Three Sufi Communities Guarding the Earth: A Case Study of Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change in Indonesia

Abstract

Prasenjet Duara (2015) accuses divine religions as the cause of the environmental crisis and natural disasters. Duara's thesis was counterattacked by scientists and religionists who stated that religion has the spirit and teachings of careness for the environment. Nevertheless, the arguments they built are still theological, normative and theoretical. This study is an antithesis to the Duara’s statement and at the same time presents evidence based on the primary data that occurred in three Sufi communities. The focus of this study analyzes Sufi activism in Indonesia in safeguarding the earth, as a form of substantial religious responses to the environmental crisis due to climate change. Through the principles and mechanism of qualitative research methods, researchers sought to analyze mitigation and adaptation actions to climate change carried out by the Majlis Zikir Kraton Pekalongan, Jamaah Aoulia Panggang and Pesan Trend Ilmu Giri. The data are obtained through interviews, observation and documentation and they are analyzed interactively. The results of the study revealed that climate change is believed by the Sufis as God’s authority due to human destructive behavior. For Sufis, overcoming climate change must begin with a change in the perspective of human relations, nature and God. In the case of three Sufi communities, religion is not just a doctrine of the relationship between God and humans, but also operational guidance on how to synergize with nature. Through a substantial religious spirit, the Sufis guard the earth through the re-actualization of the narratives of takhalli, tahalli and tajalli, as ecological repentance, ecological movements, and ecological campaigns in mitigating and adapting to climate change. [Prasenjet Duara (2015) menuduh agama-agama samawi sebagai penyebab terjadinya krisis lingkungan dan bencana alam. Tesis Duara mendapat serangan balik dari ilmuwan dan agamawan yang menyatakan bahwa agama memiliki spirit dan ajaran kepedulian terhadap lingkungan. Hanya saja argumen yang mereka bangun masih bersifat teologis, normatif dan teoritis. Kajian ini merupakan antitesa terhadap pernyataan Duara, dan sekaligus menyajikan bukti berdasarkan data-data lapangan yang terjadi pada tiga komunitas sufi. Fokus kajian ini menganalisis aktivisme kaum sufi di Indonesia dalam menjaga bumi, sebagai bentuk respons kaum beragama subtansial terhadap krisis lingkungan akibat perubahan iklim. Melalui prinsip dan mekanisme metode penelitian kualitatif, peneliti berusaha menganalisis tindakan mitigasi dan adaptasi terhadap perubahan iklim yang dilakukan oleh Majelis Zikir Kraton Pekalongan, Jamaah Aoulia Panggang dan Pesan Trend Ilmu Giri Yogyakarta. Data-data diperoleh melalui wawancara, observasi dan dokumentasi dan dianalisis secara interaktif. Hasil kajian mengungkap bahwa perubahan iklim diyakini oleh kaum sufi sebagai otoritas Tuhan yang disebabkan perilaku destruktif manusia. Bagi kaum sufi, mengatasi perubahan iklim harus dimulai dari perubahan cara pandang relasi manusia, alam dan Tuhan. Dalam kasus di tiga komunitas sufi, agama tidak sekedar menjadi doktrin tentang relasi Tuhan dan manusia, melainkan juga petunjuk operasional bagaimana bersinergi dengan alam. Melalui spirit agama yang subtansial, kaum sufi menjaga bumi melalui reaktualisasi narasi takhalli, tahalli dan tajalli, sebagai pertaubatan ekologi, gerakan ekologi, serta kampanye ekologi dalam perilaku mitigasi dan adaptasi terhadap perubahan iklim.]

Hybrid Sufism for enhancing quality of life: Ethnographic perspective in Indonesia

“…Based on their interviews, if their opinions were associated with the horizontal aspect of Sufism, NA and IH strongly promote and practice environmental care with a Sufi approach. This is in line with the concept of ecosufism (Ahmad 2019; Suwito 2010) and associated with environmental mitigation (Ahmad 2019;Febriani 2018;Imamah 2017;Rofiq 2019;Suwito 2010). Meanwhile, NA, IH, FZ and TGR believe there is a reciprocal law.…”

“…In the context of Sufism, true happiness will arise if one can practice worship, which further gives rise to religious ethics consistently (Omar et al 2021). The prostration called NA here can be implemented in the frame of loyalty and social services (Ahmad 2019;Suwito 2010). Through Sufism, social care and compassion are easily installed and implemented (Khan et al 2020).…”

The Sufi order against religious radicalism in Indonesia

“…In fact, TQN in Indonesia cannot be separated from the problems of political and social issues in Indonesia (Awaludin 2016;Turmudi 1998). The Sufi order is a solution for drug addicts (narcotics, psychotropic substances and addictive substances), a reference for the government in formulating development policies, a source of political support in general elections, participating in resolving social conflicts and being a guardian of environmental damage (Ahmad 2019;Annajih & Sa'idah 2019;Birhasani 2017;Hassanali 2010;Mulyati & Nihayah n.d.;Nimtz 1980;Türkmen 2018).…”

“…Feeling as the rightest one like a radical group is not in accordance with the teachings of the Sufists and violates prophetic principles. Islam prohibits doing damage, violence and conflict on earth (Ahmad 2019;Faiz 2014;Rusydi & Zolehah 2018).…”

Green Sufism Argument as Environmental Ethics (Philosophical Analysis)

“…Sufism studies have recently expanded to overcome environmental issues, especially natural preservation and protection, becoming the most widespread and powerful revolutionary movement in decades (Irawan & Nasution, 2020). Several extraordinary studies have resulted from this spiritual ecology movement (Ahmad, 2019;Rozi, 2019).…”