'Ulamā' and Power: the case of al-Manīnī family in late-Ottoman Damascus.

This contribution deals with the relationship between two relevant fields of the Islamic world, knowledge and power, otherwise said, ulemas and political authority, through the peculiar dynamics which tended to characterize the relationship between some renowned representatives of the former and the institutional as well as social sphere in late-Ottoman Damascus. In particular, it will focus on the analysis of data concerning members of an important branch of ulemas who lived in Damascus between the mid-19th century and the early 20th century: the Manini family

Los ulemas de al-Andalus y sus maestros orientales

Entre los muchos temas relacionados con el período de formación y primer desarrollo de la cultura árabe en al-Andalus, el de las aportaciones orientales a este proceso ha merecido la atención de diversos investigadores. Es casi innecesario subrayar la importancia de la obra de M. A. Makki dedicada a este tema y que ha servido de punto de partida para muchos otros estudios posteriores': se trata de un trabajo de conjunto al que hay que recurrir de continuo cuando se quiere tratar el tema de las relaciones culturales de al-Andalus y el Oriente islámico. Más recientemente, la aparición de nuevos textos y estudios monográficos está permitiendo un análisis pormenorizado de ciertos aspectos de estas relaciones.Peer reviewe

Awrah and Women's Clothing: Reinterpretation of Islamic Texts in Indonesian Contexts

The concept of Awrah among Indonesian Muslims undergoes a process of contextualization and adaptation to local culture. This article focuses on the understanding of the ulemas about Awrah based on the interpretation of Al-Quran and Hadith texts which have implications for the practice of women's clothing. By using a qualitative approach, data obtained from online media and interviews. This article shows that the models, forms and trends of women's clothing influenced by multiple interpretations of Islamic texts, which are not only influenced by religious understanding, modernity, local traditions but also the context of the relationship between Islam and the state. There has been a shift in the reasons women cover their private parts from piety and obedience in religion; security, comfort and tranquility; then a lifestyle. External factors that influence women to cover their awrah are due to the family and friends, as well as maintaining local traditions. Interestingly, women who choose not to cover their awrah have the support of religious prominent, with argumentation personally and religiously. There are attempts to reinterpret the spirit of Awrah which does not only focus on women's clothing, but includes issues of ethics, morals, decency and protection of women

INDONESIAN ISLAMISM: THE WAR OF ISLAMIC LITERACY FROM MILLENNIALISM TO RADICALISM

This paper shows another dimension of the phenomenon of Islamism Indonesia. By doing the interpretation of a number of circumstantial historical Islam literacy with traces of the historical aspect as the research methodology, the authors found one important factor that gave birth to Islamism Indonesia is literacy not just ideology as believed by many scholars. The resulting literacy evolved in various forms of media, and thus generated by the Indonesia who settled in the Middle East, Islamic Indonesia elite, and ustad virtual at the estuary of the society in the war on Islam. This paper contributes to the efforts of Islamic Studies scholars from Indonesia to include literacy in Islamic Indonesia as part of the phenomenon of global Islamism manifestation in the development of the study of contemporary Islamist movements. Keywords: Indonesian Islamism, Milleniarism, and Radicalis

Islamic Education and Da’wah Liberalization: Investigating Kiai Achmad Dachlan’s Ideas

This article discusses two opposing views in regard to Islamic teaching; whether it should be seen as a static entity or as a dynamic one and each option has its own implication. Being seen as a static entity, Islamic teachings cannot be put on the table of criticism, because it is supposed to be perfect, correct, and its validity goes beyond time and space. In this position, Islamic teaching that is taught in Islamic education institutions is delivered in non dialogical way, assuming that it is doctrine, not knowledge. The author argues that such view would possibly make Islamic teachings become “normal science” that loose their relevances to contemporary human life. In fact, what is considered as Islamic teachings cannot be separated from human intervention since parts of them are formulated by classical Muslim scholars. For this reason, it is necessary to liberate Islamic teachings from narrow-minded perspective and interpretation, as suggested by the proponents of Liberal Islam. Islam should be interpreted in open-mind perspective so that it is possible to bear many different interpretations based on interpreters’ social and academic backgrounds. Achmad Dachlan is one of Muslim scholars who tried to take the essence of Islamic teachings. He argued that one of the main purposes and substantial point of Islamic teachings are the ethical kindness and human happiness. Dachlan’s concern with the marginalized and disfranchised people is based on his view on human ethics and it serves as the foundation of a movement to empower marginalized people

Changes in Congregational Prayer Practices During the Covid-19 Pandemic in Aceh from Maqashid al-Sharia Perspective

