Updates According to Gus Dur
Before going any further, it is important to know in advance the notion of 'renewal' that has been known in the Islamic world and how Gus Dur views this 'renewal'.
Renewal is a topic that has been the attention of observers and observers of Islam since the beginning of this century. In the meaning of looseness, reform is interpreted as an effort to adjust Islamic religious thoughts with new developments caused by modern science and technology. All barriers to the progress of Islam are removed, on the contrary all that can support the progress of Islam, are taken and collected. Islamic reform is largely a reaction to the social reality of Muslims: as a colonized, backward, poor and ignorant nation, and entangled in superstition, heretic, and khurafat thoughts.
Renewal thoughts and movements in Islam alternately occur in the 7th century AD to the 20th century. Like the many terms that refer to it, there are also many patterns and types. [7] But in the overall reading and evaluation of the reform movement, the character includes a number of trends as follows; a call to return to the foundations of Islam: the Qur'an and Hadith As part of this proposal, purification and purification of Islamic thought and teachings were carried out from elements considered to be non-Islamic. Another important call is the opening of ijtihad, which enables the formulation of new thoughts and no longer taqlid, merely adopting obsolete thoughts without reserve. But when the door of ijtihad was opened simultaneously it was also actually closed, because the effort to formulate the new thought lost its energy and instruments when they got rid of the intellectual heritage of medieval Islam which they accused as the source of taqlid and the blurring of pure teachings of the Quran. Direct reading of the Quran and Hadith, without the support of knowledge instruments and methodologies passed down from generation to generation, is limited, literal and dry. Ijtihad only emphasized its importance, but it was never really possible to do it. He only became a slogan. The anti-intellectual nature of this religious reform movement made the Islamic body emaciated, with a rigid and arrogant attitude.
Modernists - as part of this reform movement - which initially grew at the beginning of the last century, picked up the whole spirit of reform above, especially the proposal to open the door to ijtihad, and complete it by adopting western ideas and systems in various fields, especially in education. For them, Islam touches and teaches all aspects of life. Then we know the ideas of Islamic politics, Islamic education, Islamic economics, and so on.But while still ignoring the intellectual heritage of Islamic Medievalism, this movement became ahistorical and had no strong roots, and in many ways was considered '(influenced) west.'
In accordance with this description, renewed thinking and movement (in Indonesia) has often been addressed as the primary mission and vision of Islamic organizations that are considered to be 'modern' just like Persis (Islamic Unity) and Muhammadiyah. On the other hand, the whole organization that is considered 'traditional' is not at all and refuses to make reforms.
UNTIL WALISONGO. The seeds of philosophical Sufism in Indonesia from the beginning have as much power as moral Sufism.
Moreover, the role of Shaykh Siti Jenar's teachings, as a trustee with a highly qualified scientific capacity, has a place in the hearts of the people. This shows that the two models of Sufism have existed and grew even at the level of becoming a mainstream in the archipelago.