Page 5 - INDONESIAN ISLAMIC CULTURE

Preface

Director General of Culture Books which are written by Indonesian scholar give an idea of the dynamics of
Indonesian Islam from time to time in various aspects. We hope that readers
Ministry of Education and Culture will find the book informative and useful.

of the Republic of Indonesia Wassalamu’alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh,

Director General of Culture Ministry of Education and Culture of
the Republic of Indonesia

Assalamu’alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh,
Hilmar Farid
Indonesia is a “big house of culture” which becomes a shelter of diverse
culture. Diversity is the result of encounter of various nations. This cultural
encounter has produced Indonesian Islamic Culture.
The spread and development of the cultural history of Islam in Indonesia is
different from the spread of Islam in some parts of the world, such as Asia,
Africa, America, Australia and Europe. The spread of Islam in Indonesia
is done gradually with a cultural approach. Islam which interacts with local
culture creates an Islamic variant that is typical of the Nusantara. The Islamic
variant is not Islam that is cut off from the roots of purity, but in which Islam
has been acculturated with local culture. Thus, Islam essentially keeps its
purity, and the local traditions are also maintained. Then it comes what is
called the ‘cultural enrichment’.
Indonesian Islamic history cannot be separated from the nation’s journey.
Islam has become a tradition embedded in the context of socio-economic
and political in Indonesia. Islam also has played a main role in the integration
of the nation by bonds between scholars (ulama) and student who become
network of collective memory. For example, people of Bugis-Makassar
‘remembered’ the role of the three scholars of Minangkabau, Minangkabau
kept Aceh in mind, Makassar and Ternate recalled in Gresik, Banjarmasin
thought of Demak, Papua thought of Tidore and so on.
The publication of “Indonesia Islamic Culture in Historical Perspectives” book
is expected not only a wisdom for the people of Indonesia, but also for other
countries. The Wisdom from the Indonesian Islamic cultural history, at least,
showed the presence of Islam that does not necessarily conflict with the local
culture. The presence of Islam in turn can actually enrich the Indonesian
culture and Islamic culture itself, because there are dialogue, and peaceful
convergence of Islam and local culture.

IV Indonesian Islamic Culture in Historical Perspectives Indonesian Islamic Culture in Historical Perspectives V