Covid-19 has changed the habits of almost all activities of human life, including religious matters. The worship practices have also changed, such as performing prayers at home, keeping distant rows, and wearing masks. This paper is empirical legal research that seeks to examine the living law in the Aceh society with a maqashid shari’a perpective during a pandemic. The data collection techniques were interview, observation, and document study. It concludes that the government policies, including the 2020 Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB), the 2021 Implementation of Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM), fatwas of Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) and Tausiyah of Acehnese Ulema regulating and calling for restrictions on religious activities are rules with benefit values and in accordance with the principle of maqasid al-shari'a. Despite some people's rejection, the policies are, in fact, based on maqasid al-shari'a, namely protecting the life (hifz al-nafs) so that people will not get infected by the virus. Moreover, public safety is the highest law purpose to maintain. The policies also prove the state's role through the rule when conditions endanger the community in addition to avoiding harms as a part of Islamic law orders. (Covid-19 telah mengubah kebiasaan hampir seluruh aktivitas kehidupan manusia, mulai dari ekonomi, sosial, budaya, pendidikan bahkan agama. Pada aspek agama aktivitas ibadah juga mengalami perubahan misalnya himbauan shalat di rumah, menjaga jarak saf dan memakai masker. Tulisan ini merupakan penelitian hukum empiris yang berupaya menelaah hukum sebagaimana yang terjadi dalam realitas masyarakat dengan pendekatan hukum Islam saat pandemi. Sedangkan teknik pengumpulan data yang dipakai adalah wawancara, observasi dan studi dokumen. Kajian ini menyimpulkan bahwa pada awalnya himbauan sebagai pemerintah tidak secara menyeluruh diikuti oleh masyarakat karena setiap daerah berbeda tingkat penularan dan kondisi covid terjadi. Setelah aturan PPKM 2021 diterapkan hal ini relatif teratur termasuk di Aceh karena dibedakan empat level dan berdasarkan tingkat penularan dan korban yaitu, merah, orange, kuning dan hijau. Kebijakan pemerintah agar tidak salat jamaah di masjid pada saat kondisi penularannya tinggi sebenarnya mengacu pada konsep maqashid syari’ah yaitu menjaga jiwa (hifz al-nafs) agar masyarakat tidak tertular virus. Meskipun sebagian masyarakat khusus daerah atau kabupaten yang tingkat penularannya rendah menganggap bahwa shalat berjamaah di masjid tetap harus dilakukan dengan pertimbangan menjaga agama (hifz al-din) sesuai protokol kesehatan. Namun patut dicatat kebijakan pemerintah tersebut mengandung kemaslahatan yang bertujuan untuk menghindari kemudharatan dan menolak bahaya sebagaimana disebutkan dalam kaidah fikih. Sehingga menghindarkan diri dari kemudharatan dan taat kepada pemerintah juga merupakan perintah syariat Islam.

Identifying ‘Illat through Munasabah in Islamic Law: A Perspective of Imam Al-Ghazali

This study discusses the way in determining ‘illat through the munasabah method proposed by Imam al-Ghazali in the perspective of Islamic law. The study focuses on two main problems: the identification of ‘illat through munasabah and the legal formulation to utilize hikmat to obtain ‘illat according to al-Ghazali. This normative legal research used a legal history approach as an analytical tool to examine the Islamic scholars’ thoughts on concepts, theories and ways of doing istinbath. The study concluded that according to al-Ghazali there are three kinds of munasabah in determining ‘illat, consisting of munasib mu’atstsir, munasab mula’im, and munasib gharib. In munasib mu’atstsir, there is no issue found in seeking ‘illat because the ‘illat is understood directly from the nash or ijma’. Therefore, munasabah is no longer needed in the determining ‘illat. Here, the munasabah method focuses on munasib mula’im and munasib gharib in identifying ‘illat. Munasib mula’im seeks for the genus ‘illat, an ‘illat drawn from every event that has been predetermined by the nash, by examining the same hikmah in each of the events. Such hikmah is then used as the genus ‘illat which will later be applied as qiyas for other events that have been legally stipulated by the nash. On the other hand, munasib gharib seeks for the species ‘illat, an ‘illat obtained from an event that has been predetermined by the nash, with no comparison found in other events. ‘Illat determined from munasib gharib is also hikmah, having no concrete nature. In the perspective of legal history, this method of seeking ‘illat is inseparable from kalam and philosophy as was the development of the Islamic sciences at the time. As such, this had also affected al-Ghazali’s mastery in Islamic law as well as in other Islamic disciplines.