The Form of Power and Sexuality in the Novel Tuhan Izinkan Aku

Jadi Pelacur! by Muhidin M. Dahlan

Wahid Khoirul Ikhwan

Trunojoyo University of Madura

Keywords: Power, Sexuality, Novels

Abstract: Literary work is a social phenomenon that is related to the socio-culture found in society. Power and

sexuality in literary works as a social phenomenon is a form of social expression. Power operates through

the power of the body as a mechanism for disciplining the body. Power and sexuality are social interactions

as a whole in society. The concept of Michel Foucault's theory (2000) about power and sexuality is very

interesting to study with a novel titled Tuhan Izinkan Aku Jadi Pelacur! by Muhidin M. Dahlan. This

research aims to describe the forms of power and sexuality in the novel entitled Tuhan Izinkan Aku Jadi

Pelacur! by Muhidin M. Dahlan. This research is a qualitative descriptive study designed to describe the

forms of power and thought that appear in a novel titled Tuhan Izinkan Aku Jadi Pelacur! by Muhidin M.

Dahlan. Possible forms of thinking include: (1) dogmatic, (2) stigmatization, (3) manipulation, and (4)

domination of thought packed with religious thought. Furthermore, the practice of social and individual

body power (sexuality) and thoughts carried out by the main character namely, Nidah Kirani.

1 INTRODUCTION

Literary works are social phenomena built by the

author's imagination. However, literary works can

express social phenomena in the form of socio-

culture contained in society, because literary works

are part of social documents. According to Wellek

and Werren (1968) literature as a social document is

used to study an overview of social history, namely

social and cultural activities that exist in society.

Meanwhile, according to Fananie (2002) literary

works are a form of background social picture,

which is related to the structure, function, activity,

and socio-cultural conditions at the time the literary

work was created.

One form of social activity in literary works is

power. Power as a complex community activity,

namely describing the correlation between

individual and individual, individual and group,

group and group. In the context of power,

community activities are carried out with the process

of influencing each other, thus bringing up the

authorities. The ruler as the authority must have the

ability to govern and make direct or indirect

decisions to influence others, so that the group being

heard is obedient and obedient. This is in line with

what was conveyed by Faruk (2012) that the power

mechanism needs to be understood politically by

prioritizing ideas and awareness.

Such a mechanism needs to be understood as a

recognition that the mechanism of power exists in

society. This is based on Foucault's opinion (in

Haryatmoko, 2002) that power operates through

social mechanisms that are used to guarantee health,

knowledge, and welfare for the community. The

mechanism of power in society, according to

Foucault (in Sugiharto, 1996) is positive, productive,

and like capillaries circulating in the cells of the

body of the community. This indicates that power is

everywhere and power encompasses both macro and

micro scope whether systemized or not, which is

then channeled through social relations. Through

social relations, Foucault (1997) revealed that power

can produce forms of categorization as controllers of

people's behavior.

The operation of power in society is sometimes

not realized by the community. Society unknowingly

has become part of the operation of power.

According to Foucault (in Haryatmoko, 2002) that

power is not localized in the form of a disciplinary

order that is associated with a non-repressive but

productive activity structure. This illustrates that

power is not owned by anyone, but power permeates

494

Ikhwan, W.

The Form of Power and Sexuality in the Novel Tuhan Izinkan Aku Jadi Pelacur! By Muhidin M. Dahlan.

DOI: 10.5220/0009002204940498

In Proceedings of the International Conference on Education, Language and Society (ICELS 2019), pages 494-498

ISBN: 978-989-758-405-3

the fabric of social relations. One form of power is

related to bodily power or sexuality.

According to Foucault (2000) that sexuality is a

network on the surface of bodily stimuli, and the

intensification of pleasure is interconnected with

knowledge and power strategies. This provides

experience for individuals in the community to

recognize sexuality as a part of knowledge and to be

associated with a system of power and coercion.

Experience here is understood as correlation with the

field of knowledge, types of normativity, and forms

of subjectivity in a culture. Therefore, Foucault

(Filingham, 2002) views sexuality as a natural fact

and must be understood by humans so that it does

not make sexuality a bad thing.

The concept of power and sexuality is very

interesting to study with a novel entitled Tuhan

Izinkan Aku Jadi Pelacur! by Muhidin M. Dahlan.

This novel depicts the life of the character

NidahKirani who experiences inequality in society.

