Khilafah Vis a Vis Democracy Symbolic Interactionism Study of

BKIM, IPB Bogor

Iding Rosyidin

and Ratnia Solihah

Universitas Islam Negeri Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, Indonesia

University of Padjajaran

Keywords: Khilafah, Democracy, BKIM

Abstract: Research on Khilafah and Democracy: Symbolic Interactionism Study on BKIM Members, IPB, Bogor aims

to find out how the process of symbolic interactionism among then members of BKIM at IPB, Bogor. The

theories used in this research are symbolic interactionism and social construction. The research method used

is qualitative with case study approach. Informants who are the subject of this study are students of IPB who

became members of BKIM. The findings of this study indicate that members of BKIM, IPB perform a

symbolic interactionism process by often discussing among them about the khilafah issues and the like.

They construct the meaning of khilafah by the process of externalization, objectivation, and internalization

as the part of social construction theory. They finally came to the conclusion that khilafah as the best

alternative to the political system so that they disagreed, and even blamed the system of democracy

practiced in Indonesia. According to them, all the problems faced by Indonesia today in politics, economic,

culture and so on, are caused by the democratic system which is made by the human being. That is why they

suggested that Indonesia has to change its political system (democracy) to khilafah system.

1 INTRODUCTION

In recent decades, Islamic politics has been accused

by the Western media and literature as a terrorist or

fascist movements that are overall considered

contradictory to Western democratic ideology. (Kai

Hafez, 2010). Among other things is religious

radicalism of Muslims people. Radicalism in its

various forms, including religious radicalism, seems

to be increasingly threatening day by day. At the

international level, for example, the emergence of

radical religious organizations seems inevitable. One

of the things that takes the world's attention a lot is

the Islamic State of Iraq and Syrian (ISIS)

movement, or the latter is better known as the

Islamic State (IS). What is surprising is that IS

followers are not only from Islamic countries or the

countries which majority of its population are

Muslim, but also from European countries, even

though their character is not exactly the same as ISIS

followers from Islamic or Muslim countries.

Regardless of whether radical movements such

as IS are formed or "engineered" by Western

countries, their movements are definitely difficult to

stop. Various tragic or bloody events in various

places in the world are often associated with these

radical groups. Actions such as bombings,

kidnappings, murders and others often embellish

various reports in newspapers around the world.

They themselves often give recognition or claim

responsibility for various tragedies. This shows that

they did it on the basis of awareness.

The emergence of radicalism movement is

actually affected by two factors, especially when it is

observed from the sociological aspects. Firstly, it is

related to the ongoing socio-political and economic

conditions in the form of rejection and resistance.

Especially aspects of ideas and institutions that are

considered contrary to his beliefs. Secondly, it is

started from the rejection which continues to

coercion of the will to change fundamentally the

circumstances towards another order which

corresponds to an affiliated viewpoint and think to

certain values, such as religion and other ideologies

The religious radicalism movement is of course

considered a threat to the world. Their movement is

not only limited to the spread of radical and hard

teachings, but also does not hesitate to carry out

various acts of physical violence that sacrifice many

people. Sporadic attacks on people they deem not

396

Rosyidin, I. and Solihah, R.

Khilafah Vis a Vis Democracy Symbolic Interactionism Study of BKIM, IPB Bogor.

DOI: 10.5220/0009933103960403

In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Recent Innovations (ICRI 2018), pages 396-403

ISBN: 978-989-758-458-9

aligned with (infidels) through acts of blasting or

bombing are not infrequent. They regard this action

as a form of jihad fi sabilillah (striving in the way of

Allah) where the reward is none other than the life

of heaven with the angels.

Religious radicals, including IS and others,

usually carry understandings that want to replace the

ideas that have developed and are followed by

people in the world. They, for example, disagree

with the system that has been made by the world

community, both the political system, the social

system, the cultural system, and so on. Moreover,

they consider these systems to be contrary to their

beliefs, in this case Islam. Therefore, they then tried

to replace the system with a system they considered

to be Islamic. If soft methods cannot be realized,

they are reluctant to use violent methods.

Although, in different situations and conditions,

Indonesia is also not free from the influence of the

entry of religious radicalism. These past years have

even shown how Indonesia, which is known as a

multicultural country with the motto of Unity in

Diversity (different but one), is facing a tremendous

threat of radicalism. Various acts of physical

violence, even those that have claimed lives, acts of

intolerance, and such often occur in various regions

in Indonesia, not least in the capital city of Jakarta.

