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The Ministry of Religious

Affairs and the Council of

Indonesian Ulama

Didi Ahmadi

The Ministry of Religious Affairs was made the office far more strategic government had formed the Shumubu, Much like the colonial and occupational Consecutive chairmen of
officially founded in 1946 but it has its than any other office concerned with a military administrative office for governments, the Indonesian government the Indonesian Scholars
roots in Dutch colonial times and the religious affairs. This advisory agency religious affairs established to implement also considered it very important that Source: Directorate of
Japanese occupation. In the Dutch went through many changes. The Dutch Japanese colonial policies related to Muslims occupied positions inside the History and Cultural
colonial period, adherents to religions colonial government no longer based religious issues, especially in Java. 4 state structure. Therefore, a ministry Values, Ministry of
were classified into two major groups: its policies on indigenous affairs on fear in charge and to take care of Muslim Education and Culture
Christians and non-Christians and and suspicion and hence they no longer This office was almost the same as the problems was absolutely necessary. of the Republic of
religious affairs were coordinated by wanted much intervention. Advised Kantoor voor Islamitische Zaken of the Indonesia.
several agencies. Problems concerning by the brain behind the operational Dutch period. However, if during the However, it should be noted that the
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the general worship of the Christian mechanisms of the advisory office and Dutch period the office was designed establishment of the ministry of religion
population were, for instance, coordinated an expert in Islam, C. Snouck Hurgronje, on the principle of “neutrality” toward affair’s had its own political objective – it
by the Departement van Onderwijs en the Dutch colonial government actively religion, in the Japanese era the office was a concession of the power that-be to
Eeredienst (Department of Education and managed and governed indigenous of religious affairs from the beginning Islamic political process. It needs to be
Worship). Problems related to the religions Muslims’ life in many fields including had been designed to garner Muslim reiterated here that at the time there were
of the natives, marriages, mosques, the Islamic organizations, Islamic education, leaders’ support for the Japanese concerns about the voice and the power
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hajj and such more were regulated by religious courts, the pilgrimage, up to the military authorities. To reap more of Islam which forced the Indonesian
the Departement van Binnenlandsch construction of mosques and inheritance massive Muslim public support offices government first under Soekarno and
Bestuur (Ministry of Interior Affairs). The matters. 2 were also opened in the provinces subsequently under Soeharto to work
Mahkamah Islam Tinggi (Islamic High During the Japanese occupation, under the name Shumuka which were hard to weaken and “domesticate” the
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Court) and the Hoofd voor Islamitische the way the colonial government had authorized to supervise local religious Muslim’s powerful voice. In fact, the
Zaken (Head of Islamic Affairs) fell under handled indigenous and religious life at regency and lower levels. In order establishment of the Ministry of Religious
the authority of the Departement van affairs remained essentially unchanged. to ensure the Indonesian Muslims’ Affairs in post-independent Indonesia is
Justitie (Ministry of Justice). Fearing potential resistance from the sympathy and support for the Pan-Asian often seen as the ruling regime’s success
Outside these Dutch institutions, Indonesian Muslim community, Japan commonwealth ideals under Dai Nippon’s in constitutionally, physically, and 7
bureaucratically thwarting Islamic forces.
leadership, Japan appointed the leaders
the Kantoor voor Inlandsche Zaken needed to domesticate it through
(Office for Native Affairs) was another making systematic arrangements for of Islamic movements as the heads of Nevertheless, the position of the
institution that was most influential in the those religious fields that might incite these offices. Indonesian regimes towards Islamic
formulation of Dutch colonial policies on resistance, while concurrently act as Ministry of Religious Affairs groups has changed, especially during
Islam. Its primary task was to advice the a unifying movement for the natives. the New Order period. These changes
governor general on indigenous affairs, Interests in Islam itself had been on the As part of the government of the newly have had a number of consequences.
mainly pertaining to Muslims and Arabs. rise in Japan since the mid-1930s along independent Republic of Indonesia, One was that Muslims occupy
Its role as an advisory office directly with its desire to conquer the Asia Pacific the Ministry of Religious Affairs was increasingly more important positions in
responsible to the governor general, region. Therefore, the Japanese colonial authorized to deal with religious issues. the government structure while the roles
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