Luthfi Assyaukanie's article titled "Where we go to study Indonesian Islam" (The Jakarta Post, June 25) is controversial. The author also discusses a quite sensitive issue. Therefore, it is not surprising that this article bears many comments.
At a glance, the article sounds tendentious. On the one hand, it is impressed that Luthfi tends to praise centers of Islamic studies in the West, by pointing to the amount of its superiority, either from its methodology, academic environment, or its facilities and resources. On the other hand, in contrast, he seems to understate the role of Islamic institutions, by showing its weaknesses.
In the beginning of the article, Luthfi explains that to study Islam, we do not necessarily have to enter Islamic institutions, but we can study Islam in secular institutions, such as Western universities that provide Islamic studies programs.
He said the latter was more promising. Luthfi's thesis is derived from the assumption that the clause "to study" Islam does not only mean converting a certain understanding of Islam, but also means exploring knowledge. So, when Islam is placed as an object of study as many other sciences, it does not matter if we study Islam wherever we go.
This argument rejects a certain opinion which tends to see Islam normatively that Islam is a religious doctrine and studying Islam means practicing Islamic teaching. Therefore, for one who holds this stance, it is strange when someone who wants to study Islam goes to the West. Studying Islam to non-Muslims is not appropriate based on the reason that we have to study with someone who is expert. For them, studying Islam in the Middle East is better because we are studying with an expert.
In my opinion, this dispute can be understood since each commentator has a different view point in positioning Islam. The first sees Islam as knowledge (scientific), whereas the second shows Islam as a religious doctrine (normative). In case Indonesian scholars study Islam in the West, they do not study Islam in terms of it being a religious doctrine. Studying Islam in the West is not like studying Islam in Middle Eastern Islamic institutions. Both are different, especially related to its subject and methodology.
When we are studying Islam in Islamic institutions, courses studied are traditional Islamic sciences. Each subject and lecturer's opinion must be received and even be memorized. There is no space for students to think critically and speak out with different ideas. It is similar to the process of indoctrination inculcated by a senior to his junior in an organization.
While, studying Islam in the West, Islam is approached as a social phenomenon. Courses studied in Western Islamic studies centers are modern sciences such as anthropology, sociology, political sciences, and so on. These sciences are used to understand Islam as a social phenomenon. Through these sciences, one is expected to be able to portray Islam as understood and practiced by Muslims. Free thinking and a critical attitude are pivotal elements in the academic environment. This is what has been developed in Western universities, including in its centers of Islamic studies.
Cucu Surahman
Jakarta
