Letters: Complex culture of Islam

I refer to an article titled “Where we go to study Indonesian Islam?,” (June 25).

This is an interesting piece that focuses on the availability of sources in judging where best to conduct research on Indonesian Islam. However, to study Indonesian Islam, as any other religious tradition, requires not only good library, but also good advice (professors) and a good academic environment (academic freedom).

Beyond that, academic approaches to religion also depends on critical engagement of the approaches being used, regardless of the places of study (Indonesia, the US, Europe, Australia and even the Middle East).

Although Indonesian universities still lack such requirements, this does not mean that this is an inherent problem; In fact, some Indonesian universities, such as the State Islamic Universities (UINs), attempt to combine Middle Eastern, Western, and local approaches and traditions when studying Islam. Some progress and reform for a better educational system and culture is underway.

Also, some Middle Eastern students and universities have begun to study Islam in non-Arabic countries; and they combine approaches. Universities in the US and Europe have even begun to adopt and adapt Middle Eastern approaches and traditions.

My point is that it is now a good time to synthesize different sources of knowledge and to use but engage different approaches in an attempt to understand the complex Islamic culture, and this can be done anywhere in the world as long as the requirements above are met.

Muhamad Ali
Riverside, CA