Contesting models of Islamic governance in Malaysia and Indonesia

Abstract

This article suggests that there is much to be learnt from studying Islam in Malaysia and Indonesia comparatively to trace their emerging similarities. Various models of an Islamic state, be it by directly involving the shariah as the only source of reference, as it is proposed Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), or by gradually Islamizing the society (shariah haraki), a model that has been applied with considerable success by both ABIM and the Mahathir administration and receives backing from Islamic mass organizations such as the NU and Muhammadiyah. This suggests that there is a gradual transformation of the Wahhabi‐inspired dakwah‐Islam of the late 1970s into new discourses of Islamic civil society undertaken by the emerging middle classes of both countries. However, Wahhabi‐Islam is nevertheless still important and its impact on the future shape of political Islam in the region cannot be underestimated, especially since dakwah‐organizations link up internationally and continue to be generously sponsored by Saudi Arabia.