(Theo)logical Fallacy in Indonesia

Drs. Nanang Syaikhu, M.Sc.
Lecturer at the Faculty of Da'wah and Communication Sciences of UIN Jakarta

In Islam, bid'ah (innovating) is adding something new to the religion, particularly in matters of worship, that lacks a basis in the Quran or the Sunnah as the direct teachings and practices from the Prophet Muhammad PBUH. Apparently in Indonesia, such practices are highly common. Is this a new form of forgotten sin collectively performed by Indonesian Muslims?

The Base

Every religion carries sacred teachings. However, not every practice embedded within a community qualifies as doctrine. In reality, separating religious teaching from local tradition is not always a straightforward approach.

Salat, for instance, stands unquestionably as a core Islamic obligation. But the use of prayer beads (tasbih) in remembrance of God is cultural rather than doctrinal. The same applies to selamatan (feasts), walimatussafar (gatherings), or the use of Qur’anic verses and duʿāʾ from spiritual masters as talismanic objects. These practices are rooted more in heritage than in formal instruction.

Such customs represent what scholars often refer to as religious behavior: a ritual pattern shaped by history, locality, and social imagination. As Islam spread across the Archipelago and Muslims gained broader knowledge of their faith, these practices did not always fortify attachment to foundational sources; in some cases, they produced new convictions, even splinter groups.

While matters of furu’iyah (jurisprudential branches) allow room for variation, Islamic creed (aqidah) occupies a different domain entirely. This explains why movements such as Ahmadiyya, Salamullah, or Mahdism are regarded by many Islamic authorities as extremist.

When Tradition Becomes Identity

Within Muslim societies, unfamiliar or controversial rituals often spark debate. But traditions that remain within accepted theological limits and receive the endorsement of religious authority typically survive for generations—handed down as cultural inheritance. In uṣūl al-fiqh, long-held customary practice with clear benefit is known as urf, a recognized ancillary source of Islamic legal reasoning.

Within and across Muslim-majority nations, ‘urf appears in countless expressions. Even the widely loved celebration of Mawlid al-Nabi is rooted more in tradition than primary doctrine.

Indonesia exemplifies this diversity. Muslims in Banten do not mirror that of Aceh; West Java differs from East Java as much as Jakarta does from Sumatra. Despite these differences, there is a common theological basis, with Islam serving as the guiding principle.

History has always tied Islamic practice to local culture. Sunan Kalijaga’s use of wayang as a medium for da‘wa stands as a lasting example of turning popular art into moral instruction. To this day, wayang survives as a cultural sermon, particularly in Java.

Tradition Grows and Sometimes Outgrows Its source.

In recent decades, religious study circles, media access, and grassroots scholarship have brought Islamic teachings into new spaces. The result is a flourishing of local traditions, which is creative, adaptive, and occasionally excessive. In some communities, these customs blur so closely with religious teaching that the distinction becomes difficult.

However, diversity itself is not a threat. Islam, historically and conceptually, accommodates culture so long as the core creed remains intact. Even the Qur’an demonstrates sensitivity to context. Verses revealed in Mecca predominantly use the word "Rab," aligning with the linguistic familiarity of the Arabs; after migration to Medina, when the believers gained new theological awareness, revelation shifts to the name "Allah."

The variance suggests a principle: Islam speaks to the socio-psychological horizon of its people. Tradition, therefore, is tolerable when it does not contradict the Qur’an and Hadith.

Why Do Traditions Persist?

Tradition is not just a matter of memory; rather, it serves as a means for communities to integrate God into their daily lives.

Rituals often intertwine devotional elements like recitation (wirid) and Qur’anic blessings (hajatan) accompanied with cultural festivity. A young mother hosting a (nujuh bulan) seventh-month celebration of her pregnancy may fill her home with communal prayer, food, and gathering. She may believe such recitation invokes beauty and blessing for her unborn child before it is finally brought out into the world alive. 

The ceremony continues not because its theology is logically perfect, but because it feels like the sacred made present—a moment in which the divine enters domestic life.

Should It Be Allowed?

Yes, it is. Indonesian religious tradition illustrates a broader truth: for many Muslims, divine encounter does not occur only through salat or fasting. It emerges in gatherings, in shared food, and through poetry, chant, and symbolic gesture. Modern communities increasingly gravitate toward dhikr assemblies, collective wirid, and public expressions of identity that make faith visible, audible, and emotionally immediate.

This article was originally published in PanjiMasyarakat on Wednesday (26/11/2025).