In “moderate” Indonesia, Sharia is fast becoming the center of every aspect of life, thanks to the efforts of so-called “born again Muslims” who are shifting the country’s economy to ground it in “conservative Islam.” One “born again Muslim,” Arie Untung, states: “We have become some sort of like endorsers, the endorsers of Allah.”
Indonesian President, Joko Widodo, faced criticism last year for lacking political authority because of the selection, apparently against Widodo’s will, of Ma’ruf Ami, the “highly conservative head of the Indonesian Ulama Council,” as his running mate. Amin is said to wield “unprecedented influence” in Indonesia for a Muslim scholar. In June, when Amin spoke at a seminar organized by the Indonesian Mosque Council in Jakarta, he talked about “moderate Islam” being the solution in moving forward for Indonesia. He went on to define what he meant by “moderate”:
“What ulemas like us must do is build a Muslim brotherhood, a national brotherhood and then a brotherhood of humanity,” Ma’ruf said. The seminar was also “attended by prominent figures from Indonesia’s two biggest Muslim organizations, the Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah.”
Now, with what looks to be an Islamic revival in Indonesia thanks to “born again Muslims,” Indonesia is seeing a “rapid growth in demand for halal food,” housing developments to give Muslims “the chance to follow in the footsteps of the Prophet Muhammad,” sharia banking, “Islamic friendly” entertainment, and Muslim prayer festivals, all helped along by online Islamic preachers. The country is also experiencing the impact of Saudi Arabia quietly spreading its “brand of puritanical Islam.”
“Ground shifts in Indonesia’s economy as conservative Islam takes root,” Israel Hayom, August 29, 2019:
Arie Untung, a former video jockey for the Indonesian offshoot of MTV, says he used to drink alcohol regularly and – back then – was a jeans-clad, spiky-haired rocker who was only a nominal Muslim.
But he says his religious fervor was rekindled by online preachers promoting more conservative interpretations of Islam, which are gaining ground in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country and bringing profound changes in its economy.
Untung has now reinvented his career by linking up with other celebrities to run a Shariah (Islamic law)-friendly entertainment business in Southeast Asia’s biggest economy, including hosting popular Muslim prayer festivals. They are part of a growing body of “born-again” Muslims driving social changes that are also having an economic impact, encouraging everything from Muslim-targeted housing to Shariah banking.
“We have become some sort of like endorsers, the endorsers of Allah,” said Untung, who now sports a beard and a more restrained hairstyle, referring to his celebrity colleagues.
The celebrities, who jointly have over 20 million followers on Instagram and Twitter, are part of what has become known as the “hijrah” movement in Indonesia and, according to Untung, aim to make an Islamic economy more mainstream.
Hijrah, Arabic for migration, is used to refer to the Prophet Muhammad’s journey from Mecca to Medina to escape persecution and represents the beginning of the Muslim era.
Indonesia’s 215 million Muslims have traditionally been moderate and their beliefs often included elements of mysticism and local customs…..