Page 294 - INDONESIAN ISLAMIC CULTURE

The Dynamic of

Islamic Print Culture

Jajat Burhanudin

Islamic books are inherent parts of Thaher Djalaluddin and al-Imam who had fallen asleep; to show the This quote is only one of many in which The Grand Mosque
Islamic religious development. The Thaher Djalaluddin was the first Jawi- right direction to those who had gone al-Imam states that it would republish of Ganting located in
evidence of this in Indonesia can be Makkah (Indonesian who had sojourned astray; to give a voice to those who the articles, or the kind of articles that the area of the conflict
traced back to the early 20 century for a long time in Mecca) who became speak wisely; to call for Muslims to live had previously been published in al- between the KaumTua
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when printed media (magazines, acquainted with the reform ideas of in accordance with the Divine command Manar. The Quranic interpretations (the Old) and the Kaum
newspapers, and Islamic books) were Muhammad Abduh and Muhammad as much as possible; and to obtain the section confirms al-Imam’s primary Muda (the Youth) in
first introduced to the Muslims in greatest happiness in the world and mission to disseminate the reformist Padang, West Sumatra.
Indonesia. Religious scholars traditionally Rashid Rida from Cairo. He was the divine blessing in the hereafter.” 8 ideas from Cairo to Southeast Asia. Source: Directorate of
acted as the sole holders of religious first Indonesian who introduced Islamic Quranic interpretation is a major field History and Cultural
authority, but after the begining of the reformism to Southeast Asia. His latter The influence of Al-Manar’s on al-Imam of Islamic knowledge and provides the Values, Ministry of
21 century, ordinary Muslims had the role was reflected in the publication of clear enough al-Imam reprined a number essential framework of the understanding Education and Culture
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opportunity to resort to printed media as al-Imam in 1906 it was the first Islamic of articles that had been printed in al- of the core source of Islamic teachings, of the Republic of
sources of Islamic knowledge and guides reform magazine in Southeast Asia. Manar. On August 29, 1908, the editor of i.e. the Quran. By translating Quranic Indonesia.
to religious practices. Together with other ulama who had been al-Imam announced that this magazine interpretations, al-Imam had laid down
exposed to Cairo reformism, such as would start to publish the interpretations the main principle of Islamic reformism in
Facilitated by colonial printing technology Sayid Sheikh al-Hadi (1862-1934), his of the Qur’an. It provided a special
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at the reformist Muslims beginning of the close friend from Singapore and Haji section for that purpose, namely Southeast Asia.
20 century used printed media as one Abbas bin Mohamad Taha, Djalaluddin the Malay translation of the Quranic It is noteworthy that Abduh’s Quranic
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of the most important components of triggered Islamic reformism in Singapore, interpretations that had previously been interpretations, which were published
their Islamic reform movement in addition the town that had begun to become a published in al-Manar. in al-Manar by Rashid Rida, Abduh’s
to the reform of educational system Southeast Asian metropolis. 5 disciple who completed his work on
and the ways of religious thinking this As mentioned in the previous edition Quranic commentary, not only displayed
process not only created the appearance Al-Imam has a specific role in formatting of al-Imam, we promised our readers a modernist tendency, but also rational
of a new expression of Islam, but also political thinking and nurturing Islamic to publish the translation of Quranic approach to Quranic interpretation.
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showed the changing outlook of religious intellectuals in Southeast Asia. Its role interpretations which originate from For Southeast Asian Muslims, as
scholars in pesantren and their use was mainly to provide close relations Sheikh Muhammad Abduh’s recent for Egyptian Muslims, Muhammad
of kitab kuning. Through the printed with reformists in Cairo and to become lectures at al-Azhar. To meet our Abduh’s Quranic commentary meant
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press, intellectual and political channels, a model as well as a source of Islamic promise, this edition will begin with a radical transition in tafsir literature.
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modern educational institutions, the reformist thinking. Like al-Manar, al- a presentation of the introductory It is certainly different from commonly
Islamic reformist movement had Imam underlined that its main concern remarks [on Quranic explanation] practiced Quranic interpretations in
gradually turned into the dominating was the reformist spirit. In its first edition, Muhammad Abduh delivered in his traditional pesantrens, where mostly
discourse in society. Intellectual changes the editor of al-Imam wrote that the lecture at al-Azhar in the month the Tafsir al-Jalalain by al-Suyuti and
in the Muslim communities in modern magazine attempted “to remind those Muharram 1316 AH, as published in al-Mahalli was mostly used. With
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Indonesia had become unavoidable. 2 who had forgotten; to wake up those al-Manar vol. III, 4 edition. 9 Abduh’s interpretations, al-Imam aimed
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