Radical movements, including religious radicalism,

do not all launch physical violence to achieve their

goals. The radical word itself is indeed not intended

as a physical act, but rather how a person or group

does something to its roots; unpack something to the

most basic. But in practice, radicals are interpreted

as actions that are contrary to existing standards. In

social and political terminology, radical movements

are usually associated with actions that try to counter

existing social and political systems.

In Indonesia, the movement of religious

radicalism continues to emerge. Some call it a right-

wing revival. Regardless of whether it has anything

to do with the right-wing revival in the United States

with the election of President Donald Trump, and

the right-wing movement continues to progress in

Indonesia. The space of freedom or democracy that

is actually criticized by their circles, is actually used

to display and expand their movement. Indonesia

that has declared itself as a democratic nation,

especially after the end of the New Order era, this

seems to have given a big stage for this group.

In Masdar Hilmy's expression, the development

and growth of radicalism after the New Order in

Indonesia, both clandestine - like Jamaah Islamiyah

(JI) - as well as being blatant - like Laskar Jihad,

Laskar Jundullah, FPI, MMI, HTI, and others - is a

follow-up effect of the increasingly open political

and democratic climate after the fall of the New

Order13 or what became known as the Reform Era

(Miqat, 2015).

One thing that cannot be denied is that during the

reformation period came what was called political

liberalization. Political liberalization itself is

interpreted as the process of streamlining certain

rights that protect individuals and social groups from

arbitrary or illegitimate acts committed by the state

or third parties (Guillermo O’Donnell dan Philip C.

Schmitter, 1993:7). The process of liberalization,

although sometimes carried out sporadically and

unevenly, is an important beginning of the

abandonment of the usual practice of authoritarian

regimes.

However, the liberalization phenomenon is not

without problems. Hence, with the liberalization,

groups who had always moved underground or did

not dare to explicitly perform their actions, they

seemed to have ruined. Finally, look at them on the

Indonesian political scene. Included in the group that

utilizes the situation of freedom is radical religious

groups. Therefore, radical movements of Islam even

appear to surface.

One of the fastest growing radical religious

movements in Indonesia is Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia

(HTI). This movement has entered Indonesia for

quite a lng time, but later it is getting stronger as

there is more opportunity or political stage for them

to explore. Leaders and followers of this group are

no longer hiding to express themselves in the midst

of society with their radical religious insights. One

of their radical religious insights is about the caliph.

As it is widely known that HTI, similar to HT

which in fact is its parent organization, since its

inception in Indonesia has brought a mission to

uphold the Islamic caliphate to replace the political

system (including democracy) practiced by almost

all countries in the world, including Indonesia. For

HTI, the political system that should be applied now

especially among Islamic countries or Muslim

majority is the Khilafah system (Sri Yunanto, 2017).

Their argumentation of the khilafah system is biased

to be the solution to the problems faced by mankind

today concerning social, political, economic,

cultural, religious, and so on. The various crises

faced by the society are considered as the the

consequences of not using the system of the khilafah

as the base of their life.

Movement of radical groups in Indonesia such as

HTI not only targeting the lay people, but also the

campus or college, both public and private. There

are many elements of radicalism that have entered

Khilafah Vis a Vis Democracy Symbolic Interactionism Study of BKIM, IPB Bogor

397

the public universities. Among these, is Bogor

Agricultural Institute or in Indonesia known as

Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB). The renowned

institute has long been used as a fertile ground for

radical religious groups. The students who generally

are the graduates of local high seems to have a

higher acceptance of the teachings of radicalism

compared to the graduates of pesantren (santri).

Their religious (ghirah) spirit seems to be far more

prevalent than the understanding of the teachings of

Islam itself.

In IPB HTI groups seem to have been widely

accepted, especially among students. The

organization has entered the students’ organizations

such as Students’Executive Board (BEM) and

Student Activity Units (SMEs). They may not

formally show their affiliation to HTI, but they do

adhere to the ideology of this religious group. The

Muslim Student Council of Mahasiwa (BKIM), for

example, really spread the idea of HTI, with various

channels or media, both inside and outside the

campus.

HTI Movement in IPB is divided into two types.

The first one is the movement inside of the campus

which goes to the internal institution such as the

Islamic Students’ Body (BKIM) IPB, at the

beginning this institution was named BKI because it

is opened for all academic society and has been

established since 1976. (BKIM IPB) Their main

target, of course, is the students of IPB. Through this

organization, they continue to recruit members by

opening members’ recruitment on the online and

offline network.

