Presentation Transcript

1. Indonesia

2. Islam in Indonesia: History First contact: Muslim merchants during the Age of Exploration (10th -12th c.) Religious majority at the time were Hindu/Buddhist 1211 Northern Sumatra, first evidence of a Muslim ruler Portuguese and Catholicism arrived in the 15th century http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/images/map-indonesia.png
3. Islam in Indonesia: History (cont.) ‘Clash of Civilizations’: Pringle claims that while it may be easy to see these conflicting religious forces at odds, Portuguese traders were interested mainly in profit, not conversion. (p.27) Conversion to Islam was ‘top down’ Ruling and trading elites came in contact with Islam first, and therefore larger cities, especially on the coast, were affected long before rural communities
4. Islam in Indonesia: History (cont.) Why convert? Islam offered new political and economic opportunities Attracted to the mysticism of Sufi Islam, which fit in well with Indonesia’s syncretic religious practices (especially with Hinduism) Incorporated traditions of holy men, hermits and esoteric paths to knowledge Indonesian Sufis traveled to the Middle East to study and live HamzahFansuri: famous Sufi; one of the first known poets in the Malay language Sufism remained popular until the 19th Century Called Traditionalist
5. Colonization: 1629-1945 Portuguese unable to control the islands British preoccupied w/ India & Straits Settlements Dutch presence began with the spice trade Dutch East India Company Monopolized spice trade, and moved to cash crops like coffee Expansion brought the Dutch into direct conflict with the native Indonesian population Dutch response was to send military capacities to the islands 1800 became an official Dutch colony
6. Colonization (cont.) Colonization aided Islam in several ways Expansion of numbers of Hajj travelers due to safer and faster international travel Dutch agricultural policies led to growth of Islamic culture Formation of religious boarding schools “pesantran” Pesantran schools were led by religious leaders and became the economic and institutional basis for Traditionalist Islam on Java New prosperity of Indonesia drew Arab immigrants from the Middle East (Yemen)
7. Stirrings of Nationalism First nationalistic stirrings in early 1900s: Sarekat Islam (1911) “Intellectual globalization”: eroded the moral and political basis of colonial rule during the interwar period (Pringle 54) Sukarno: leader of nationalist movement Reformists: Reformers were influenced by Md Abdu (Egypt) Muhammadiyah: reformist group founded in 1912 Wanted to reinterpret the Quran to provide new requirements of the modernizing world Muhammadiyah concentrated on education created Muslim schools which created an educated middle class Worked on discrediting the Traditionalists as well
8. Stirrings of Nationalism cont. Traditionalist Response: NahdlatulUlama founded in 1926 Response to their portrayal as uneducated country people who were not up to the challenges that modernity presented Both Muhammadiyah and NahdlatulUlama were multifunctional organizations Social and political aspects similar to MB Darul Islam: establishment of a ‘nation’ independent of any previous authority – used Sharia law World War II derailed independence plans 1940: Germany invaded Holland Japan moved in to take control of Indonesia (for 3 ½ years) August 17, 1945, 2 days after the Japanese surrender, Indonesia declared itself independent Sukarno appointed President
9. Independent Indonesia (eventually) April 1945 Committee for the Preparation of Indonesia (BPUK) determined preamble to the Constitution Pancasila: 5 moral principles of governance Jakarta Charter: 1st Principle Dutch reemerged from German occupation eager to regain control of their former colony By 1946 Dutch regained control of most of Indonesia despite resistance By this time world opinion had turned and colonialism considered an embarrassment By 1949 Dutch ceded sovereignty to Indonesians
10. Indonesia: Sukarno Era 1955: Indonesia became a parliamentary democracy and held elections Elections were a stalemate between the four major parties Islamists won over 40% 1957: Sukarno ended parliamentary democracy and initiated “Guided Democracy” Attempted to unite the islands and stir nationalist feelings through external crises Extended conflict with Dutch over Western New Guinea Internal conflict: Outer Islands rebellion (1958) Unsuccessful campaign to crush Malaysia (1963-1964)
11. Transition from Sukarno to Suharto (1966-1998) Attempted coup (1965-1966) Military general, Suharto forced Sukarno out Established Military Government Accomplishments: Successfully facilitated Indonesia’s economic development Increased literacy rates (90%) Instituted effective family planning program Created Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) Allowed the banned reformists parties to reconstitute into the Indonesian Muslim Party (1968)
12. Reactions of Reformist Islam under Suharto Radicalization New reformists became increasingly fundamentalist and anti-western Political transition to vigilantism and militia violence in 1960s against Suharto Example: Islamic Defenders Front Began in 1970s on university campuses Example: Justice Party Indonesian Muslim Party renewed ties with Middle East Radical Salafi schools founded in 1970s Pesantran al-Mukmin at Ngruki New economic development and social change led to increase in the observance of Islam
13. Reactions of Reformist Islam under Suharto 1980s: Suharto oppression created a pool of recruits who went to fight in the jihad in Afghanistan 1987: creation of The Indonesian Committee for the Solidarity of the Muslim World (KISDI) Imported radical conspiracy theories that blamed the troubles of Islam and Indonesia on the Jews, Israel and foreigners 1990s: Jemaah Islamiyah dedicated to Islamic law via underground militancy. Still exists, but with a changed name
14. Reactions Reformist Islam under Suharto Democracy March 1998: People’s consultative assembly appointed Suharto to an 8th 6 year term May 13-14 riots in Jakarta Death toll 1300 people Suharto resigned VP Habibie succeeded as interim Pres. Presided over democratic transition June 1999: Parliamentary Elections elected Abdurrahman Wahid 1991 Islamic Banking: 1st sharia compliant bank established Young reformist politicians formed alliances with traditionalists to oppose Suharto 1980s: Suharto attempted to appease the tide of resistance Created Muslim Intellectuals Association (ICMI) 1990s: Suharto lost control of the government
15. Democratic Indonesia Sharia Law Democracy 2002 Indonesian parliament voted down amendment that would require state enforcement of sharia May 2006 revised the laws of religious courts and extended jurisdiction to Islamic banking “Compilation of Islamic laws in Indonesia” 2002-2006: Muslim activists worked to implement sharia law in regional governments Aceh Party of Liberation, and Indonesia Council of Jihad Fighters: “save” Indonesia from its moral and political decline After Suharto’s resignation: Jemaah Islamiyah began bombing Christian Churches 2003 School Amendment
16. Hefner’s Conclusions 2007 survey conducted that asked Indonesians whether they would support a “Pancasila” state or a state based on another ideal 90% of respondents indicated they would prefer Pancasilla Because according to Hefner, Indonesians understand a Pancasila state to be a multiconfessional rather than sharia. Hefner’s interviews expressed 72.2% of Indonesians would support the establishment of state based sharia, but fewer than 30% indicated they had actually voted for a political party with those main platforms
17. Hefner’s Conclusions (cont.) Why? Indonesia is not ready The regard for the law is the most important not the formal letter of law Sharia values needed to be implemented in a way that made “a positive difference in our lives rather than causing social discord” (306)
18. Bibliography Hefner, Robert W. “Indonesia”. Shariʻa Politics: Islamic Law and Society in the Modern World. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2011. Print. Pringle, Robert. Understanding Islam in Indonesia: Politics and Diversity. Honolulu: University of Hawaiʻi Press, 2010. Print.