Ulama Indonesia Research Articles

Digitization of Religious Tafsir: The Fading of Indonesian Ulama Authority in Post Truth Era

In the current post-truth era, the traditional authority and credibility of Ulama, who have historically been regarded as the paramount source of religious knowledge, are increasingly compromised. This research investigates the diminishing role and efficacy of Indonesian Ulama in addressing religious and social challenges due to the pervasive influence of the Internet and social media, which provide rapid and seemingly authoritative solutions that overshadow traditional scholarly roles. The study employs a mixed-method approach, integrating observations, interviews, and comprehensive library research, incorporating both physical and digital sources. The findings elucidate three critical issues: first, the limited digital literacy among traditional Indonesian Ulama, which impedes their effective engagement with digital platforms; second, a notable gap in the public's comprehension of how to utilize digital media for religious discourse, despite an increasing interest in religious matters; and third, the superficial understanding and heightened biases among the public, stemming from the ease of accessing religious solutions via social media. This study makes a significant contribution to the discourse by underscoring the urgent necessity for Ulama to enhance their digital literacy, thereby reclaiming their authoritative role in the socio-religious landscape and ensuring that their insights remain relevant and accessible in the digital age.

SYARIAH STOCKS: A NORMATIVE ANALYSIS OF ISLAMIC LAW AND INVESTMENT PRACTICES IN INDONESIA

Syariah stocks have recently gained attention in the Islamic community, which relies on Shariah principles to guide investment decisions. Islam emphasizes the importance of profitable investments that benefit all parties involved, while prohibiting investments that involve uncertainty or exploitation. This article provides an overview of the position of stock shares in Islamic law. Using a normative legal research method, this study analyzed the relevant Islamic texts, including the Quran, Hadith, and Fatwas issued by scholars. Syariah stocks are specifically designed to meet the requirements of Islamic law, which emphasizes transparency, fairness, and ethics in financial transactions. The National Sharia Council of the Indonesian Ulama Assembly (DSN MUI) issued a Fatwa No. 80/DSN-MUI/III of 2011, outlining the implementation of Islamic principles in equity securities trading. The Fatwa stipulates that the means of payment must be known in terms of amount and form, whether in the form of money or goods, and that there should be no payment in the form of debt. Additionally, the time and place of delivery must be clearly specified based on the agreement between parties. This type of contract involves multiple parties, including banking institutions, and must be conducted in accordance with Islamic principles. The Fatwa has contributed to clarifying the terms of stock trading under Islamic law, providing a framework for Syariah stocks to operate within the boundaries of Islamic law.

The Attitude of Women on the Manufacturing of the Indonesian Ulama Council of North Sumatra Regarding the Documentary Video of the Polemic of Polygamy in Indonesia: Sharing Heaven on Vice Indonesia's Youtube Channel

This research examines the cognitive, affective and conative responses of women administrators of the North Sumatra Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) to the documentary video "Polygamy Polemic in Indonesia: Sharing Heaven" on the Vice Indonesia YouTube channel. This research involved non-participatory observation and in-depth interviews. There were six research informants and one triangulation informant. The information received resulted in saturated data. The results showed that the informants negotiated the film's content cognitively and affectively. Although they recognize the legal legitimacy of polygamy, they conatively refuse to engage in polygamous marriages. Apart from that, there are concerns among women administrators of the North Sumatra MUI that this broadcast could create negative stereotypes and position polygamy as an ambiguous law in Islam so that its practice is no longer relevant to carry out

The Controversy of Child Marriage Culture in The Perspective of Maqāṣid al-Usrah: A Case Study of The Authority of Lebe' in Brebes