Second, outside the campus, the movement is

called Gema Pembebasan with IPB Commemorative

Commissariat focuses more on off-campus

movements. These institutions often organize

activities with other similar institutions, either in the

form of discussion on issues facing Indonesian

Muslims or the world or in action. One of the

activities that have been done is to follow the

Dialogic activity, from Discussion Towards

Revolution along with the Gang of Liberation of

Bogor Raya.

Based on the background as described above, the

research problem is formulated as follows; First,

How is the construction of khilafah versus

democracy among IPB students? Second, how they

interprete the khilafah as an alternative political

system in Indonesia?

2 THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK

The theories used in this research is the theory of

symbolic interactionism and social construction. The

first theory is symbolic interactionism. The symbolic

interactionism theory was pioneered by George

Herbert Mead in his famous work, "Mind, Self and

Society." Although the term symbolic interaction is

the creation of his disciple, Herbert Blumer, it can

not be denied that Mead was the main originator of

this theory. The essence of this theory is a

framework of reference to understand how humans,

along with others, create a symbolic world and how

this world, in turn, constitutes human behavior

(Stephen W. Littlejohn, Karen A. Foss, 2008). In

this statement, we can see Mead's argument for

interdependence between individuals and society.

Symbolic interaction is based on ideas about self and

its relation to society. Because this idea can be

interpreted widely, it will be explained in detail the

themes of this theory.

There are three major themes in symbolic

interaction, which are as follows: 1). The Importance

of Meaning for Human Behavior. Symbolic

interaction theory holds that individuals form

meaning through the communication process

because meaning is not intrinsic to anything.

Interpretive construction is needed between people

to create meaning. In fact, the purpose of interaction,

according to this theory, is to create the same

meaning. This is important because without the

same meaning communication will be very difficult,

or even impossible. In other words, meaning is a

product of social interaction, therefore meaning is

not attached to the object, but negotiated through the

use of language. Negotiation is possible because

humans are able to name everything, open only

physical objects, actions or events, but also abstract

ideas (Deddy Mulyana, 2006: 72).

2). The Importance of Self-Concept. The essence

of symbolic interaction theory is the theory of

George Herbert Mead's "self" (self), which can also

be traced to the definition of Charles Horton Cooley.

Mead, like Cooley, considers that self-concept is a

process that originates from an individual's social

interactions with others. One of the theories put

forward by Cooley regarding this self-concept is his

theory of looking-glass self. According to him, the

individual's self-concept is significantly determined

by what he thinks about other people's thoughts

about him, thus emphasizing the importance of other

people's responses that are subjectively interpreted

as the primary source of data about themselves. In

summary, as affirmed by Deddy Mulyana (2006:

ICRI 2018 - International Conference Recent Innovation

398

74), what is internalized as an individual's property

comes from information he receives from others.

The concept of self, according to the theory of

symbolic interaction, provides an important motive

for behavior. The idea that beliefs, values, feelings,

judgments about self influencing behavior is an

important principle in this theory. Mead argues that

because humans have themselves, they have a

mechanism to interact with themselves. This

mechanism is used to guide behavior and attitudes.

Mead also said that seeing oneself as a process, not a

structure. Having yourself forces people to construct

actions and responses rather than just expressing

them. This process is called a self-fulfilling

prophecy, or a self-expectation that causes a person

to behave in such a way that his expectations are

realized (Richard West and Lynn Turner, 2007: 37)

3). The relationship between Individual and

Society. In the context of the relationship between

individuals and society, both Mead and Blumer, take

a position in the middle. They try to explain about

order and change in social processes. On this theme

there are two assumptions. First, people and groups

are influenced by cultural and social processes. This

assumption recognizes that social norms limit

individual behavior. In addition, culture strongly

influences behavior and attitudes that we consider

important in self-concept. In the United States,

people who see themselves as assertive are people

who often pride themselves on this trait and reflect it

well on their self-concept.

The second theory of the research is social

construction theory. This theory of social

construction was coined by two sociologists, namely

Peter L. Berger and Thomas Luckmann who wrote a

book entitled The Social Construction of Reality: A

Treatise in the Sociology of Knowledge. The name

of this theory was taken from the beginning of the

book's title, construction social over reality, but

shorter social construction theories are used.

