The Islamic Scholars’ Movement in Garut, West Java, Indonesia, 1998-2007

Setia Gumilar

doi:10.2121/tawarikh.v11i1.1221

The Islamic Scholars’ Movement in Garut, West Java, Indonesia, 1998-2007

Setia Gumilar

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The change that occurs in Garut Regency, West Java, Indonesia has positioned the Ulamas (Islamic Scholars) to have a significant role in various aspects of lives, especially in religious affairs, almost in every age or period of Islamic history. In the New Order government era (1966-1998), the Ulamas of Garut were positioned by the government to be in the right tract, namely religious aspect. However, along with the changing period, the Ulamas in Garut have attempted to reposition their identity, which is not only limited to religious but also in political, law, and economic aspects. This article – using the qualitative approaches, historical methods, and literature studies – elaborates the role of Ulamas in socio-political movement in Garut. This shows that there has happened a movement shift of the Ulamas in Garut in the period of 1998-2007. The findings showed that in the previous period, in the New Order era, the Ulamas tended to only move in religious corridor. Meanwhile, in the period of 1998-2007, the Ulamas’ movement reached other aspects, such as politic and law. In this period also, through the BKUI (Badan Koordinasi Umat Islam or Muslim Coordination Institution), the Ulamas’ movements were aimed to reunite their position which was considered as experiencing a gap as a result of national political chaos. Then, the Ulamas’ movement in Garut attempted also to create the “Syari’at Islam” (Islamic Law) as behavior base in Garut Regency through media called as LP3SyI (Lembaga Pengkajian, Penegakkan, dan Penerapan Syari'at Islam or Institution for Islamic Study, Empowerment, and Implementation). Other movement is anti-corruption action by seriously providing inputs and feedbacks to the Regional Budgeting or APBD (Anggaran Pendapatan dan Belanja Daerah) of Garut Regency, both in planning process and its implementation.

KEY WORDS: Ulamas’ Movement; Social Changes; Garut Regency; Islam and Politics.

About the Author: Dr. Setia Gumilar is a Lecturer at the Department of Islamic Civilization History, Faculty of Adab and Humanities UIN (Universitas Islam Negeri or State Islamic University) Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, Jalan A.H. Nasution No.105 Cipadung, Bandung 40614, West Java, Indonesia. E-mail: setiagumilar@uinsgd.ac.id

Suggested Citation: Gumilar, Setia. (2019). “The Islamic Scholars’ Movement in Garut, West Java, Indonesia, 1998-2007” in TAWARIKH: Journal of Historical Studies, Volume 11(1), October, pp.29-42. Bandung, Indonesia: Minda Masagi Press owned by ASPENSI, with ISSN 2085-0980 (print) and ISSN 2685-2284 (online).

Article Timeline: Accepted (July 27, 2019); Revised (September 30, 2019); and Published (October 30, 2019).

Keywords

Ulamas’ Movement; Social Changes; Garut Regency; Islam and Politics

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.2121/tawarikh.v11i1.1221