This research is backdroped by the role of Kiais (religious figures) whose opinions regarding the permissibility of child marriage are widely followed by their local community. It aims to investigate the relevance of child marriage law in the Regency of Brebes from the perspective of maqāṣid al-usrah. This research was conducted in Banjarharjo, Pararaja, Banjaran, and Brebes districts of the Regency of Brebes by employing legal anthropology and Ushul al-Fiqh approaches. The theories used in this research are internalization theory and maqāṣid al-usrah. Data were collected through interviews, observations, and document analysis. The practice of child marriage in Brebes society is, in principle, irrelevant to the concept of maqāṣid al-usrah, which was theoretically explained by Jamal al-Din 'Aṭiyyah. This research found that religious understanding that is internalized in the community traditions resulted in a fiqh product entitled Kitāb al-Nikah authored by an Indonesian ulama and the authority of Lebe' which has had a significant influence on the practice of child marriage in Brebes Regency. The practice of child marriage should not only be based on authoritative texts but also requires consideration of 'āqil bāligh as well as consideration of suitability, namely rushd (capability) as well as considering maqāṣid al-usrah, regulating the relationship between men and women (tanẓīm al-'alaqah bayn al-jinsayn), realization of peace, love, and compassion (taḥqīq al-sakn wa al-mawaddah wa al-raḥmah), maintaining religion in the family (hifz al-tadayyun fi al-usrah), regulating the essential aspects of the family (tanẓīm al-jānib al-mu'assasī li al-usrah), and Family Financial Regulation (tanẓīm al-jānib al-māl li al-usrah).

Induction Lactation in Islamic Law Studies and Indonesian Positive Law

This study aims to examine the legal status of the practice of induced lactation using synthetic hormone injections under Islamic law and Indonesian positive law, as well as its impact on the status of the nursing child and mahram relationships. This is a literature study that analyzes texts from Indonesian positive law, the perspectives of the four Islamic schools of thought, fatwas from the Indonesian Ulama Council on radha'ah , and other supporting articles. The focus is on elucidating legal values and norms, as well as supporting arguments, using a comparative method between Islamic and Indonesian positive law. The library data are analyzed comparatively using a juridical-normative approach to illustrate the legislative scope of both legal systems and highlight aspects that remain contentious. Findings indicate that the practice of induced lactation with synthetic hormone injections is permissible in both Islamic and Indonesian positive law, provided that the substances used are free from haram elements and do not pose health risks to the woman or the child. However, according to the four Islamic schools of thought, the status of the nursing child is still determined by the origin of the milk production, not by the use of synthetic hormones.

TAFSĪR AL-KHATĪB AL-MAKKĪ

This research examines the characteristics of Tafsir al-Khatīb al-Makkī; Tafsir Juz Tabārak by Sayyid 'Abd al-Hamīd ibn Ahmad al-Khatīb. The writing of the title of this commentary is attributed to the name of his father, namely Shaykh Ahmad Khatib al-Minangkabawi, even though it was his son who wrote it. He was a scholar of Indonesian descent who was born, had a career and died in Arabia. Traces of his work and intellect, which are still little explored, are a contribution to completing the treasures of works by Indonesian ulama. Using library research and descriptive analysis, this article examines and analyzes the background to the preparation of the interpretation, methodology, and the advantages and disadvantages of the interpretation. The results of this research found that the preparation of this interpretation was motivated by the attitude of people who had ignored the benefits of the Al-Qur'an to the point that they had become backward among other nations. The interpretations that emerged did not accommodate the fast-paced conditions of the times. The ulama did not try to spread the message of Islam through the Qur’an in language that was simple and easy for everyone to understand. The preaching scholars are only concerned with fiqh issues. After long reflection on the religious spirit of Islam and the Muslim community, he wrote a comprehensive commentary entitled Tafsīr Al-Khatīb al-Makki. From the aspect of Tafsir sources, this book is classified as a Tafsir bi al-ma'sūr. The method used is the tahlilī method and the style used is adabi ijtimā'i and the systematics of writing Tafsir Juz Tabārak is tartib mushafi.

