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From the number of religions alone, we can see how diverse Indonesia is. Geographically, Indonesia consists thousand Islands (17,000 islands) with various ethnic groups (525 ethnic- groups and tribes), numbers of religious streams as well as traditional beliefs and religions outside the ‘official’ six religions, also various culture and social backgrounds of Indonesian people are basically very heterogeneous.
Considering the fact that Indonesia is a heterogeneous, multi-cultural and multi-religion country, the old slogan “Bhinneka Tunggal Ika” or translated as “Unity in Diversity” is really portraying the reality in Indonesia. It is also becoming a slogan that drive the sense of nationalism that put the high respect to diversity in this country.
Islam, although majority in number, is living and growing under the circumstance of diversity. Islam itself is not homogeneous let alone bearing a single construe. Islam itself has nature of diversity—of its streams, school of thoughts or mazhab, and textual interpretations or tafsir.
Islam was formally arrived in Indonesia since 12th and 13th century. Some historical written evidences had witnessed that Islam in Indonesia was brought from Gujarat, India or known as Gujarat Theory (Pijnappel Leiden University). This thesis was supported by an orientalist, Snouck Hurgronje that found the oldest inscription about Islam in Sumatra that showing the strong connections between Sumatera and Gujarat.
Another theory of Islamic arrival in Indonesia stated that Islam had even arrived in Indonesia in longer period before 12th century which is 5th century brought directly by the Arabic traders and sojourners. It can be seen from the Islamic residential areas that found in Baros and it indicated was built since year 674.
Different theory predicted that Islam was brought from Persian (now Iran), as it found that Assyura remembrance that give respect to the death of Hassan Husain in the battle of Karbala, the similarity between Iranian sufi teaching Al Hallaj with Syech Siti Djenar, the naming of Pasai in Samudra Pasai that predicted originated from the name ‘Persian’.
Despite proofing which one is close to the truth, the difference historical interpretations and findings about the arrival of Islam in Indonesia has reflected the nature of diversity of Islam in Indonesia.
Islam in Java
The spreading of Islam in Java is inseparable from da’wah of Wali Songo. Terminology of ‘wali’ has meaning guardian, custodian or representative, and ‘songo’ in Javanese language means nine. Wali songo are;
1. Sunan Gresik or Maulana Malik Ibrahim coming from Gresik in East Java
2. Sunan Ampel or Raden Rahmad from Surabaya in East Java
3. Sunan Giri or Raden Paku, he spread Islam not just in Java but far away to
Maluku/mollucas island
4. Sunan Bondang or Raden Makdim Ibrahim who did da’wah using the medium of
gamelan
5. Sunan Drajat or Raden Kasim who was well known as a helper of ill people and
orphanages
6. Sunan Kalijaga or Raden Mas Sahid who did da’wah through wayang (shadow pupper
theater) and songs
7. Sunan Muria or Raden Umar Said who supported the establishment of Demak
Islamic Kingdom
8. Sunan Gunung Jati or Syarif Hidayatullah who supported the establishment of
Cirebon and Banten Sultanate
9. Sunan Kudus of Jaffar Shadiq who did da’wah by using the Hinduism and Buddishm
symbols. He came from Jerussalem (al Quds) and the name of Kudus were originated from the name ‘Quds’
To highlight the importance and the uniqueness of the wali songo’s da’wah were the ability to blend with local culture. It made da’wah went smoothly and accepted by society without any notable conflicts among society.
Javanese society has nature of its strong roots of culture, particularly in its values, its way of life and manners (unggah ungguh), both tangible and intangible culture. Javanese enjoys living with harmony; harmony with self, harmony with nature and other creatures, and harmony with transcendental power or God.
Detachment to the harmony way of living will lead to a chaotic life. Therefore, some rituals will be held to return to harmonic situation. Some rituals, such as selametan aimed at maintaining safety and security in life and to keep the live always in good fortune. Other ritual, Ruwatan is held as a ritual to avoid disaster and misfortune in life.
The da’wah spreaded by wali songo was not resisting to these kind of rituals that have been rooted in Javanese society for a long time or trying to erase them. In contrast, they blended traditional and old Javanese rituals with Islamic prayers.
The blending culture or acculturation between Javanese and Islamic culture has been creating the new harmony in society. The manner of maintaining the harmony in the early time of Islamic da’wah can also be seen through the role of Javanese Islamic kingdom, particularly the kingdom of Islamic Mataram (Mataram Islam) in 16th century.
The traditional and adat ritual such as slametan, sometimes through larungan or throwing offerings to the sea, the rituals and ceremony to celebrate the birth of Muhammad prophet (maulid nabi) named sekaten has become the annual tradition that still exist nowadays. The legacy of traditional rituals since Mataram Islam has still been continued by Yogyakarta and Surakarta Sultanate until today.
Current Islam in Indonesia is highly dynamics—if not sometimes full of tension and contestations. Some steams such as so-called “Reformist Islam” tries to purifying Islamic doctrines. The streams of purification of Islam has been known with their strong objection and strong resistance to traditional Islam. Traditional Islam is often described as mushrik and against tauhid or the centrality of Allah or God in Islam. The stigmatization to the different variations of cultural and traditional Islam has often ignited conflicts between Islamic people in Indonesia.
At the end, we have to re-rethink carefully, as not all the matters of difference in the Islamic believes and streams in Indonesian should be contested and become the source of conflict. The difference between construes and interpretation in Islamic text is apparently very natural, and it is even a gift. Islam is rahmatan lil alamiin, blessing to all the humankind. The greatest level of humankind is to the ability to respect the differences and varieties in our society. The diversity—using the religion terminology—is actually a God’s will.
Concluding Remarks
Diversity in Indonesia is actually culturally rooted in Indonesia. Indonesia’s society also strongly supports diversity, therefore, Indonesians tend to open to different culture, religions, or foreigners. The exposure to external world is not going to easily change the strong cultural roots of Indonesian people.
Culture is a dynamic process that can appear as the answer to the current problems—the empirical problems of humankind. By answering the problem in society, culture can grow, expand and exist in society from generation to generation.
In some respect, religions also grow and expand to answer humans’ problems in life. Fate, life after death are example of transcendental images that help out to ‘control’ human.
I think, both culture and religion are two important aspects that can guide human to be better person. These two are important and intersecting each other in human’s life. Religion is not a weapon to kill culture. Our civilization is based on the value of culture, spiritual value, humanistic value, and harmony in our life. Religion is part of them.
The culture that live and cultivate in Indonesia, including Javanese culture can be a role model and the example of the harmonically merged culture and religion. That religion can exist without subordinating culture. Indeed, religion and culture are both equally contributing to humanistic value and human civilisation in this country. Thank you. (*ACZ)
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