The Trajectory of the Discourse of Jihad In Indonesia

Taufiqur Rahman

doi:10.18784/analisa.v1i2.296

Abstract

The term jihad is central in the development of Islamic identity and the political usage. The term has created many competing identities within Muslim communities especially in Indonesia, a country with the biggest Muslim population in the world. This article provides a historical analysis of the representation of the term jihad in the writing of Muslim scholars and organizations in Indonesia from the early arrival of Islam to the contemporary debate in the context of democratic transition after the collapse of Soeharto’s authoritarian regime. This article employs discourse analytical tools to look at various interpretations of the concept of jihad in the global context and particularly in the Indonesian context, and how these global and local interpretations are interconnected. The article argues that the doctrine of jihad in the history of Islam has developed into a contested doctrine over a long period of time. The article suggests that there is a long history of substantial minorities promoting militaristic jihad in Indonesia against ‘enemies’ of Islam which are defined variously from colonial state to the Indonesian government. The promotion of militaristic jihad was undermined by the consensus of mainstream moderate and peaceful Islam developed in the middle to late years of the New Order regime. However, the promotion of militaristic jihad reappeared after the fall of the New Order authoritarian regime and was further reinforced by transnational influences.

Highlights

FROM THE EDITORIAL BOARDSAnalisa Journal of Social Science and Religion is successfully launched for the volume 1 number 2, July - December, 2016
The non-violent interpretation of jihad has been promoted by moderate Muslim scholars to justify less antagonistic attitude towards colonial rulers during the colonial period and maintaining a peaceful relationship with un-Islamic authorities and non-Muslims in general
A similar pattern to the global trajectory of the interpretation of jihad can be found in Indonesia

Summary

INTRODUCTION

This article looks at various interpretations of jihad, globally and in Indonesia, in the historical context from the early arrival of Islam in Indonesia until the first decade of the 21st century. I start the article by outlining interpretations of the Qur’anic meaning of jihad, reviewing several works on the politicization of jihad in the global context, followed by investigating the historical trajectory of the discourse of jihad in Indonesia. The term ‘media’ here refers to any instrument that is capable of communicating information, facts, opinion and ideas which can reach a wider audience than interpersonal communication It includes a wide variety of platforms such as, but not limited to, newspapers, magazines, books, television, radio, videocassettes, DVDs, video games, cinema and the internet (Errington and Miragliotta, 2007). These media have been extensively used intentionally or unintentionally in the articulation and the reproduction of competing identities producing domination, conflict, competition, resistance and opposition (van Dijk, 1998)

RESEARCH METHOD

RESULT

Conclusion

11. References

Findings

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