Mosques and Imams: Everyday Islam in Eastern Indonesia

Abstract

Islam has long been part of the fabric of life in eastern Indonesia, with the early fifteenth-century Masjid Tua Wapauwe in Northern Maluku arguably the oldest mosque in Indonesia. Mosques and Imams offers a rich introduction to the myriad ways of being Muslim across this diverse archipelago, from Sulawesi to Maluku and Nusa Tenggara Timor, as seen through the role of imams and the institution of the local mosque. The book is unique not only in its geographic coverage, but also in the way it takes as an organizing principle the individuals and institutions that embody Islam in local communities. The contributions in this volume complement and contribute to broader discussions of contemporary issues in Islam and other contemporary religions, including migration, proselytisation, networks, and changing models of religious authority.