The concept of religious pluralism in Indonesia: a study of the MUI’s fatwa and the debate among Muslim scholars

• Main Author: Muhammad Hilaly Basya
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: IAIN Salatiga 2011-06-01
• Series: Indonesian Journal of Islam and Muslim Societies
• Subjects: MUI’s fatwa; Religious pluralism; Muslim scholars; Islam
• Online Access: http://ijims.iainsalatiga.ac.id/index.php/ijims/article/view/46
• ISSN: 2089-1490; 2406-825X

In 2005 The Council of Indonesian Ulama (MUI) issued a controversial fatwa. The fatwa states that it is prohibited for Muslims to develop the ideas of religious pluralism. The fatwa had provoked heat debate among Indonesian Muslim scholars. For the opponent of the fatwa, the modern Indonesian state should be supported by the ideas of pluralism. They are disappointed with the fatwa, since it would diminish religious pluralism in Indonesia. On the other hand, the protagonist of the fatwa said that the MUI has done good decision. The ideas of pluralism are seen by them would threaten Islamic faith. They believed that those who campaigned for the idea of pluralism are the agent for “western” interest. The debate regarding the MUI’s fatwa banning Muslims to adopt pluralism ideas indicates that the concept of pluralism campaigned by some Muslim scholars is not monolithic. This paper would like to explore various conceptions of religious pluralism among Indonesian Muslim scholars. Pada 2005, Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI) mengeluarkan sebuah fatwa kontroversial. Fatwa itu menyatakan haram hukumnya bagi kaum Muslim untuk mengembangkan gagasan-gagasan tentang pluralisme agama. Fatwa telah mengundang perdebatan panas di kalangan sarjana Muslim Indonesia. Bagi para penentang fatwa, Negara Indonesia modern harus didukung dengan gagasan pluralisme. Mereka kecewa atas fatwa karena telah mengurangi pluralisme keagamaan di Indonesia. Di sisi lain, para pendukung fatwa menyatakan bahwa MUI telah mengeluarkan keputusan yang benar. Bagi mereka, gagasan pluralisme akan mengancam keimanan Islam. Mereka yakin bahwa orang-orang yang mengampanyekan gagasan tentang pluralisme merupakan agen kepentingan Barat. Perdebatan mengenai fatwa MUI yang melarang kaum Muslim mengadopsi gagasan pluralisme menunjukkan bahwa konsep pluralisme yang dikampanyekan sebagian sarjana Muslim tidaklah monolitik. Kajian ini akan mengeksplorasi berbagai konsep pluralisme keagamaan di kalangan sarjana Muslim Indonesia.