2 - Overview of Muslim Organizations, Associations and Movements in Indonesia

Summary

REFORMIST AND TRADITIONALIST ISLAM AND THE MAJOR ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTING THEM

Indonesian Islam is characterized by an unusually high degree of organization. The two largest Muslim associations, Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), which have long dominated Muslim social life and educational activities in Indonesia, are probably the largest and most complex organizations of the entire Muslim world. Their claims of representing tens of millions of Indonesian Muslims were supported by a recent survey, according to which 12 and 42 per cent of Indonesia's Muslims identified themselves to some extent with the Muhammadiyah and NU, respectively. Those expressing a strong identification with these associations amounted to 4 and 17 per cent, which would amount to 9 and 38 million followers, respectively (Mujani and Liddle 2004). Card-carrying, dues-paying membership is no doubt considerably lower, but these two associations have reached a degree of societal penetration that is unparalleled in the Muslim world. They are administered by elected boards at the national, provincial, regency and district levels, and they have separate women's, youth and students’ wings with parallel structures. The organizations provide a wide range of services to their constituencies, from education, health care and charity to answering religious questions and determining beginning and end of the fasting month. It has long been common to distinguish two main streams in Indonesian Islam, dubbed “Modernists” (or “Reformists”) and “Traditionalists”. The Muhammadiyah and NU are the most conspicuous, though by no means the only representatives of these two streams. The Modernist/Reformist stream consists of a range of movements that strive to reform religious life by purging it of superstition, blind imitation of earlier generations, and beliefs and practices that are not supported by strong and authentic scriptural references. This includes especially relations with the spirit world, intercession by saints, and various forms of magic. The reformists' worship tends to be more austere, without the recitations of pious formulas and supererogatory prayers that characterize the worship of the traditionalists.