When ‘Back to the Qur'an and Hadith’ Is No Longer Enough

Abstract

This chapter explores the application of Wahhabist slogan, ‘back to the Qur'an and the Hadith’, to illustrate that, in practice, this method is a simplification of the reading and interpretation of the two primary sources of Islam, and that it encourages radicalism among middle-class Muslims in Indonesia. The chapter argues that the call to return to the Qur'an and the Hadith is insufficient to promote a deeper understanding of Islamic teaching, with Wahhabists emphasising literal translation of the verses from the Qur'an and the Hadith instead of rich interpretation of them. Many urban Muslims in Indonesia now use this simplistic model in halaqah, majelis ta'lim and public schools. Consequently, they tend to support an intolerant, exclusive and conservative version of Islam. This chapter offers a brief overview of the history of the interpretation of Islam and explores how Indonesian preachers and schools use literal translations of the Qur'an and Hadith in their teaching. It also shows how Qur'anic verses can convey different meanings and how they can be compared to other sources of Islamic literature as a way to better understand them. The chapter concludes that those who teach the Qur'an and Hadith using literal translation methods tend to support exclusivism and radicalism.