Review: ILUSI NEGARA ISLAM–Ekspansi Gerakan Islam Transnasional di Indonesia

Review:

The book is claimed as findings of two year research in Indonesia. It explores the origins, ideology, funding, agenda of transnational Islamic movements in Indonesia. It explains how the radical Islam, particularly  Islamic party PKS/ Partai Keadilan Sejahtera and Hizbut Tahrir infiltrate into two major Muslim organizations, namelyMuhammadiyah and NU/ Nahdhatul Ulama  in Indonesia and the responses of the later two organizations.

The book also addresses the phenomena of Shariah in the regions. According to the book, the syariah bylaws (Perda Syari’ah)  in many provinces, regions, districts and villages in Indonesia are the expression of Islamic radicalism. The syariah bylaws as the agenda proposed and supported by Muslim fundamentalists to impose their beliefs over others, particularly over Muslims who disagree with them and non-Muslims.

The book argues that Islam promotes pluralism, peace, freedom and non-violence. The syariah bylaws are incompatible with the principle of secular nature of Indonesian state ideology (Pancasila) and pluralism. Within plural and democratic society no particular religious values may be imposed over others who do not believe.

For comparison on the link between radical Islam and Shariah in the regions, it is worth to mention the research by  Sunyoto Usman, a former dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Politics in Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta. As reported by Agung (2007), the opinion that syariah bylaws are the expression of radicalism and intolerant traditions was reputed by Sunyoto Usman. In his research in the city of Banjarmasin in the province of South Kalimantan and Tangerang in the province of Banten in Java, he found syariah bylaws in the regions were moderate and limited to moralization of social behaviour. No evidence showed that only the Islamic parties and radical groups endorsed the bylaws. The support also came from national secular parties. According to Sunyoto Usman, the adoption of syariah bylaws nothing to do with radicalism, in fact it is part of political strategies used by the local politicians to gain political support. The position of radical groups is only instrumental in the two regions.

Book Details:

The book:  Ilusi Negara Islam: Ekspansi Gerakan Islam Transnasional di Indonesia­, (The Illusion of an Islamic State: the Expansion of Transnational Islamic Movements in Indonesia)

Year: April, 2009

Publisher: PT Desantara Utama Media in cooperation with the LibForAll Foundation in the USA, the Wahid Institute, Gerakan Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, and The Maarif Institute.

For more information on the launcing see: http://www.indonesiamatters.com/5453/ilusi-negara-islam/). To download the book, visit: http://www.bhinnekatunggalika.org/galeri.html