factional rivalries that tend to afflict the organisation. Hasyim Muzadi, Said Aqil’s predecessor as NU general chairman, has accused him of promoting the concept in order to seek support from President Jokowi for his re-election bid as NU general chairman in last year’s national congress (muktamar). Accordingly, Muzadi and his supporters have boycotted NU events designed to promote Islam Nusantara, including this summit.

    By hosting this international conference, NU shows its commitment to promote Islam Nusantara to other Muslim societies. However, as it is considered to be a controversial idea – even “un-Islamic” by some of its opponents, including those within the organisation – NU’s campaign to promote it as an alternative to Islamic extremism will face strong hurdles ahead.

    About the Author

    Alexander R Arifianto PhD is a Research Fellow with the Indonesia Programme, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

    Categories: Commentaries / Country and Region Studies / Religion in Contemporary Society / Southeast Asia and ASEAN

    Last updated on 17/05/2016

    RSIS Commentary is a platform to provide timely and, where appropriate, policy-relevant commentary and analysis of topical and contemporary issues. The authors’ views are their own and do not represent the official position of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), NTU. These commentaries may be reproduced with prior permission from RSIS and due credit to the author(s) and RSIS. Please email to Editor RSIS Commentary at [email protected].

    Synopsis

    Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Indonesia’s largest Muslim organisation, has sponsored an international conference as part of its strategy to promote “Islam Nusantara” worldwide. However, the concept remains deeply contested, even within the NU itself.

    Commentary

    INDONESIA’S LARGEST Muslim organisation Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) has launched a drive to promote what it calls “Islam Nusantara” – or Islam from Indonesia – with an international conference in Jakarta attended by delegates from over 40 countries, including Islamic scholars (ulama) from the Middle East, Europe and the United States. A number of prominent ulama and intellectuals spoke during the conference on 9-10 May 2016, including Ahmad Muhammad Ahmad El-Tayeb, the Grand Mufti of the al-Azhar Mosque in Egypt, Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and founder of the Grameen Bank, and Hamza Yusuf, co-founder of Zaytuna College, the first Muslim liberal arts college in the United States.

    The conference also received support from Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi). This can be seen from the fact that the meeting was opened by Vice President Jusuf Kalla, with speeches delivered by a number of high level officials from his administration, including Luhut Panjaitan, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs; Commissioner General of Police Tito Karnavian, Head of the Indonesian National Counter Terrorism Agency (BNPT); and Sutiyoso, Head of the Indonesian National Intelligence Agency (BIN).

    Islam Nusantara as Defined by NU

    The conference serves as a venue for NU to promote Islam Nusantara – its brand of moderate Islamic thought – to the conference participants. NU defines Islam Nusantara as the application of Islamic teachings in the Indonesian socio-cultural context. It combines classical Islamic theology (aqidah) and jurisprudence (fiqh) with Sufism and localised practices and rituals originated from Java – where the majority of NU’s claimed 60 million followers live.

    Islam Nusantara’s proponents, including Said Aqil Siradj, NU general chairman, considers it as an antidote against radicalism and extremism, especially those expressed by terrorist organisations such as the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS). They also believe these organisations derived their ideas from an ultra-conservative interpretation of Islam originating in the Middle East, which seeks to eradicate other Islamic interpretations, including those advocated by NU.

    Said Aqil believes that such literalist interpretation is not a reflection of the Islamic faith. Instead, it is grounded in Middle Eastern culture which is very different from those that most Indonesian Muslims grow up in. As an alternative to the nihilistic vision proposed by extremist groups, he argues that Islam Nusantara can promote tolerance and peace in Muslim societies currently suffering from violent conflict, such as Iraq, Libya, and Syria. It also can show how Islamic values can be made compatible with secularist values, such as democracy and nationalism.

    Exporting Islam Nusantara?

    By sponsoring this international conference, NU seeks to promote Islam Nusantara to other countries. This can be seen from the conference’s concluding declaration. While it does not explicitly call for the ‘exportation’ of Islam Nusantara beyond Indonesia, the declaration considers it as “an idea that needs to be learned and practised by other Muslims throughout the world”. It also clarifies that Islam Nusantara is not a new school of Islamic thought (madhab) within Islam and is not in conflict with the fundamental tenets of Islamic law (shari’a).

    A number of Islamic scholars who attended the conference have declared their intention to establish NU affiliates (jamiyah) within their own countries, to promote moderate Islamic principles similar to Islam Nusantara. Abdul Nasheer Jabri, a Lebanese Islamic scholar, states that “Moderate Islamic paradigms like those promoted by the NU need to be supported, because this is the real essence of Islam propagated by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)”.

    NU plans to work with the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to promote ‘cultural diplomacy’ in the Middle East in order to explore and tackle the root causes of radicalism and extremism in the region.

    Potential Obstacles

    However, such efforts face a number of serious obstacles. Boston University’s political scientist Jeremy Menchik argues that as Islam Nusantara is grounded in the Indonesian (primarily Javanese) interpretation of Islam, the localised practices and institutions that help to sustain it cannot be replicated beyond Indonesia’s borders. The concept is running into fierce opposition from other Islamic organisations which argue that Islam Nusantara is an innovation (bid’ah) that should be prohibited from Islam.

    For instance, Irfan Awwas, head of the Indonesian Mujahideen Council (MMI), believes that “Islam Nusantara is not Islam, because it believes [its teachings] is different to Islam in the Arab world. Thus, it is damaging the real essence of Islam”.

    Such views are not just expressed by scholars outside of NU, but also by some NU ulama. For instance, Buya Yahya, a conservative scholar with a popular following within the NU, has argued that Islam Nusantara is “a form of ‘liberal Islam’ that seeks to replace the fundamental Islamic teachings prescribed by the Qur’an, the hadith, and the ulama consensus (ijma). It is promoted by liberal thinkers such as Said Aqil Siradj and Ulil Abshar Abdalla. Thus, we should not use this label to describe Islam as it is practised in Indonesia”.

    Lastly, some NU senior leaders oppose Islam Nusantara due to factional rivalries that tend to afflict the organisation. Hasyim Muzadi, Said Aqil’s predecessor as NU general chairman, has accused him of promoting the concept in order to seek support from President Jokowi for his re-election bid as NU general chairman in last year’s national congress (muktamar). Accordingly, Muzadi and his supporters have boycotted NU events designed to promote Islam Nusantara, including this summit.

    By hosting this international conference, NU shows its commitment to promote Islam Nusantara to other Muslim societies. However, as it is considered to be a controversial idea – even “un-Islamic” by some of its opponents, including those within the organisation – NU’s campaign to promote it as an alternative to Islamic extremism will face strong hurdles ahead.

    About the Author

    Alexander R Arifianto PhD is a Research Fellow with the Indonesia Programme, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

    Categories: Commentaries / Country and Region Studies / Religion in Contemporary Society

    Last updated on 17/05/2016

    Back to top

    Terms of Use | Privacy Statement
    Copyright © S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. All rights reserved.
    This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. By continuing, you are agreeing to the use of cookies on your device as described in our privacy policy. Learn more
    OK
    Latest Book
    CO16114 | Islam Nusantara: NU’s Bid to Promote “Moderate Indonesian Islam”

    Synopsis

    Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Indonesia’s largest Muslim organisation, has sponsored an international conference as part of its strategy to promote “Islam Nusa ...
    more info