Social construction theory can be explained as a

social process through actions and interactions in

which the individual creates a continuously shared

reality that is shared and subjectively shared. In this

context, every individual in society actually always

performs constructions on the reality that exists

outside of himself (Bungin Burhan, 2008). And the

process in practice takes place continuously or not

stop.

This theory of social construction was coined by

two sociologists, namely Peter L. Berger and

Thomas Luckmann who wrote a book entitled The

Social Construction of Reality: A Treatise in the

Sociology of Knowledge. The name of this theory

was taken from the beginning of the book's title,

construction social over reality, but shorter social

construction theories are used.

To understand the theory of social construction

as a whole it is good to explain the basic

assumptions of this theory. These basic assumptions

are as follows:

a. Reality is the creation of creative people

through the power of social construction towards the

social world around it. In other words, reality is not

formed by itself.

b. The relationship between human thought and

the social context in which that thought arises, is

developing and institutionalized

c. The community life is continuously

constructed

d. Distinguish between reality and knowledge.

Reality is defined as the quality contained in the

reality that is recognized as having existence which

is not dependent on our own will. While knowledge

is defined as the certainty that realities are real and

have specific characteristics.

The process of social construction of reality is

inseparable from three dialectical processes, namely

externalization, objectivation, and internalization.

First, externalization is the process of adapting to the

socio-cultural world as a human product. Second,

objectivation, for instance, a social interaction that

occurs in an institutionalized world intersubjective

or institutionalization process. While the third,

internalization, is a process in which the individual

identifies himself with social institutions or social

organization places the individual becomes its

member.

3 LITERATURE REVIEW

The first reference is the work of Ibnu Syahrir, 2014,

Religious Social Movement (Social Construction

Hizb Against Religious Relations with State),

published in the Journal of Research on Humanities

and Social Sciences, Vol. 4 No. 1. 2014. This study

aims to reveal the patterns and strategies of religious

social movements especially those relating to the

relationship between religion and the state by Hizb

ut-Tahrir; reveal the meaning and attitude of the

members of Hizb ut-Tahrir; and describe the social

interactions of the Hizb ut-Tahrir movement. The

results of this study indicate that religious social

movements are determined by ideology or

perspectives adopted by religious organizations;

ideologies based on state-religious relations will

Khilafah Vis a Vis Democracy Symbolic Interactionism Study of BKIM, IPB Bogor

399

bind members of strong ideological, cognitive,

emotional and social attachments; strong

ideological, cognitive, emotional and social cohesion

will lead to high militancy, and for members, to

realize ideals embodied in ideology.

Second, Greg Fealy, 2004, Islamic Radicalism in

Indonesia: The Faltering Revival? Southeast Asian

Affairs, 2004 (pp. 104-121), ISEAS - Yusof Ishak

Institute. Gread Fealy's research describes the radical

Islamic groups in Indonesia: the worldview and its

ideology, the modus operandi, that is how the

pattern 15 Burhan Bungin, Social Construction of

Mass Media, Jakarta: Prenada Media Group, 2011:

15) and their strategies for the movement and

dissemination of their teachings in Indonesia,

including how the leadership, membership and

recruitment of prospective members. The radical

groups that were the object of his research were DI /

TII, Jamaah Islamiyah, Majelis Mujahidin Indonesia

(MMI), Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), Sunnah wal

Jamaah and Laskar Jihad, and Hizbut Tahrir.

Third, Masdar Hilmy, Religious Radicalism and

Democratic Politics in Indonesia in Post-New Order,

Miqat Journal, Vol XXXIX No. July 2-December

2015. This research seeks to see or analyze the

emergence of Islamic radicalism in Indonesia after

the New Order in relation to democratic politics and

its implications for state policy on radicalism. Using

legal politics, this study argues that radical groups

should be treated with caution in the framework of

democratic principles because democracy must

guarantee freedom of expression for all parties.

Fourth, Etin Anwar, Hobart and William Smith,

2009, The Dialectics of Islamophobia and

Radicalism in Indonesia, published in Journal of

Spring Vol. XVI, No. 2. The results of his research

reinforce the general assumption that radical Islam

in Indonesia will not gain momentum. Most

Muslims support moderate Islam, as promoted by

Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah organizations.

There is always competition in the struggle for ideas

between the Islamphobia and the anti-Americanism

groups, but the process is dialectical. This research

is useful to see how radical Islamic groups in

Indonesia do not always run smoothly. There is

always competition or competition with mainstream

Islamic groups in Indonesia. This condition will also

be useful to see the dialectic or battle of HTI ideas

and ideas in the world of universities, especially in

IPB and ITB.