ISLAMIC MORAL IDEAS AND POLITICS: ULAMA ACTIVIST HADRATUS SHEIKH HASYIM ASY'ARI AND SHEIKH NAWAWI AL BANTANI

The article aims to provide an overview of the fundamental ideas in Indonesian national political settings, as well as their significance in solidifying the four pillars of Indonesian identity. Based on a library study of the works of two great Indonesian Ulama, Sheikh Nawawi al-Bantani and Sheikh Hasyim Asy'ari, which were later analyzed using the content analysis method, the results revealed that the theological principles of the masters' actions in both the Qur'an and the hadith remained the basis of obedience, unity, brotherhood, and solidarity. Sheikh Nawawi al-Bantani generally supports components of national commitment, conservation, and natural resource management in the political Islamic framework, and he does not oppose the concept of truth. While Sheikh Hasyim Asy'ari emphasized characteristics of government management such as leadership maturity, unity, and brotherhood, which resulted in the formation of the four national pillars as a consensus among the nation's citizens.

Islamic Law and Environment Issues: Indonesian Ulama Council’s Fatwas on Climate Change

Climate change is critical as it impacts people’s lives on the globe. With the value of raḥmatan li al-’ālamīn, Muslims can contribute to the issue, one of which is by the issuance of fatwa. It is an opinion expressed by Islamic jurists regarding the legal position of a new societal issue when there is no explicit legal provision. Although non-binding, fatwas are essential guidelines for Muslims. In the context of climate change, fatwas can represent the moral position of Indonesian Muslims towards contemporary global issues. The study indicates that MUI has been progressive in responding to climate change through fatwas. These fatwas can be classified as having direct and indirect effects and conceptually related to climate change. However, fatwas that directly address climate change as a central issue are still lacking in MUI’s fatwas. Abstrak: Perubahan iklim sangatlah penting untuk dikaji karena hal itu berdampak pada kehidupan manusia di dunia. Dengan nilai raḥmatan li al-’ālamīn, umat Islam dapat berkontribusi dalam permasalahan tersebut yang di antaranya dengan dengan mengeluarkan fatwa. Fatwa merupakan pendapat yang dikemukakan oleh para ahli hukum Islam mengenai kedudukan hukum suatu persoalan masyarakat yang baru apabila tidak ada ketentuan hukum yang tegas. Meski tidak mengikat, fatwa merupakan pedoman penting bagi umat Islam. Dalam konteks perubahan iklim, fatwa dapat mewakili posisi moral umat Islam Indonesia terhadap isu-isu global kontemporer. Kajian ini menunjukkan bahwa Majelis Ulama Indoesia (MUI) telah bersikap progresif dalam menyikapi permasalahan ini melalui fatwa. Fatwa-fatwa tersebut dapat diklasifikasikan menjadi fatwa yang berdampak langsung dan tidak langsung secara konseptual yang terkait dengan perubahan iklim. Namun, fatwa yang secara langsung membahas perubahan iklim sebagai isu sentral masih belum ada dalam fatwa MUI.

Minimizing the Scarcity of Ulama in The Disruption Era: Existence and Strategy of Islamic Higher Education Institutions in Preparing Ulama

The scarcity of ulama is a major concern in Islamic education because the higher education system is no longer considered adequate to produce graduates with a deep understanding of religion according to the demands of the times. This research aims to analyze the ulama regeneration program in Medan, focusing on the existence, materials, learning strategies, and obstacles faced. This research was conducted at the Higher Education for the Cadre of Ulama of the Indonesian Ulama Council of North Sumatra and Al-Washliyah University. The research method used is qualitative with a phenomenological approach. Data analysis uses Miles and Huberman techniques supported by Atlas Ti software. The results revealed that in Islamic higher institutions in Medan City there are two ulama regeneration institutions, namely under the auspices of the Indonesian Ulama Council of North Sumatra which has been established since 2006 and under the auspices of Al-Washliyah University which was established in 2022. The dominant regeneration material is Islamic science based on classical Islamic books (turast). The dominant learning strategy is completing the book, supported by research and community service activities. In the implementation, there are internal constraints in the form of student input, budget limitations and external constraints are the misalignment of internal and government curricula. This research has implications for practical recommendations for Islamic higher education institutions to strengthen their capacity to produce competent scholars

