Introducing the concept of Indonesia’s Moderate Islam
Indonesia, as the country with the largest Muslim population in Asia, has an important role in the global dynamics of Islam. Its involvement in organisations such as the OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) often makes it seen as a country with Islamic ideology, although in reality it is much more than that. In the midst of this phenomenon, the concept of moderate Islam emerged as an alternative. Moderate Islam aims to bridge differences between Islamic groups, promote tolerance and inclusiveness, and balance Islamic identity with local culture. Thus, moderate Islam is not only a solution to Indonesia’s internal dynamics, but also a valuable contribution to understanding between civilizations in the world.
The development of moderate Islam in Indonesia is rooted in the Nusantara Islamic tradition that has long emphasised harmony between Islamic teachings and local culture. The definition of moderate Islam in Indonesia generally refers to an understanding and practice of Islam that promotes values of tolerance, inclusiveness and nationalism, while adhering to the basic principles of the religion. The concept was popularised and developed by major Islamic organisations such as Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah, as well as prominent Muslim scholars such as Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) and Nurcholish Madjid.
The main goals of moderate Islam in Indonesia are to maintain a balance between Islamic and Indonesian identities, promote peace and interfaith harmony, and support national development within the framework of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. The movement also seeks to counter religious extremism and radicalism, while emphasising the compatibility between Islam, democracy and modernity. The development of moderate Islam in Indonesia has played an important role in shaping the peaceful and inclusive face of Islam in the country with the largest Muslim population in the world.
Although Islamic symbolism is relatively absent in Indonesia’s foreign relations, it is an influential constraint on some foreign policy issues. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs usually takes a middle path to overcome such identity difficulties and domestic constraints. Although the Ministry carefully considers and accommodates the aspirations of domestic Muslims in its foreign policy formulation, it tends to avoid making Islam the official framework of its foreign policy or international identity (Azra, 2000).
There is a paradox in the attitude of the Indonesian government that is reflected in the quote above. On the one hand, the government does not want to make Islam the image of official policy, but at the same time it wants to use moderate Islam as a soft power to show its existence as an “Islamic” country through the hope of promoting a moderate Islamic foreign policy. However, in the midst of this paradox, Indonesia still makes efforts to introduce and spread the concept of moderate Islam at any available opportunity.
A recent international conference hosted by Indonesia that attracted global attention was the R20 (Religion of Twenty), an official Engagement Group of the G20 Summit, which took place on 2-3 November 2022 on the island of Bali. At R20, religious leaders from around the world gathered to discuss religion as a solution to global issues such as climate change, poverty, extremism and terrorism. The conference aims to promote solidarity and respect among the peoples and nations of the world, by seeking to build a global alliance based on shared civilisational values (R20 2022). The R20 features close collaboration between Indonesian state and non-state actors, as an NU initiative supported by the Joko Widodo administration (2014-2024). With R20, Indonesia put religion in the spotlight of world politics and set the agenda for the upcoming G20 summit: the hosts of the next three summits, India (2023), Brazil (2024), and South Africa (2025), will follow Indonesia’s example and organise R20 meetings as well.
Through events such as the R20 or the international Islamic conference on the UN Charter, Indonesian actors seek to reconnect to a past where their country once emerged as a respected leader in the Global South. (Van Reybrouck 2022). Furthermore, in March 1965, NU in collaboration with the Indonesian government initiated a transregional Islamic gathering, the African-Asian Islamic Conference. This meeting also took place in Bandung and aimed to increase solidarity and cooperation between Islamic communities on both continents. The delegates focused on Islamic propagation, education, and culture, and agreed to establish an “Africa-Asia Islamic Organisation” with headquarters in Indonesia. However, this plan – which would have positioned Indonesia as the centre of the Islamic world – never materialised. Under President Suharto’s authoritarian New Order regime (1968-1998), Islam was banned from influencing foreign policy. The fall of the regime in 1998 was a turning point for Islam’s political role, not only domestically but also in its formal diplomacy.
Indonesia’s efforts to export the concept of moderate Islam are still facing some challenges. The uncertainty in the consideration of adopting an Islamic image in the country’s identity is certainly understandable given our historical background. However, it will limit Indonesia from achieving a greater role in the international Islamic world. This ambiguity of identity can be a barrier with countries that adopt an overtly Islamic identity. However, the fact that Indonesia does not make its national identity associated with the image of Islam also has a positive side. Indonesia can fill the role of bridge between the Islamic world and the Western world, becoming the middle or wasatiyyah, which is the meaning of moderate Islam.