CHALLENGING RELIGIOUS AUTHORITY: THE EMERGENCE OF SALAFI USTADHS IN INDONESIA

This item is published by Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Ampel Surabaya

Wahid, Din (2012) CHALLENGING RELIGIOUS AUTHORITY: THE EMERGENCE OF SALAFI USTADHS IN INDONESIA. In: Conference Proceedings: Annual International Conference on Islamic Studies (AICIS) XII, 5 – 8 November 2012, Surabaya – Indonesia.

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Abstract

As charismatic leaders, the role of religious leaders (kyai, ‘ulama, and muballigh) in Muslim community is central. Their charisma stems from their deep knowledge of religion and good conduct. Consequently, they are the persons whom the people obey, listen to their advice, and imitate their conduct. Although their expertise is religion, their role in community expands beyond this expertise. People usually come to them for a number of purposes, ranging from family matters to social ones, from business affairs to politics. The government also benefits from them by asking their support for the government’s program. Their support takes several forms, such as issuing the fatwa and direct involvement in the program. On the other hand, the kyais and ‘ulama also benefit from the government. They receive large amount of money from the government to support their activities, such as the development of their madrasahs and pesantrens. Since the last decade of the twentieth century, Indonesia has witnessed the emergence of Salafi movement. Supported by the same global movement, this movement has produced Salafi leaders, well-known as ustāḍs. They graduated from the Salafi education institutions in Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Some of them are alumni of the Saudi-sponsored higher education, LIPIA (Institute of Islamic and Arabic Studies) in Jakarta. In addition to the r activities in teaching the students in their pesantrens, these ustāds actively hold religious teaching in public mosques, offices, or private houses. Their religious gatherings have attracted the following, and thus they become new religious leaders, religious elite, who challenge the existing religious authorities: kyais, ‘ulama, and religious leaders of mass organizations. The challenge of this group has been consciously sensed by the leaders of mass Muslim organizations, because of the conversion of some of their activists. Community responses to Salafi movement differ, ranging from verbal to violent action. This article discusses how this new religious elite emerges and challenges the existing religious leaders.