Fifth, Martin Van Bruinessen ed, 2013,

Contemporary Developments in Indonesian Islam.

Explaining The Conservative Turn, Singapore:

Institute of East Asian Studies. The book that edited

by Bruinessen discusses the new trend in Indonesian

Islam, the emergence of Islamic conservatism and

the clustering of radical-militant Muslims, especially

after the fall of Soeharto's dictatorial regime in May

1998. The phenomenon of the emergence of these

groups is allegedly linked to the strengthening of

political liberalization after so many Long silenced

by the New Order regime. Islamic groups seem to

find their free expression, including those radical

groups. This book is very relevant to this research

because of it is disclosure on the phenomenon of the

emergence of the radical Islamic groups in Indonesia

due to the political liberalization. This will assist

much to this research to find that movement of HT

owed much to this liberalization in disseminating

their teaching in both universities. And this also will

be difference between the book above and this

research.

4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This research uses qualitative research method with

the case study approach. A qualitative approach is

characterized by its objective that seeks to

understand the symptoms in such a way as to require

no quantification or because these symptoms do not

allow to be measured appropriately. The case study

approach involves obtaining sufficient and

systematic information about people, settings social

events or groups that allow researchers to effectively

understand how subjects behave. Case studies are

not data acquisition techniques but a methodological

approach. Case studies usually focus on individuals,

groups or special communities.

The collection techniques that will be used in this

study are documentation and in-depth interviews.

Documentation is the effort to find additional data in

various documents related to the object of research.

Documents may be in the form of books,

manuscripts, meeting notes, magazines, newspapers

and so on. While in-depth interviews were

conducted with a number of activists BKIM IPB.

The data collection procedure carried out in this

study is to do seven steps. First, determine the

location of the study, in this case the IPB campus in

Bogorg. Second, access and make relationships. At

this stage researchers are looking for access by

looking for relationships to students who have joined

or participated in their activities and then have a

relationship. Third, the determination of informants.

After getting the relationship, the researcher then

determined several informants, namely five IPB

students who were active in BKIM. Fourth,

ICRI 2018 - International Conference Recent Innovation

400

collecting data, the results of interviews with the

informants were then transcribed as data. Fifth,

record information where the researcher records all

things or events related to the object of research.

Sixth, choosing the data issue, from the many data

obtained during the field selected which is

appropriate or relevant to the object of research.

Seventh, storing data, where the researcher store all

relevant data for further processing.

5 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

From the findings of field research data on the

activities of BKIM IPB members, it is clear that

there is a process of symbolic interactionism that

they do. In building a shared meaning through

interaction among them in the forums of internal

review as well as through the mass media. There is a

construction process of their understanding of

Islamic teachings especially those related to politics.

Some of the issues that become narrative of

conversation among members of BKIM IPB, among

them are as follows:

First, the theme of Islam as a solution. For

members of BKIM IPB Islam is the answer to

various problems faced by mankind. Islam as a

religion as well as an ideology is comprehensive or

has a comprehensive nature (syumuliyyah). Islam is

the religion that governs all aspects of human life,

both individual and social. There is no problem or

problem that there is no answer in Islam.

Therefore, in various studies or halaqah held by

members of BKIM IPB, the issues discussed are

very diverse, ranging from religious, social, cultural,

political, economic, international relations, and so

on. That is because they believe with all the heart of

all these problems can be found the answer in Islam.

In a political context, one of the students of

Bogor Agricultural University active in BKIM,

Adin, 17 said that Indonesia's unfavorable political

condition is caused by Indonesia’s political and state

system which does not implement the Islamic

system, in which Islam has regulated a better

political system. The act of corruption is clearly not

permitted by Islam because the consequences are

very harmful to the people, while Islamic politics

itself wants the welfare of the people or in other

words, Islamic politics wants to create the common

good (Adin, 2018).

This is the case with the legal system. The

source of Islamic law that comes from God's

revelation must have covered everything, and not

only that but also surely bring goodness or benefit to

mankind itself. Sometimes the Islamic laws are

harsh or cruel, but if they are obeyed and practiced

they are much more human beings. The case of

qisas, for example, it indeed can be seen as a cruel

act, but what they rarely think about is how much

people's lives are preserved because of the qisas law.

