Tashwirul Afkar

Urban Sufism in West Java: Reclaiming Spiritual Identity through Qadiriyya-Naqshbandiyya Practices in the Digital Era

2025-06-04T13:25:38+00:00

This study aims to analyse the engagement of urban Muslim youth in the practices of the Qadiriyya-Naqshbandiyya Sufi order as a spiritual response to identity crises, cultural dislocation, and the pressures of contemporary digital life. The primary focus is directed towards exploring the contribution of collective Sufi practices-such as dhikr, suluk (spiritual retreat), and classical Islamic text study-to spiritual restoration and the reconstruction of religious identity in urban areas of West Java. A qualitative approach was employed, with data collected through in-depth interviews, participatory observation, and thematic analysis of the empirical experiences of Sufi community members. Three key findings were identified: (1) traditional spirituality contributes to strengthening psychological resilience and deepening the search for existential meaning; (2) the Sufi order functions as an inclusive and emotionally supportive social space that reinforces collective identity across social classes; and (3) Sufi practices demonstrate a symbolic resistance to ideological purification through reflective, affective, and locally grounded approaches. The findings indicate that Sufi communities possess the potential to act as cultural and spiritual agents in shaping a moderate religious habitus among youth. The originality of this research lies in its integration of tradition, technology, and transcendence in explaining the dynamics of Muslim youth religiosity in the postmodern era, as well as its contribution to offering a new conceptual framework in the study of urban Sufism and the formation of religious identity.

Contesting Sunni Orthodoxy: Wahhabism in the Chechen Conference and the Thought of Hasyim Asyari

2025-03-19T04:42:57+00:00

This study aims to comparatively analyse two contrasting constructions of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāah (ASWAJA) orthodoxy: the global definition advanced by the 2016 Chechen Conference and the traditional-local thought of KH. Hasyim Asyari in Indonesia. The significance of this research lies in its urgency to understand how Sunni orthodoxy is constructed and maintained amid tensions between global discourse and local religious authority. Employing a qualitative approach and content analysis method, the study focuses on two primary texts-the official Chechen Conference statement and Hasyim Asyaris Risālah Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāah-supported by secondary literature and contextual analysis. The findings reveal that the Chechen definition of ASWAJA is rigid and exclusive, explicitly excluding Wahhabi and Salafi-Takfiri groups, while Hasyim Asyari offers a contextualised and adaptive orthodoxy grounded in sanad, ijmāʿ, and local religious practices that are ethical and moderate. The implications of these findings underscore the need to consider historical, social, and epistemological dimensions in formulating Sunni orthodoxy, and highlight the importance of adopting a more inclusive approach to preserve Muslim unity in the face of ideological fragmentation. This study offers an original contribution by juxtaposing two paradigms that are rarely compared systematically, opening new avenues for research on orthodoxy, religious authority, and the glocalisation of Islam in Indonesia.

Islamic Tradition and Digital Resistance: Constructing Moderate Religious Habitus in Indonesian Pesantren Salaf

2025-05-09T00:54:07+00:00

This study aims to explore how traditional religious practices collectively performed in pesantren Salaf contribute to shaping moderate religious conduct within the Nahdliyin community. Employing a qualitative approach, data were collected through participatory observation, in-depth interviews, and visual documentation in pesantren across Bandung, Purwakarta, and Bekasi, and were subsequently analysed thematically. The main findings reveal that practices such as tahlilan, maulid celebrations, grave visitation (ziarah kubur), and classical Islamic book recitations (pengajian kitab kuning) serve not only as ritual expressions but also as mechanisms for the internalisation of spiritual and social values. These values, in turn, construct an inclusive, civilised, and contextual religious habitus. The pesantren also demonstrate adaptive resistance to puritan digital preaching trends by developing content rooted in sanad (religious authority chains) and media literacy grounded in traditional teachings. The implications of this research underscore the significance of preserving religious traditions as a strategy for character education and culturally-based religious deradicalisation. The study’s original contribution lies in its integration of religious tradition, the theory of religious habitus, and digital responses of pesantren as mediating actors within the contemporary Islamic landscape in Indonesia.