Methodological Procedure for Determining the Fatwa of the National Sharia Council (DSN) Indonesian Ulama Majelis (MUI) Concerning Islamic Economics and Finance

<p><em>Religious fatwas related to sharia economics and finance have great urgency and benefits for sharia economic and financial actors. The Qur'an and Hadith require detailed and analytical interpretation to explain the problems that arise, especially regarding zanni propositions. Fatwas issued by Islamic religious experts play an important role in responding to contemporary problems in accordance with social, scientific and technological developments. This research uses a normative legal approach with library research methods. This approach includes a study of the DSN-MUI Manhaj al-Ifta procedures and Manhaj al-Ifta which are the basis for determining fatwas related to sharia economic and financial issues. The DSN-MUI fatwa must comply with correct procedures and methodology (Al-Manhaj), avoid excessive (Ifrathi) and reckless (Tafrithi), and follow two main approaches: gradual (Tadriji) and voluntary (Tathawwu'i), and use a fiqh that provides solutions (Makharij Al-Fiqhiyyah). The principles of Manhaj Al-Ifta DSN-MUI include Taysir Al-Manhaj, Tafriq Al-Halal 'an Al-Haram, I'adat Al-Nazhar, and Tahqiq Al-Manath. Taysir Al-Manhaj emphasizes ease within the limits of legal rules, while Tafriq Al-Halal 'an Al-Haram separates the halal from the haram. I'adat Al-Nazhar revises the views of previous scholars which are no longer relevant, and Tahqiq Al-Manath emphasizes the analysis of the causes ('Illah) of law in a changing context. The DSN-MUI fatwa was made through Ijtihad Jama'i which involved various ulama and experts from various fields to ensure the honesty and truth of the fatwa. In this way, the DSN-MUI fatwa can meet the needs of sharia economic actors, provide solutions, and remain based on strong sharia.</em></p>

Ulama in Indonesia's Political Contestation: The Indonesian Ulama Council's Election Posts on Instagram

Ulama in Indonesia's Political Contestation: The Indonesian Ulama Council's Election Posts on Instagram

Consistency of the Indonesian Ulama Council in Using Istiṣlāḥ as a Method for Legal Istinbath

Consistency of the Indonesian Ulama Council in Using Istiṣlāḥ as a Method for Legal Istinbath

EMPOWERMENT STRATEGIES FOR THE COMMUNITY’S ECONOMY THROUGH THE CENTER OF SHARIA BUSINESS INCUBATION (PINBAS) OF INDONESIAN ULAMA COUNCIL NORTH SUMATERA IN ALLEVIATING POVERTY

The Center of Sharia Business Incubation (PINBAS) of the Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) plays a significant role in developing and promoting businesses that comply with Sharia economic principles to promote the community’s self-sufficiency in alleviating poverty. Yet, the effective strategies for empowering the people's economy are still far from MUI's expectations. The community’s economic empowerment requires more creative efforts and smart work to reveal an adequate solution. The research aims to analyze strategies for community economic empowerment employed by PINBAS of MUI North Sumatera chapter in alleviating poverty. The SWOT analysis and QSPM are applied as research methods. The number of respondents was 6 people and 5 people, respectively. Respondents were appointed based on their understanding of economic empowerment among academics and practitioners. The results obtained from the SWOT analysis recommend the alteration of strategies in quadrant III, 1) So far, the strategies that have been carried out are designated to increase public knowledge and awareness, partnerships with sharia financial institutions, collaboration and innovation, and research. 2) Factors of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, namely creating cooperation programs with other parties, Helping to run government programs to assist in the form of capital training and appropriate human resources, Creating new markets, Maximizing support, Providing promising good results and Providing training programs to the community 3) Urgency of Handling future Internal and External Factors by providing promising results so that they understand sharia business principles in detail, Collaborating with various parties, Overcoming limited available resources, Providing training programs to the community by documenting and sharing them with mass media. 4) The main priority strategy that needs to be implemented is to provide training programs to the community by documenting and sharing them with the mass media so that common people will be aware of the existence of these programs and more people will taking part in the programs. 5) Economic empowerment model community activities carried out by PINBAS in overcoming poverty, namely entrepreneurship/mapping data, creativity patterns (business/figure inspiration), and nurturing togetherness.

