Islam and Politics in the Era of Democracy: The Variants of Political Elite in Muhammadiyah on the Dynamics of Islam Politics of 1998-2010

Politically, the collapse of the New Order regime gives opportunities for Islamic interest groups to re-debate the dynamics relationship between Islam (religion) and politics (state). As the political power of moderate group, Muhammadiyah’s elites have strong influence in determining the pattern of Islam-politics relationship. Muhammadiyah’s elites who sat as both executive and legislative position mostly becomes the mediator of various fragmented political power. It can be seen from the facts in which happened recently, for instance, the emergence of the Islamic political parties, the emergence of supporter of the Jakarta Charter as the state principle, and terrorism issue nationwide-which always attached a term of “jihad” as Islamic ‘tradition’ since the birth of Islamic society.

This topic is surely interesting subject to study in particular when the discourse of relationship between Islam and politics has been marginalized along the New Order era by imposing the only legal principle of Pancasila as state ideology within society. This study describes the politics of stream and charismatic leadership of civil society organization by taking a case study of Muhammadiyah. The argument was built in relation to the fragmented political behavior of Muhammadiyah’s elite (period 1998-2010) in response to Islam and political issues. According to Putnam, the characterristic of elites is determined how they influence the decision making process. In very same way, elite here can be understood as Muhammadiyah’s cadre those who officially become leader in Central Board of Muhammadiyah both in Yogyakarta and Jakarta. They generally have strong influences to organizational polices. Moreover, in order to conduct data and information I use a qualitative approach as method-logy of research. The techniques of collecting data are by conducting interviews and analyzing documentation. The collected data then are analyzed and interpreted descriptively to get reliable and validity conclusion.

The research findings indicate that politics of stream and charismatic model of leadership in Muhammadiyah doesn’t work effectively. It was proven by some evident by seeing the diversities of political attitude of Muhammadiyah’s elites at certain time. The elite’s attitude alone can be classified into four variations. First of all is the transformative-idealistic-the political attitude which emphasizes on Islam thought with humanity vision in order to resolve social problems. Second is moderate-idealistic-the political attitude which believes in political Islamic is the inevitably requirement. This attitude is not in the extreme position neither right nor left. Third is a realistic-critical-the political attitude which emphasizes on substantial values rather than symbolic values. They avoid violence and formalistic way as the means of propaganda. Last but not least is an accommodative-pragmatic-the political attitude which easily cooperates to everyone and is not in one particular extreme attitude. This attitude is looking forward to seeking political opportunities to attract sympathy from Islamic groups.

Finally, the variations of elite attitude were deeply influenced by many causes that could be categorized, at least, into two main causes. First is sociological background, such as education, employment, personal relation, and individual political orientation. Second is the organizational factor, such as vision of Muhammadiyah, Muhammadiyah political statements, and historical continuity. In short, each factor basically has its own degree of influence in determining elite attitude related to the political issues.


Ridho Al-Hamdi, MA
This executive summary submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for Master Degree (MA) in Department of Political Science, Islamic State University of Sunan Kalijaga, Yogyakarta. Advisor is Dr. Dodi Ambardi, MA and Co-Advisor is Dra. Ratnawati, SU.

Epistemology of Occidentalism: Study on Hanafi's Thoughts

By Ridho Al-Hamdi

More than two centuries that orientalism was able to construct itself as a civilization has strong power than others. It often called “The West”. While “The East” constructed as a weak civilization and still in inferior position. The dichotomist category causes various critiques from some scholars. Therefore, we need an academic study to balance of orientalism studies. The emergence of Occidentalism as a modern theory will criticize the West (European awareness) from non-West perspective. As a result, there is a balancing analysis on the civilization. To some extends, this study will focus on Hassan Hanafi’s thoughts particularly on al-Turats wa al-Jadid (the legacies and the modern). Hanafi is an Egypt Scholar who was graduated from Sorbone University of France.

Occidentalism still becomes a modern science that has not fundamental orientation yet. Therefore, I believe that we must analyze it deeply and philosophically. There are some questions must be answered here, such as how is standardization on the truth for Hanafi’s Occidentalism? From which the sources of the Occidentalism obtained? How are the methods for studying on the Occidentalism?

Methodologically, this study uses literature references to explain on the epistemology of Hanafi’s Occidentalism. The prime source is a book with title Muqaddimah fi ‘Ilmi al-Istighrab – Introduction to Occidentalism (Cairo: al-Dar al-Faniah, 1991). In addition, this study uses secondary sources that can to complete the whole analyses. The method for data collecting uses historical continuity, taxonomy analysis as well as interpretation.

Above all, the epistemology of Hanafi’s Occidentalism consists of sources, methods, and tolo ukur the truth. The sources of this study is Europe awareness that consists of three steps i.e. construction, structure and the fate of European awareness. This study use two methods i.e. dialectic-historical and phenomenology. For the standardization on truth of this study consists of al-Ana (Self) as a subject from al-Akhar (the others), removing the myth on the cosmopolite civilization, European awareness as an object of study, the self liberation as well as the equality of civilization.

The sources of European awareness consist of two things, the published sources and the unpublished sources. The published sources are Greek-Roman and Jewish-Christian. While the unpublished sources are old East and European territorial. The structure of European awareness can be seen into some ideologies such us Nationalism, Atheism, Fascism, Zionism, Nazism and Racialism.

This executive summary submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for Bachelor Degree (S1) in Department of Theology and Philosophy, Islamic State University of Sunan Kalijaga, Yogyakarta. Advisor is Dr. Alim Roswantoro and Co-Advisor is Dr. Zuhri.