and entrepreneurship in the religious order of
Shidiqiyah.
The internalization of the meaning of Laailaha
illa Allah in the business activities of the Shidiqiyah
order has lent support to the embedded perspective in
sociology of economics, which states that the
rationality of economic actions cannot be separated
from moral values (Nugroho, 2001). This idea is
certainly in direct contradiction with the neoclassical
idea which tends to separate the two (Etzioni, 1992),
since neoclassical paradigm is not only ignoring the
moral dimension but also actively resistant to the
inclusion of moral dimension. In neoclassical
economics, it is emphasized that individual can have
different rank of preferences for a choice but none is
considered to be better than the other. Neoclassical
economics endeavors to discover the mechanisms
(especially price) which can result in the most
efficient allocation of resources, that is the allocation
which can fulfill individual wants the most. However,
neoclassical economics tends to see the will as
something which is centered on self interest of the
individual which is independent of the social values
or altruism, let alone spiritual values (Chapra, 2001).
However, the values are important for individuals
since they are the reason for the individual to exist
and maintain his/herself in fulfilling their own needs
and to maintain the continuity of their business.
However, even Adam Smith himself did not wish
to eradicate morality and religion in economic
activities, and he even supported the social institution
of market, religious community and the enactment of
laws to strengthen self control and charitable
disposition of the mind, since Smith is after all not
just an economist but also a professor of moral
philosophy (Skousen, 2006). The phenomenon of
entrepreneurship in the Shidiqiyah order is a critique
against the thesis in Weber's Protestant Ethic and the
Spirit of Capitalism (Weber, 2003), that unlike the
Protestants (especially the Puritan Calvinist sects),
Islam does not have theological affinity in the
development of business and entrepreneurship, and
moreover, the assumption is based more on the sufi
practices of Islam which tends to emphasize the
disdain of the world, forgetting the world, which then
contributed to the emergence of a fatalist economic
behavior. The inclusion of the moral values of
Laailaha illa Allah in the business activities of
Shidiqiyah order has important implication for the
meaning of wealth in the life of the members of this
religious order but also implies that wealth has not
only economic function but also has spiritual, social,
culture and evangelical (dakwah) value.
In daily practice, Shidiqiyah peoples believe that the
success in pursuing riches or materials is not only
measured by hard work, but also the submission to
“the Guidance or Blessing from Allah SWT”. It
means that all riches and prosperities acquired and
owned by human are not merely coming from it, but
is given from “outsider power”, being aware or not.
Therefore, these peoples use any methods to help
them to afford riches or materials, such as working
hard, praying, keeping silaturahim, implementing
“deed” from Mursyid, and giving alms.
For Shidiqiyah people, working hard is a must
because it is the only way to make an individual
becoming economically self-supported to avoid from
the attitudes of begging or depending on others.
Working hard is also implementing the culture of
Shidiqiyah, called S3, namely sedekah (giving alms),
santunan (giving helps), and silaturahim (preserving
the friendship). Riches are only obtained by working
and exercising the effort firmly to obtain it. The
concept of working hard as the devotion and as the
part of jihad to Shidiqiyah peoples is equivalent to the
concept of “appeal” and “call” in Calvinist Protestant
calling as shown by Weber. Weber’s argument is
rested upon the concept of individual obligation
before God. In other words, the concept of “appeal”
and “call” is to believe that all powers of the world
are given by God and obtaining these powers is a
sacred task. The understanding of this concept makes
profane activities to be filled with religious values.
The most important part of this concept is working as
the sacred task, meaning that working will produce
work ethos that supports capitalistic mentalities such
as satins, wise, diligent, and consciences to manage
the business (Amilda, 2010).
In the tarekat of Shidiqiyah, the concept of working
hard as the devotion and jihad is not automatically
rejecting other powers which are “ghaib” in nature,
such as the power of prayer (pray done by mursyid
and parent), “blessed money”, and “mukjizat power
of alms”. It may differs the tarekat of Shidiqiyah from
Calvinist Protestant teaching because Weber states
that Calvinist capitalism spirit has denied magical
power in the world and abandoned all magical
methods to obtain safety and considering them as
takhayul or superstitious, and also sin. The tarekat of
Shidiqiyah has considered magical methods as the
supporting power toward ikhtiyar and hard work as
required by Islam. It put strong base to eliminate
syirik which is admitting other power other than God
(Al Kautsar, 2010).
In economic perspective, “pray” and “deed” are the
elements to support business, and both are classified
into spiritual capital. This concept initially suggests
due to narrow interpretation of social capital (Zohar
& Marshall, 2005). Although high levels of social
capital can be profitable to company, employee,