Islam Nusantara as a Promising Response to Religious Intolerance and Radicalism

• The Indonesian government has tried to defeat terrorist groups and uproot radicalism, both through military and cultural-ideological approaches. The recent attack at Mako Brimob Depok, West Java, and the bombing in Surabaya, East Java, however, have shown that radical Islam and terrorist groups are not defeated yet. 
• Killing terrorist does not always mean killing terrorism. It could even have the opposite impact, i.e., strengthening and fertilizing the radical ideology. The government, being aware of this, has been supporting Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) in promoting Islam Nusantara, widely believed to be the ideological antidote for radicalism and terrorism.  
• Proponents of Islam Nusantara believe that radical ideology contradicts the character traits of Islam Nusantara, i.e., peaceful, smiling, tolerant, moderate, and accommodative to culture. Radicalism and intolerance are commonly seen in NU circles as being disseminated by transnational movements such as Hizbut Tahrir and Salafi-Wahhabi groups. Though not terrorist groups, they do teach intolerant and exclusive religiosity which provides a breeding ground for terrorism. 
• Among Indonesian Muslims, including NU, Islam Nusantara has received varied responses and been met by resistance. The emergence of NU Garis Lurus and the concerted efforts to debunk Islam Nusantara by some preachers are among the forms of activities that seek to undermine Islam Nusantara. 
• The introduction of Islam Nusantara is further hampered by the attitude of some of its proponents who emphasize its exclusivity by identifying Islam Nusantara only with NU. 
• Barring its current limits, Islam Nusantara has the potential to become an exceptional form of Islam or a template for tolerant Islam that can be emulated by Muslims in other parts of the world, especially in terms of its ability to accommodate local culture and multiculturalism.

https://www.iseas.edu.sg/images/pdf/TRS21_18.pdf

Ahmad Najib Burhani. 2018. “Islam Nusantara as a Promising Response to Religious Intolerance and Radicalism”. Trends in Southeast Asia, No. 21, pp. 1-29.

Plural Islam and Contestation of Religious Authority in Indonesia

Burhani, Ahmad Najib. 2018. "Plural Islam and Contestation of Religious Authority in Indonesia". in Islam in Southeast Asia: Negotiating Modernity, eds. Terence Chong & Norshahril Saat. Singapore: ISEAS. pp. 140-163.

Abstract

Do the rallies of Aksi Bela Islam (Defending Islam Action) reveal a new map of religious outlook in Indonesia? Is it indicating the rise of conservatism and a threat to “moderate Islam”? Is it still valid and relevant to see the NU and Muhammadiyah as two main representations of Indonesian Islam? This paper intends to discuss these three questions by focusing on the dynamics of ulama and Muslim organizations, especially the NU and Muhammadiyah, after the Aksi Bela Islam. This paper, firstly, shows that the fragmentation of religious authority in Indonesian Islam has begun to take place even before the rallies. However, the change became clearer and more obvious after the rallies. Although still having significant roles, the NU and Muhammadiyah are no longer the sole authority holders in religious affairs in Indonesia. Secondly, the success of the rallies was primarily based on its ability to transform conservatism into pop-culture and the manipulation of fear felt by some Muslims from the threats of different groups.

Keywords: Aksi Bela Islam, conservatism, religious authority, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Rizieq Syihab, Muhammadiyah, fear, marginalization.