Revisiting Literacy Jihad Programs of ‘Aisyiyah in Countering the Challenges of Salafism

Abstract

The rise of the Salafi movements in Indonesia during the last two decades has created an increasingly pessimistic view of the status of women in Islam. This paper aims to lessen this negative view by showing the tremendous contribution of ‘Aisyiyah, the oldest modern Muslim women’s organization in Indonesia, to transforming Indonesian society through literacy jihad for women and families. Using in-depth interviews with board members of ‘Aisyiyah, combined with library research to collect primary data on the past activities of ‘Aisyiyah, this qualitative research portrays how ‘Aisyiyah has preserved and maintained its consistency in conducting literacy jihad since the 1920s. Through the establishment of ‘Aisyiyah Bustanul Athfal Kindergarten, usually shortened to TK ABA, and the publication of Suara ‘Aisyiyah magazine, the literacy jihad of ‘Aisyiyah constantly empowers many Muslim women and families, especially those who live in urban areas across the country. Currently, the number of TK ABA has reached nearly 22,000 units, and the Suara ‘Aisyiyah has also entered a digital platform to continue raising the voice of women’s rights in Indonesia. Furthermore, we posit that the literary jihad programs of ‘Aisyiyah provide a new perspective on the relationship between modernist Muslim organizations and the Salafi movements, which have been seen as similar because they both subscribe to the same purification ideology.