The rise of Shi'ism in contemporary Indonesia : orientation and affiliation

Abstract

This thesis examines the general developments of the Shi'a as a newly emerging religious minority in contemporary Indonesia, focusing on key Shi'i institutions across the country, particularly important pesantren and their relations with local and international institutions. During the1980s, the Shi'a along with other trans-national Islamic groups have taken root in the country, becoming especially active on campuses. This rise of Indonesian Shi'ism was attributable not only to global Islamic revivalism but also, more specifically, to the impact of the 1979 Iranian revolution.

I argue that the Shi'i community in Indonesia is not as monolithic as is often assumed. It is divided on the details of doctrine, international orientation, relations with other sections of the Muslim community, and leadership. This study shows there to be serious fissures within the Shi'i community's elite which have spread downwards into the community, creating sharp internal rivalries.The discord is clearly discernible in the cleavage between what I call the 'campus circle' and the ustadh (Islamic scholars) group. The split was present but not publicly visible during the New Order era but became far more prominent after the student-led reformasi of 1998, which ushered in a democratic system in Indonesia.

This thesis further claims that the split of Shi'i leaders in Indonesia is due to disparities in their sociological background and intellectual formation. In order to analyze the matter, I develop two analytical approaches from Hubert M. Blalock, besides applying the 'minority theory' as an over-arching framework. At the end, it reveals that,on one hand, the 'campus circle', of former campus activists and intellectuals educated in secular universities display an attitude of openness in their leadership and can adapt to local-style structural organization. On the other, the ustadh group, which was trained in Shi'i seminary schools overseas, exhibited conservative social and religious attitudes and behaviour.

In contemporary Indonesia, the minority Shi'i community faces mixed public reactions from other religious groups, ranging from cooperation and tolerance to vilification and occasionally violence. For this reason, this study discusses the reactions from the government, the Council of Indonesian Ulama (MUI) and major Islamic organizations like NU and Muhammadiyah.