Rethinking Tawhid and Tolerance: A Theological Study of Fethullah Gülen in the Context of Plural Societies

2025-03-19T04:36:48+00:00

This study aims to reconstruct the concept of tawhid in the thought of Fethullah Gülen as a theological foundation for active tolerance in plural societies. The research is motivated by the rising tide of religion-based intolerance across various countries, including Indonesia, highlighting the need for an inclusive and transformative Islamic theology. The method employed is qualitative literature research with thematic analysis of Gülen’s key works, alongside scholarly literature on the twin tolerations theory and active tolerance. The main findings indicate that Gülen interprets tawhid relationally-that is, as an ethical principle linking spiritual connection with God to social responsibility towards fellow human beings. The concepts of love (mahabbah) and freedom of belief in Gülen’s thought are not only of spiritual value but also serve as the foundation for social praxis through education, interfaith dialogue, and cross-cultural service within the Hizmet Movement. The study concludes that Gülen’s thought constitutes a framework of Islamic public theology compatible with democracy and multiculturalism. The study’s original contribution lies in integrating a Sufi theological framework with modern political theories of tolerance, and in presenting a model of participatory Islamic theology applicable to inclusive social and educational policy.

Ritual, Resistance, and Rights: The Balia Healing Practice and Indigenous Policy Challenges in Palu, Indonesia

2025-03-19T04:38:45+00:00

Colonialism has caused environmental and social changes that harm indigenous peoples' quality of life, traditional knowledge, and health. Regional policies govern Indonesian traditional knowledge protection. This study examines how acknowledging and maintaining traditional knowledge affects indigenous populations' well-being, concentrating on the Balia ritual in Central Sulawesi's Kaili indigenous community.The Kaili people, a nomadic agricultural group, have been marginalized and discriminated against by society and government. Historical legacy of the Kaili people includes the Balia ceremony, a traditional health and healing expertise. The practice fosters goodwill between the Kaili and Bugis and helps sick people recover. As a medicinal method, agricultural, and social activity, the Balia ceremony is part of Kaili culture. The Kaili believe that ceremonies involving supernatural nature affect soil fertility, weather, and pest control in agriculture. Traditional knowledge recognition and protection have proceeded slowly and inconsistently. Balia rites, a Kaili tradition, are becoming more popular due to their nomadic lifestyle and Gaia religion. After harvesting, the Kaili move to let the region regrow. Due to their link to the deity and trust in supernatural forces, Balia rituals are authentic despite cultural acculturation and a flourishing religion. Musical instruments and poetry phrases are used in illness rituals. The Kaili resist changing the practice and maintain public acceptability. Balia rites were questioned after the 2018 Palu, Sigi, and Donggala disasters, yet they continue to follow their ancestral beliefs. To defend indigenous people's human rights, further research is needed on the Kaili people's traditional health and healing expertise.

Lakon Wayang; Simbol Islami dalam Jamus Layangkalimahsada

2024-07-02T08:21:38+00:00

Wayang Golek adalah salah satu budaya masyarakat Sunda yang diadopsi dari kisah Mahabarata dan Ramayana dari India. Wayang Golek Sunda lahir dari proses panjang perjalanan dakwah Sunan Kalijaga yang menyebarkan Islam melalui budaya. Pagelaran Wayang Golek yang dituturkan oleh para dalang yangan memberi hiburan tontotan dan tuntunan masyarakat. Lakon yang sangat mebekas dan diminati oleh penggemar wayang adalah Lakon Jamus Layangkalimahsahda yang sangat fenomenal orang yang memiliki Jimus Layang Kalimahsahda akan menjadi sakti tidak terkalahkan. Inilah Paparan penulisan dalam tulisan ini dipadukan dengan narasi kebudayaan dengan telaah Kritis Ajaran Ketauhidan Habluminallah proses komunikasi horizontal Manusia dengan Tuhan. Metode yang digunakaan adalah kajian pustaka, observasi dan wawancara. Simpulan awal menggambarkan bagaimana wayang golek sunda sebagai ritual budaya bisa menuntun masyarakat dengan ajaran tauhid dan filsafat hidup di dunia.