In another context, BKIM IPB also spread its

thoughts on how Islamic law should be applied. In

one of his writings entitled "Three Pillars of

Application of Islamic Law," on their Facebook

account, BKIM invites the Islamic community to

believe that Islamic law should be applied. The

statements in the account are as follows (BKIM

IPB):

“Tiga pilar ini merupakan tiang kokoh yang mesti

ada karena sangat mendasari penerapan Hukum

Islam secara kaffah, satu saja dari tiga pilar ini

tidak tegak, maka penerapan Islam secara

menyeluruh tidak akan pernah terwujud.

3 pilar itu adalah:

1. Ketakwaan Individu. Sobat, takwa merupakan

hal pertama yang harus dipenuhi karena

takwa merupakan wujud atas keimanan

sesorang yang memahami bahwa dia harus

terikat dengan Syariat Islam saat melakukan

atau meninggalkan suatu perbuatan.

2. Kontrol Individu dan Masyarakat. Pilar yang

satu ini merupakan bentuk dari mekanisme

amar maruf nahi munkar dan sangat diperlukan,

karena manusia bukan malaikat yang terbebas

dari dosa. Maka pilar ini akan senantiasa

menjaga keberlangsungan dari pilar yang

pertama.

3. Negara yang Menerapkan Syariat secara

Menyeluruh. Ini merupakan pilar terakhir yang

akan menjamin terlaksananya pilar pertama dan

kedua.

Di samping karena ada banyak Hukum Syara'

yang hanya bisa dilaksanakan oleh sebuah

negara, negara yang menerapkan Syariat Islam

ini juga lah yang akan melindungi seluruh Umat

Islam dan masyarakat lain yang ada di bawah

naungannya.”

From the above explanation, it appears that

BKIM IPB want to explain the implementation of

Islamic law in Indonesia can actually be done as

long as done with the three pillars above:

individuals, communities, and countries. Three

elements are a unity that can not be separated from

one to another, because if only one pillar is done,

then the application of Islamic Shari'ah cannot be

done perfectly.

Second, the Khilafah system, for the members

of BKIM IPB, the Khilafah system is the most

appropriate system to be implemented in Indonesia.

They believe that khilafah system has been

exemplified by the Prophet Muhammad and his

companions, especially four khulafa ar-rashidun

Khilafah Vis a Vis Democracy Symbolic Interactionism Study of BKIM, IPB Bogor

401

which is the beginning of Islam. Therefore, in the

studies or halaqah-halaqah they often hold that this

caliphate system is repeatedly reproduced, recounted

and recounted again between their generations,

hence, the consciousness becomes stronger to

believe that the system of khilafah is a system that

was commanded by God and has been practiced as

an example by His Prophet.

When members of BKIM IPB conduct Islamic

studies, they usually do not stop at matters of ritual

or worship alone, but also up to discuss the problems

of state politics. It is precisely at that point that their

distinction is compared to other Islamic groups that

are classified into radical groups. Their ways and

methods of thinking that penetrate their roots, or

fundamentally, by replacing democracy with the

new system, the khilafah system, is clearly their

main fight.

In this context, HTI followers only look at the

outward aspects and tend to ignore the social and

political context that occurred at that time. In the

interpretation of the caliph verses of phil ardh, for

example, they tend to interpret the meaning of the

caliph as a leader in the sense of political leader or

leader in a country. Thus, the verse is interpreted as

an order for Muslims to apply the system of

khilafah. Whereas in fact, the interpretation of the

word caliph on that verse or similar words in other

verses is quite as numerous and varied as we can

read in various books of commentary or in books

written by Muslim figures or scientists. Regardless

of the response and reaction of the people who

disagreed with the idea of establishing a khilafah

state, HTI followers, including those on campus

such as IPB, believed that the Khilafah system was

the best. According to them, this system can actually

be the answer for the people of Indonesia will be the

various problems that befall them today. Many

corruption cases are damaging the lives of the

people, the inequality of development sharing where

only a certain group that enjoys it more often, the

occurrence of crime, and so on is because the

khilafah system is neglected by the Indonesian.

Indonesia, in the view of the HTI, prefers to orient to

Western liberalism rather than to Islam which can

provide a better solution. As a result, many policies

issued by the state are not performed as expected,

since liberalism clearly benefits only a handful of

rich people or the capitalists. There is no equitable

distribution of development outcomes that are

actually emphasized by the Islamic system, in this

case, the Islamic caliphate. This is actually the

fundamental issue that should be immediately solved

by the government and the people of Indonesia.

