Page 382 - INDONESIA ISLAMIC CULTURE

The building of the civil authorities. It was for this reason the debates in the BPUPKI or in PPKI Muslim, traditionalist, modernist, Masjumi
Central Board of the that generally only parties whose policies meetings. These debates took place and fundamentalist groups. The The Indonesian people greeted
36
United Development accorded with those of the government mainly between Soekarno representing majority of Muslims in Indonesia were
Party (PPP) were allowed to flourish and they were the nationalists group and Abdul Kahar traditionalists and they were represented the proclamation of Indonesian
Independence with great joy, most
Source: Directorate of given the task to mobilize the masses in Muzakkir from the Islamic side. Ki Bagus, by the NU, Mathlaul Anwar, and Jamiat notably the Muslims. The Muslim leaders
History and Cultural support of the Japanese government. 34 Wahid Hasyim, and Ahmad Sanusi Khair. Modernist Muslims, also known no longer saw the need to continue
Values, Ministry of It could be said that before independence were among the Muslim figures who as reformists, were represented by the hostilities and heated debates as
Education and Culture in almost all regions, Muslim leadership strongly defended the Islamic ideology religious organizations such as the they had before the proclamation.
of the Republic of was not as large as the leadership of the and who rejected nationalist arguments. Muhammadiyah, Persis and Al-Irsyad. They seemed to have forgotten all their
Indonesia. religiously neutral nationalist group or It can be ascertained that it was a very The fundamentalist Muslim group was a differences and they jointly sought to
important moment, in which the debate
those who disliked religion as a political illustrated the openness of the initiated minority but it had always been a public build the new born Indonesian Republic.
force. The MIAI was replaced by the forum involving Islamists and nationalists concern because of its actions, which Some nationalist elites, especially
Masjumi as the representative forum groups. When agreement on the basic were often at odds with mainstream among the socialist group, were skeptical
35
for Muslim leaders but it didnot play the foundation of the Indonesian state could Islamic groups. It did not struggle through towards Indonesian Independence
expected important role yet. The Muslim not be reached, a smaller forum was political parties but took a military because they assumed that it should
leaders’ readiness to cooperate with created that consisted of nine people. It approach and resorted to violence have been enforced with a stronger
the Japanese colonial government did included four Muslims and four nationalist in order to achieve its purpose of the emphasis on anti-fascism so that the
lead to an improved position before the groups in a balancing number plus establishment of the Islamic State of world would be convinced that the
nationalist leaders just before Indonesia’s one more person who was a Christian. Indonesia. This group was represented Japanese had no say in the formation of
Independence. The Muslim group was represented by by Darul Islam or the Islamic State of the Indonesian state. However, the strong
Indonesia. This group came later to
Nevertheless, the Muslim leaders had Agus Salim, Wahid Hasjim, Abikusno be associated with radical movements nationalist spirit and the over whelming
support of the Indonesian people made
a limited representation, but in certain and Abdoel Kahar Muzakkir, and the like Jemaah Islam. In terms of political all factions support the proclamation of
circumstances, especially during the nationalists by Soekarno, Mohammad aspirations the groups were divided into Indonesian Independence by Soekarno
critical time when the basis of the Hatta, Achmad Subarjo and Muhammad different political currents such as the and Hatta.
Indonesian State was being formulated, Yamin. A.A.Maramis represented the Masjumi Party and the Nahdlatul Ulama
their position strengthened and they Christians. Party while the fundamentalists chose For Muslims it was clear that Indonesia’s
continued to strive for important roles Political Movement after to continue their struggle through extra- Independence was the manifestation of
for Islam in politics. The position and Independence parliamentary activities and they refused to the ideals they had for a long time. No
opinions of these Islamic leaders be part of the Indonesian political system. wonder if they greeted the proclamation
became particularly evident during After Independence huge differences with enthusiasm because they thought
began to emerge betweenthe 36. Allan S Samson. “Army and Islam in that independent Indonesia would
34. Zainal Abidin Amir. Peta Islam Politik Pasca- Indonesia,”Pacific Affairs, 44 no. 4, Winter, 1972,
Soeharto (Jakarta: LP3S, 2003), p. 33. 35. Noer. Partai-Partai Islam ..., p. 35. p. 549. automatically implement the ideals of

372 Indonesian Islamic Culture in Historical Perspectives Indonesian Islamic Culture in Historical Perspectives 373