Sharia Yes, Sharia State No: Negosiasi dan Akomodasi Syari’ah di Indonesia

Syafiq Hasyim. 2023. Shariatization of Indonesia, the Politics of the Council of Indonesian Ulama (Majelis Ulama Indonesia, MUI). Leiden: Brill. Wael Hallaq. 2013. The Impossible State, Islam, Politics, and Modernity's Moral Predicament. New York: Columbia University Press. The two works discussed in this book review examine how Sharia norms are negotiated and accommodated in modern nation-states. This process is inevitable as Muslims are confronted with the persistence of the nation-state and the theological obligation to apply Sharia norms in their lives. Although Hallaq's work is very pessimistic in saying that paradigmatically the two systems are impossible to reconcile, his work can serve as an important background for understanding Hasyim's work which discusses in detail how Sharia is accommodated in the legal order and public life in Indonesia, highlighting the role of the MUI as the main institution of this accommodation process. Hasyim's work tries to answer three important questions: how and in what way MUI plays a role in the process of sharization; what its implications in law and public life in Indonesia are and how the process came about; and how the state and society respond to this sharization.

Strategi Humas Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Produk Halal dalam Membentuk Brand Awareness

The transition from MUI (Indonesian Ulama Council) to the Halal Product Guarantee Agency (BPJPH) in halal certification occurred due to amendments to regulations in Indonesia which are regulated in the Halal Product Guarantee (JPH) Law No. 33 of 2014. Therefore, it is very important to develop an effective strategy to increase BPJPH brand awareness, with the intention that BPJPH's existence will receive wide recognition in Indonesian society. This research uses the PR Mix theory proposed by Thomas L. Harris, using a qualitative method with a descriptive approach. The main objective is to find out how the Public Relations strategy used in building Brand Awareness of the Halal Product Guarantee Agency (BPJPH), in East Jakarta. The research findings reveal that BPJPH Public Relations implements a strategy based on Thomas L. Harris' public relations mix theory, which emphasizes the P.E.N.C.I.L.S. components: Publication, Event, News, Community Involvement, Information or Image, Lobbying and Negotiation, and Social Responsibility, all of which contribute significantly to the formation of Brand Awareness

Optimising social evolution through creating welfare and product innovation of Micro Waqf Bank in Indonesia

Micro Waqf Banks are a form of innovation of Islamic social and financial institutions by the government to provide access to business expansion and the welfare of the productive poor around Islamic boarding schools. Optimising product innovation for Micro Waqf Bank customers requires changes in micro-business actors to improve their welfare sustainably. This study analyses the product innovation of Micro Waqf Bank customers with a social evolution model approach. The qualitative method used a grounded theory approach. They collect data through observations, interviews, documentation, and literature studies—design thinking analysis with triangulation techniques. The results found that the welfare of Micro Waqf Bank customers was created for the community around Islamic boarding schools by optimising product innovation through the involvement of the Indonesian Ulama Council and government participation in product certification bodies. The study uses a design thinking approach for formulating solutions to increase Micro Waqf Bank customers' product innovation in creating their welfare by Micro Waqf Bank optimising halal labelling, intellectual property rights-protected brands, attractive packaging, and product consumption feasibility. The social evolution model's research implication is recommendations for optimising innovative products and creating welfare.