In this context, HTI followers constantly spread

the importance of the khilafah system. Although

their ideas have not been accepted by the public at

large, however, it seems they never get bored to

keep voicing their paradigm. In their internal circle,

they continue to conduct studies on the system of the

khilafah. They themselves acknowledge that the

khilafah system is a long-term program which is

certainly not easy to follow in the near future.

From the perspective of social construction

theory, this study finds the data that HTI members,

including those in BKIM IPB, actually are always

doing construction on the reality around them, in this

case, are their ideas, thoughts, and attitudes related

to missionary or missionary dissemination in

Indonesia.

One example of the construction of the reality

they create is the idea that “the caliphate system is

the solution.” In the theory of social construction,

this construction process can be done through the

following stages; externalization, objectivation, and

internalization. At the externalization stage, for

example, each individual member of BKIM IPB

conducts an introduction to the idea. They try to

understand, digest, and so on, until they find out that

the system of the caliphate is the solution.

6 CONCLUSION

The conclusion that can be drawn from the study of

the Khilafah Vis-a-Vis Democracy Symbolic

Interactionism Study of BKIM, IPB, Bogor as

follows:

Firstly, in the activities of members of BKIM

IPB, there is a process of symbolic interactionism in

constructing the meaning of the term khilafah as

opposed to democracy. There are several narrations

that become discussion among members of BKIM

IPB, which stands out about Islam and khilafah

system as a solution.

Related to the first theme, i.e. Islam as a

solution, the members of BKIM IPB view that Islam

is the answer to the various problems faced by the

humanity. Islam as a religion as well as an ideology

has a comprehensive nature (syumuliyyah). And in

its connection to the khilafah system, the members

of the BKIM IPB system of khilafah are the most

appropriate system to apply in Indonesia. This

caliphate system, they believe, as a system that has

been exemplified by the Prophet Muhammad and his

companions, especially the four khulafa ar-rasyidun

which are the early days of Islam.

Secondly, from the perspective of social

construction theory, this study finds that HTI

members, including those in BKIM IPB, are actually

building their realities around them, in this case, it is

reflected by their ideas, thoughts, and attitudes

ICRI 2018 - International Conference Recent Innovation

402

related to da'wah or the spread of their mission in

Indonesia.

One of the examples of reality construction they

create is the idea that “khilafah system is a solution.”

In the social construction theory, this construction

process is carried out through a stage called

externalization, objectivity, and internalization. At

the stage of externalization, for example, every

individual member of BKIM IPB conducts the

process of identification of the idea. They try to

understand, digest, and so on about the khilafah

system as a solution

REFERENCES

Adin. 2018, August 22. Khilafah Vis a Vis Democracy .

(R. S. Iding Rosyidin, Interviewer)

BKIM IPB. (n.d.). Profil BKIM IPB. Retrieved from

BKIM IPB: http://bkim.lk.ipb.ac.id/profilbkim/

Bungin, Burhan. 2008. Konstruksi Sosial Media Massa.

Jakarta: Prenada Media Group.

Ghufran, Fathorrahman. 2017. Radikalisme dan Politik

Identitas. Kompas.

Hafez, Kai. 2010. Radicalism and Political Reforms in the

Islamic and Western World. United Kingdom:

Cambridge.

Hilmy, Masdar 2015, Radikalisme Agama dan Politik

Demokrasi di Indonesai Pasca Orde Baru, Miqat, Vol.

XXXIX No. 2 Juli –Desember 2015.

Littlejohn, Stephen W. and Karen A. Foss. 2008. Theories

of Human Communication. Wadsworth Publishing

Company.

O’Donnell, Guillermo dan Philip C. Schmitter,1993,

Transisi Menuju Demokrsi, Rangkaian Kemungkinan

dan Ketidakpastian, , Jakarta: LP3ES.

Mulyana, Deddy. 2006, Metodologi Penelitian Kualitatif

Paradigma Baru Ilmu Komunikasi dan Ilmu Sosial

Lainnya. Bandung: PT Remaja Rosda Karya.

Yunanto, Sri. 2017. Negara Khilafah Versus Negara

Kesatuan Republik Indonesia. Jakarta: Institute for

Peace and Security Studies.

Khilafah Vis a Vis Democracy Symbolic Interactionism Study of BKIM, IPB Bogor

403