Portrait of Indonesian Religious Communities Attitudes toward the Government Policies Restriction on Congregational Worshipping

Abstract

<p>Many offenses have been perpetrated by Indonesian religious communities toward the government’s policies on the restriction of congregational worshipping during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, scant studies investigating those negative attitudes using a qualitative approach. In order to fill the gap, this paper reports on the religious attitudes of Muslims who are considered to violate the restriction policy on religious activities ordered by the Indonesian government. The involved participants were policymakers, mosque caretakers, and the three largest Muslim social groups, including Muhammadiyah, Nahdlatul Ulema (NU), and traditionalists. The results of this study revealed discrepancies in how Muslims' polarized religious attitudes are constructed. These communities have different patterns of thought and diversity in terms of perceiving the government’s policies.  This study suggests that there is a critical role for Islamic scholars in educating Muslims about the dangers and possible consequences of COVID-19. In other words, following government policies while partaking in congregational worship can be interpreted as a manifestation of social piety, spiritual activity, and religious faith.</p>