CANCELLED: The Political Economy of Sharia and the Future Trajectory of Indonesia’s Democracy
ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute regrets that due to unforeseen circumstances, The Political Economy of Sharia and the Future Trajectory of Indonesia’s Democracy by Dr Syafiq Hasyim, scheduled to be held on 24 January 2019 (Thursday), will be cancelled.
INDONESIA STUDIES PROGRAMME SEMINAR
About the Seminar
This presentation focuses on the position of sharia economy in the future trajectory of Indonesia’s democracy. Both the presidential and vice-presidential candidates, Joko Widodo – Ma’ruf Amin and Prabowo Subianto – Sandiaga Uno seem to endorse the concept of sharia economy as a promising future direction for the national economy in their respective political campaigns. The presentation uncovers the early historical initiative of Indonesian Muslim intellectuals and activists in proposing sharia economy, which was related to the spirit of Islamisation of sciences. The momentous era of sharia (or Islamic) economy with the onset of Ikatan Cendekiawan Muslim Indonesia (ICMI, Association of Indonesian Muslim Intellectuals) also became the attention of this talk. Since the ICMI’s establishment, the proponents of Islamic economy in Indonesia were divided into two groups: those who wanted to create a new paradigm of Islamic economy, the IIIT group; and those who wanted to establish Islamic economy through the revitalization of fiqh al-muʿmalah (Islamic legal jurisprudence on social and economic relation that has now become the dominant school of sharia economy in Indonesia). Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI, the Council of Indonesian Ulama) is the leader of the second group. This presentation, therefore, also underlines the two strong examples of sharia economy movement developed by MUI: sharia-finance that includes sharia bank, insurance and other financial businesses; and the halal industry. It also sheds light on how both the sharia bank and halal industry could become an effective vehicle for a more established sharia economy. Last but not least, this seminar also elaborates on whether or not the presence of populist Islamism in the form of Aksi Bela Islam (ABI, Action to Defend Islam) generates any positive contribution for the sharia economy.
About the Speaker
Syafiq Hasyim is Visiting Fellow at the Indonesian Programme of RSIS-NTU, Lecturer at the International Relations of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, and Director of International Center for Islam and Pluralism. He has earned an MA in Islamic Studies from Leiden University and Dr. Phil in Islamic Studies from Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies, Freie Universitaet, Berlin, Germany.