Ulama, Islamic Law, and Islamic Education in Indonesia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30821/jiu.v3i1.3488Keywords:
ulama; pesantren; Islamic education; Indonesia; modernity; tradition; pluralism; Islamic law; globalisation; anthropology of IslamAbstract
This article explores the dynamic relationships among ulama, Islamic law, and Islamic education in Indonesia from an anthropological perspective. Drawing on more than two decades of ethnographic and textual research, it analyses how religious scholars and institutions negotiate the tensions between tradition and modernity, local and global influences, and moral authority and bureaucratic regulation. The discussion highlights multiple axes of legitimacy—textual, moral, institutional, and genealogical—through which ulama sustain their authority in diverse contexts. Particular attention is given to the modernisation of pesantren and to debates within state Islamic universities (UIN and IAIN) over the integration of secular and religious knowledge. The study argues that Indonesia’s Islamic education system exemplifies a creative synthesis of faith, intellect, and civic responsibility, serving as a vital resource for promoting pluralism and countering radical ideologies. The Indonesian experience demonstrates that Islamic education can remain deeply rooted in tradition while engaging critically with the challenges of global modernity.
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