Thoughts on Islamic Modernization in Indonesia

Muslims want progress and development in their daily life. Their religion should work for everyone, everywhere, and at all times. Indonesia is known for having moderate Islam and a long history of Islamic modernism. Indonesia is a country where democracy, Islam, and modernity coexist, according to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. 

Religious groups in Indonesia, such as Muhammadiyah and NU, believe in modernizing religion by following the rule "Preserving the good old, and adopting the better new." This means keeping the important old traditions and incorporating new ones that are more relevant. Muhammadiyah in Indonesia combines local traditions with Islam as long as they don't go against Islamic teachings. This approach is known as Cultural Da'wah.

Indonesia faced challenges in modernizing Islam. Islamic modernism movements in Indonesia are working to modernize Islam in the country through various actions, those are:

1. Schools, Madrasas, and universities were created to promote modernization. Before 1899, only boys went to school. Girls were taught at home to become good housewives. Girls were allowed to go to schools and universities between 1899 and 1904.

2. Publishing articles in magazines and newspapers to spread the message of modernization. Al-Munir magazine was published by Abdullah Ahmad between 1910-1916 AD. Tempo magazine helped Islamic modernists spread their message of reform and modernization to Muslims in the region. In the May 1971 edition, the magazine featured information about Nurcholish Madjid, which played a significant role in promoting the values of modernism.

3. Creating modern and reformist religious groups that teach and preach at religious centers and through educational programs. Ahmad Dahlan founded Muhammadiyah in Yogyakarta in 1912. It helped spread moderate Islam in Indonesia. They aimed to make Islamic teaching pure by removing non-Islamic teaching, polytheism, and heresy. The organization teaches both Islamic and general science subjects.

4. Nationalism is an approach that emphasizes the importance of a nation and its people. The movement used Islamic principles to resist foreign rule and free Indonesia from Dutch control. The movement helped unite Indonesia by promoting Pancasila as the foundation of the state. They considered Islam as a unifying ideology for their nation. The archipelago agreed to form a state named Indonesia.

In conclusion, Indonesia has a visible conflict between Islamic modernists and traditionalists. The conversation has been going on for almost 100 years and is still happening today. The fact is, Islamic modernists still failed to eliminate traditionalists. Traditional Islam has deep roots in Indonesia, making it difficult for Islamic modernists to eradicate it. Islamic modernists aim to replace traditional concepts with those that are compatible with Islam, rather than eliminating traditionalism altogether.