Page 285 - INDONESIAN ISLAMIC CULTURE IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES

of orthodoxy; however, the modernists Traditionalists used to perform various preferred to engage in samroh, barzanji, end of the 20 century and became
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were also selectively oriented to rituals associated with the events of a rodad and salawatan while modernists much larger by the last decade. The
Western modernism, where as the person’s life cycle and they indulged in rather developed the art of orchestras, Salafis were actually puritan like the
traditionalists did not reject traditionalism. commemorations of the dead, which the music bands, and drama. Muhammadiyah, but they were also
The modernist group organized it self modernists considered heretical. The Nevertheless, over time these differences radical and confrontational in facing what
in the Muhammadiyah, Persis, and modernists only performed life cycle gradually become in significant. Entering they call heresies. Although puritan, the
al-Irsyad while the traditionalist group rituals that accord with Islamic guidance the 1970s, many traditionalist began to Muhammadiyah still accommodates to
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reacted by establishing the Nahdlatul like akikah (a feast 7 days after the birth apply for enrolment in public schools. local culture. Moreover, there are some
Ulama. For several decades, from of a baby), circumcision and wedding. Boarding schools started to adopt school fundamental differences between the
the 1930s until the 1960s, there were Traditionalist also perform rituals on systems and turned into madrasahs, or two in their views on heresy and the
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conflicts between the two groups which, the 4 and 7 months of pregnancy, even into public schools like SMP (Junior interpretation of certain Qur’anic verses.
in some regions, occasionally might commemoration of the dead on the High School) and SMA (Senior High What the Muhammadiyah and the NU
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incite violence. The conflicts generally 3 , 7 , 40 , 100 , and 1,000 days, as School) within the pesantrens. The fact particularly can not accept is the Salafi
centered on the dissimilarities in some well as annual commemorations (haul). that the Muslim younger generations ideology about the nature of God. The
subsidiary rituals of worship. The Modernists avoid excessive accolades to massively entered modern education Salafis believe that the manifestation of
commonly prevailing characteristic of religious teachers, clerics and scholars, God is really anthropomorphic (tajsim),
the Muhammadiyah is that the call for sheikhs of mystical orders, andtawasul, also gradually reduced the differences. and that He can be located in a specific
Since the 1980s, the dichotomy between
prayer (azan) for the Friday congregation but traditionalists continue to do so. traditionalists and modernists had been place, namely on the Throne. The NU
(jumatan) is done only once, while the Similarly, Sufism and certain vocations and the Muhammadiyah are strongly
Nahdlatul Ulama usually does it twice. of the mystical orders, which the fadingand the distinctive characteristics opposed to this anthropomorphic view.
The Muhammadiyah used to practice modernists rejected, were all practiced discussed above became lessuseful What the NU and the Muhammadiyah
the Tarawih prayer (at night during the by traditionalists. to differentiate between modernist also share is their opposition against
and traditionalist groups. Entering the
month Ramadan) as much as 8 raka’at The differences are not limited to rd the attitude of the Salafis who feel that
(lit. bows), plus 3 raka’at of Witir (the religious rituals, but also in ways of 3 millennium, the Muhammadiyah and they are the most correct and that they
Vigil prayer). The Nahdlatul Ulamain its dress and speaking, and educational the NU were no longer hostile towards categorize those who dissent as ahlul
turn, runs 23 raka’at, which include the orientation. If traditionalists chose each other, but started to collaborate. bid’ah (heretics), which also means
Witir. The modernists do not pronounce boarding schools as ideal places to The leaders of both groups are closer to infidels.
their intention before every ritual educate their children, modernists chose each other and work together to generate In the process of approaching each other
worship, while according to the NU the public schools, instead. Traditionalists welfare for all the people. to achieve the “unification” of modernists
pronouncement (talafuz) of the intention chose agriculture as their livelihood, This “unification” process was perhaps and traditionalists, the differences
has to be made. These differences are where as the modernists chose modern caused by the common challenges between their religious practices were no
the sources of the conflicts and are used vocations as employees, employers, or they, namely the Wahhabi Salafi group longer as striking as before. Mysticism,
to tease each other. traders. In the field of art, traditionalists that had begun to blossom since the for example, which the modernists

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