Transactions of Cryptocurrency in the Perspective of Islamic Finance and Economics

Cryptocurrency is a growing fintech trend frequently encountered in various moderneconomic activities. Therefore, this research aimed to provide knowledge and understanding of cryptocurrency, particularly from the perspective of Islamic finance and economics using secondary data obtained from literature. As a digital financial transaction system, cryptocurrency fundamentally uses relatively new technology. However, the legal nature still needs further examination without constituting a form of violation. In Indonesia, the government has yet to adopt a definitive stance on the presence of cryptocurrency, thereby permitting its usage. The results showed that cryptocurrency investment includes substantially greater risk compared to others due to the inherent challenge of predicting the value. From the perspective of Islamic finance and economics, the transactions are considered to lack clarity in terms of quality and quantity, containing elements of uncertainty (gharar). Moreover, the concept of Bitcoin as a transaction tool is forbidden (haram) by the Indonesian Ulama Council since the project contains uncertainty and does not comply with the existing regulations. The implications of the research emphasize the necessity ofavoiding dubious activities, such as cryptocurrency, as well as transactions leading to higher harm (madharat) compared to benefits, particularly from the perspective of Islamic finance and economics.

TRANSFORMATION OF INDEPENDENT ISLAMIC EDUCATION SYSTEM IN THE MINORITY MUSLIM ENVIRONMENT OF DENPASAR, BALI

This research aims to analyze the implementation of the Islamic education system in public schools, specifically in public high schools and vocational schools (SMA/SMK Negeri) in Denpasar, Bali. Considering that Hindu communities predominantly inhabit Bali, it is essential to delve deeper into how the Islamic education system operates in educational institutions controlled by the Hindu community, namely SMA/SMK Negeri. The research is field research with a qualitative approach, focusing on Muslim teachers and students as the subjects. The findings of this research indicate that the Islamic education system, initially conducting traditional classroom learning activities, transformed response to the challenging conditions. This transformation involved strengthening the Islamic Education (PAI) curriculum by reinforcing faith, religious values, and religious practices. Furthermore, the transformation expanded various learning activities, spiritual practices, and other religious activities through intra and extracurricular organizations. As a result, the Islamic education system enhanced its image positively regarding extrinsic elements, including the school community and the wider society. This transformation also contributed to notable achievements, exemplified by the school's participation and success in the Halal Olympics organized by the Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI).

A Critical Review of the Indonesian Council of Ulama (MUI) Fatwa Towards Increasing Sharia Financial Literacy (Systematic Literature Review)

This research aims to conduct a critical review of the improvement of Islamic financial literacy based on the Fatwa of the Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI). The main issues reviewed are the controversies surrounding Islamic economics and the importance of financial literacy in the context of sharia. The research method used is Systematic Literature Review (SLR) using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) framework to guide the research process. The results of this study indicate that Islamic financial literacy has a very important role in understanding and managing finances wisely in the context of sharia. The data synthesis result of this study shows that the Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) Fatwa contributes indirectly to the improvement of Islamic financial literacy in Indonesia. MUI Fatwa is used as one of the main indicators in explaining Islamic financial literacy through financial institutions.

Representation of the Identity of the Indonesian Ulama Council in Fatwa Regarding Religious Blasphemy in the Case of Basuki Tjahaja Cahaya Purnama (Ahok)

MUI's fatwa in the case of blasphemy and insulting clerics by Ahok is a complex event. It not only signifies the rise of political Islam in the arena of contestation but also symbolizes the presence of identity representation. MUI through its fatwa seems to confirm the presence of sectarian identity based on religion. This refers to Johnson's concept that the media text leads to something behind it. By analyzing the fatwa, it becomes clear that through its text, MUI not only shows itself as an affirmation of Islamic identity as the dominant but also as a binary differentiator in the cultural representation of Indonesian society in various other dimensions. By using a text analysis approach and also a literature study, the author concluded that MUI has opened political identity in the electoral arena. The issuance of MUI fatwa text in Ahok's case has opened a new level of cultural representation dynamics, through religious identity that goes hand in hand with electoral contestation.