Ahl as Sunnah waal Jama’ah in Indonesia: A Study on Al-Banjari’s and Islam Nusantara Sunnism

Abstract

This study focused on the early history of the emergence of the ahl as-sunnah waal-jamāʻah (Sunnism) and its development in Indonesia. This study also compared al-Banjari's Sunnism with Indonesia's Islamic group Nahdlatul Ulama’s Sunnism. To this end, content analysis and comparative analysis were performed on two al-Banjari books, Tuhfah al-Raghibin and Sabilal Muhtadin, and some articles discussing Islam Nusantara (Indonesian Islamic Sunnism Model) promoted by the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU). The results of analyses revealed that Both al-Banjari and NU’s Sunnism was a moderate form of Islam compatible with Indonesian cultural values. Al-Banjari’s Sunnism was a bit different from the NU's Sunnism. The NU's Sunnism was deemed more adaptable to the Indonesian culture.Keywords: Ahl as Sunnah waal Jama’ah; Islam Nusantara; Moderation