Achmad Zainal Arifin
@uin-suka.ac.id
Sociology
UIN Sunan Kalijaga
EDUCATION
UIN Sunan Kalijaga
Universitas Gadjah Mada
University of Northern Iowa
Western Sydney University
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Sociological theory, Islam Indonesia, inter-religious dialoque
FUTURE PROJECTS
Smart city and Peace Building
Applications Invited
Scopus Publications
Scholar Citations
Scholar h-index
Scholar i10-index
Scopus Publications
Achmad Zainal Arifin, Adib Sofia, and Irfatul Hidayah
MDPI AG
The rise of the Salafi movements in Indonesia during the last two decades has created an increasingly pessimistic view of the status of women in Islam. This paper aims to lessen this negative view by showing the tremendous contribution of ‘Aisyiyah, the oldest modern Muslim women’s organization in Indonesia, to transforming Indonesian society through literacy jihad for women and families. Using in-depth interviews with board members of ‘Aisyiyah, combined with library research to collect primary data on the past activities of ‘Aisyiyah, this qualitative research portrays how ‘Aisyiyah has preserved and maintained its consistency in conducting literacy jihad since the 1920s. Through the establishment of ‘Aisyiyah Bustanul Athfal Kindergarten, usually shortened to TK ABA, and the publication of Suara ‘Aisyiyah magazine, the literacy jihad of ‘Aisyiyah constantly empowers many Muslim women and families, especially those who live in urban areas across the country. Currently, the number of TK ABA has reached nearly 22,000 units, and the Suara ‘Aisyiyah has also entered a digital platform to continue raising the voice of women’s rights in Indonesia. Furthermore, we posit that the literary jihad programs of ‘Aisyiyah provide a new perspective on the relationship between modernist Muslim organizations and the Salafi movements, which have been seen as similar because they both subscribe to the same purification ideology.
Ade Fakih Kurniawan, Noorhaidi Hasan, and Achmad Zainal Arifin
Al-Jamiah Research Centre
This paper aims to analyze Muhammad Mahfūẓ al-Tarmasī’s concept of wali and karāma, as well as his response and position in the discourse on those issues. Drawing on historical, hermeneutics, and intertextual approach, it will elaborate his involvement in the 19th century discourse on wali and karāma, in which the Wahhabiyya’s strong influence in Mecca was taking place. In this sense, Mahfūẓ wrote a treatise on Sufism entitled Bughyat al-Adhkiyā’ fī Bahthi’an Karāmāt al-Awliyā’. Although he mastered on tasawwuf and possessed a genealogical chain to al-Ghazali, al-Qushairi and some other Sufis, he did not use their arguments. He preferred to quote the arguments of the jurists (fuqahā’), such as al-Subkī and al-Haytamī. This actually shows the strength of his work in compiling arguments using the “criticism from within” approach. He realized, to some extent, that criticism to Sufism mainly came from the jurists (fuqahā’). Therefore, in order to be easily accepted, criticizing critics needs to employ the same perspective, fuqahā’s arguments. In fact, Mahfūẓ criticism was not only directed at the jurists (fuqahā’) but also to the group which at that time were incessantly spreading the ideas delegitimizing Sufism (in the context of orthodoxy), Wahhabiyya. This can be seen clearly in the way of Mahfūẓ’s selection of figures and groups to whom he criticized. But interestingly, he delivered critics in a smooth way and did not show his finger directly to the nose of Wahhabiyya.[Tulisan ini merupakan analisis terhadap konsep wali dan karomah menurut Muhammad Mahfūẓ al-Tarmasi, serta respon dan posisinya dalam diskursus isu-isu tersebut. Dengan menggunakan pendekatan historis, hermeneutika, dan intertekstual, tulisan ini menjelaskan keterlibatannya dalam wacana abad 19 tentang wali dan karomah, di mana pengaruh kuat Wahhabiyya di Mekah tengah berlangsung. Untuk itu, Mahfūẓ menulis sebuah risalah tentang Sufisme berjudul Bughyat al-Adhkiyā’ fi Bahthi’an Karāmat al-Awliyā’. Meski ia menguasai tasawwuf dan memiliki silsilah spiritual yang sampai kepada beberapa Sufi kenamaan, namun dalam karyanya ini ia tidak menggunakan argumen-argumen mereka. Ia lebih suka mengutip argumen para ahli hukum (fuqahā’), seperti al-Subki dan al-Haytami. Ini merupakan salah satu kekuatan dari kepiawaiannya dalam menyusun argumen menggunakan pendekatan “critic from within” karena ia menyadari bahwa kritik terhadap tasawuf labih banyak berasal dari para fuqahā’. Oleh karena itu, agar mudah diterima, suatu kritik perlu menggunakan perspektif yang sama dengan sang pengkritik, dalam hal ini argumen fuqaha. Faktanya, kritik Mahfūẓ tidak hanya diarahkan pada para fuqahā’ tetapi juga kepada kelompok yang pada saat itu terus-menerus menyebarkan ide-ide delegitimasi tasawuf (dalam konteks ortodoksi), seperti Wahhabiyya. Ini dapat dilihat dengan jelas dari cara Mahfūẓ memilih tokoh dan kelompok yang ia kritik. Namun yang menarik, ia menyampaikan kritik dengan cara yang halus dan tidak secara explisit menunjuk langsung Wahhabiyya yang saat itu mulai berkuasa.]
Achmad Zainal Arifin
Al-Jamiah Research Centre
This paper discusses a neglected traditional Islamic figure called modin, who actually has potential and greater opportunity in countering the growing numbers of relatively new Islamic groups that perpetuate intolerant ideology. This paper is based on a fieldwork in the Village of Sidoluhur, Godean, Sleman, DIY. The primary data used for this research is derived from in-depth interviews with 17 people such as modin, village officers, mosques’ board members, and active jamaah (members) of the mosques. I argue that modin has a significant contribution in softening tensions among Muslims at a hamlet level. He will be functioning effectively in preserving local Islamic practices and, at the same time, filtering intolerant ideology in society. In so doing, contestations among modin, who might come from various Islamic groups, have to be carefully considered to maximize his roles in society, especially in countering intolerant views proposed by some transnational Islamic groups. [Artikel ini membahas peminggiran figur Islam tradisional di Jawa yang dikenal dengan sebutan modin. Figur ini sebenarnya mempunyai potensi dan peluang besar untuk menandingi perkembangan kelompok Islam yang menyebarkan ideologi intoleran. Artikel ini ditulis berdasarkan riset lapangan di Desa Sidoluhur, Godean, Yogyakarta, dengan melakukan wawancara mendalam terhadap tujuh belas informan meliputi modin, perangkat desa, pengurus masjid, dan jamaah masjid. Penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa modin mempunyai kontribusi penting dalam meredam ketegangan umat di tingkat dusun. Ia berperan dalam melestarikan praktik Islam lokal sekaligus menyaring ideologi intoleran dalam masyarakat. Adanya kontestasi di antara modin yang berasal dari kelompok yang berbeda perlu menjadi pertimbangan untuk memaksimalkan peran modin di masyarakat dalam menandingi ideologi intoleran yang diusung oleh kelompok Islam transnasional.]