MIDTERM EXAM

Name: Dinda Nabila

NIM: 20/456025/SA/20283
Course: History of Islamic Societies
Lecturer: Dr. Arif Akhyat, M.A.

The Essence and Dynamics About the Arrival of Islam in Indonesia

One of the main aspects from history of Islam in Indonesia is how Islam
can be integrated with the conception of Indonesia that is dominated by
conservative cultures. Indeed, Islam became an important instrument of modernity
for the history of Indonesia as a whole. Its existence could change various aspects
that had been built for a long time. However, the interesting is the arrival of Islam
to Indonesia at that time was not accompanied by a whole Islamic culture because
it had to go through a series of conversions. The arrival of Islam in Indonesia is still
being debated by experts, but the history of Islam can not be separated from the role
of several figures, one of them is Christian Snouch Hurgronje (1857-1936). He is a
professor, Dutch colonial official, and a pioneer in the scientific study of Islam. He
published many Islamic studies and also visited Mecca in August 1884 to deepen
Islamic knowledge. He represented himself as a Muslim and studied a volume on
the Acehnese assembly in Mecca. This is the starting point for Hurgronje to deepen
the study of Aceh.

In 1891, the colonial government assigned Hurgronje to collect

informations regarding Islam in Aceh. His efforts were not only to see the existence
of Islam in Aceh, but also to analyze daily life by becoming a Muslim community.
Hurgronje combined philological and historical hermeneutics to achieve a political
vision in order to modernize society based on Dutch model. This effort seemed to
give significant results, as can be seen in two publications that contained complete
descriptions of the real social situation. The strong nuances of Islam can not be
separated from previous carriers. Many literatures stated that Islam was brought by
trade or marriage so there was a strong cultural penetration. In addition, Pijnappel
mentioned Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta (Maroccoan traveler) visited Sumatra in the
14th century. He considered the spread of Islam from Arab culture in Gujarat and
Malabar because these areas were often mentioned in Indonesian history.

Hurgronje's efforts in developing Islamic policies shown satisfactory

results. He was able to stop the war in Aceh and the general security situation was
improved at the beginning of the twentieth century. Nevertheles, the ethical politics
of the colonial administration as the long term vision failed. Although Hurgronje
criticized the previous colonial policy regarding modern concepts based on the
Dutch model, in the end that concept became a momentum for indigenous youth to
develop nationalist ideas. It showed that none of Hurgronje’s long term vision
became true because Islam (orthodox and reforminst forms) stood in strong
opposition to Hurgronje’s desired unification of colony and indigenous people.
Basically, this failure was not only caused by the side of the indigenous people,
there were some things from Hurgronje’s side that were not suitable to be applied.
It can be seen from Hurgronje’s strategy that guided by liberal worldview, but he
conducted his modernization policies in an authoritarian fashion.

From some of the points above, Islam has brought many changes to
indigenous people in the Dutch East Indies which are still continuing today.
Hurgronje, as a pioneer of Islamic studies, has made many contributions that were
able to provide different points of view for other scholars. Springer's article on
Islam As a Problem and Drewes' article on New Light On The Coming Of Islam To
Indonesia showed that Hurgronje’s thought regarding modern Indonesia can not be
an Islamic Indonesia has been proven wrong. Nevertheles, the investigation has
been reopend and must continue to be done by providing new data. If this can be
done seriously, it will certainly provide a novelty aspect that will have a positive
impact on many people.