This form of inequality was manifested through the

figures of Nidah Kirani who was compartmentalized

in the activities of the hard-Islamic movement aimed

at establishing Islamic law in Indonesia. Through the

dogma that has been given by his organization

group, the figures of Nidah Kirani is influenced to

fight to establish Islamic law in a whole (whole)

manner. One of the methods carried out by Nidah

Kirani is to join the group somewhere, such as a

shelter. The dogma that has been given to the

character Nidah Kirani is a form of power that is not

repressive, is gentle in line with morals. However,

Nidah Kirani fought against the powers that affected

her.

The form of resistance by NidahKirani is to run

away from her organization and choose to live in

frustration by having free sex and taking drugs.

When joining a radical Islamic organization,

NidahKirani saw sexuality as a taboo and closed

matter. After leaving his organization, the Nidah

Kirani figures looked at sexuality that was not taboo

and open. Therefore, Tuhan Izinkan AkuJadi

Pelacur! by Muhidin M. Dahlan is interesting to

studied with Michel Foucault's theory of power and

sexuality.

2 METHODOLOGY

This research is a qualitative study with an object of

research in the form of a novel entitled Tuhan

Izinkan Aku Jadi Pelacur! by Muhidin M. Dahlan.

According to Ratna (2013) research that uses a

qualitative approach maintains the nature of values.

Meanwhile, the data analysis technique in this

research is the content analysis technique. According

to Bahtiar and Aswinarko (2013) that content

analysis techniques relate to communication content,

both verbally and nonverbally. Meanwhile,

according to Ibrahim (2015) explains that content

analysis is an approach or method that makes the

text (writing or discourse) as the object of study.

Data analysis was analyzed using three procedures,

namely (1) identification, (2) classifying, and (3)

interpretation or interpretation.

3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Most people understand power as a form of power

that exists in a country, so that people are not aware

that they are part of the object of power. In fact,

people give a negative view of power, because the

state or the authorities present power in a repressive

way. However, Foucault (in Sugiharto, 1996) gave a

new discourse that power is positive, productive, and

spread through social joints.

A novel called Tuhan Izinkan Aku Jadi Pelacur!

by Muhidin M. Dahlan provides a description of the

form of power. The findings form power in thought,

that is dogmatic about the understanding of Islam.

The form of power in the form of dogma as did the

figures of Dahiri to the character Nidah Kirani is

about knowledge of Islam. Through this knowledge,

Dahiri figuress wanted to master the thoughts of

Nidah Kirani about Islam, so that Nidah Kirani

became a member of Daulah Islamiyah Indonesia. In

order to influence Nidah Kirani's thoughts, Dahiri

did not directly provide dogmaticism, but gradually.

In the first stage the Dahiri figures gave limited

insight to the figures of Nidah Kirani about Islam in

Indonesia which is not pure, which is purely the

Quran and the Sunnah of the Apostles, Islam is not a

religion, but Islam is Deen, and that Deen is a

system whose laws are laid out in the Shari'a. To

realize Deen as Islam, we need an Islamic

government in the form of Daulah Islamiyah

Indonesia (Indonesian Islamic State) (Dahlan, 34).

This makes the figures Nidah Kirani curious to

know thoughts about Daulah Islamiyah Indonesia.

In the second stage, the Dahiri figures invited

Nidah Kirani to hold a discussion as a manifestation

of establishing confidence in the Indonesian Islamic

state movement. This stage is also called screening.

Screening is a psychological test to strengthen the

intention to join this movement, so that it will form

cadres who are militant towards the Indonesian

Islamic state movement. After feeling stronger and

The Form of Power and Sexuality in the Novel Tuhan Izinkan Aku Jadi Pelacur! By Muhidin M. Dahlan

495

stronger confidence (Dahlan, 45). In the third stage

is attribution. Distribution is an oath of loyalty to the

cadres of the Indonesian Islamic state movement.

with this association, the character Nidah Kirani

means that he is already a member of Daulah

Islamiyah Indonesia (Dahlan, 49). The refraction

shows that the dogmatic character Nidah Kirani

succeeded in instilling power in the thinking of the

character Nidah Kirani.

The role of the Dahiri figures influencing the

Nidah Kirani figures in thinking about Daulah

Islamiyah Indonesia is a form of thought

domination. The dominance of this thought will

form power. This form of power is demonstrated by

the willingness of the leader Nidah Kirani to follow

the orders of the Dahiri figuress who were packaged

in the Daulah Islamiyah Indonesia's struggle, such as

willingness to take allegiance to become a member

of the Daulah Islamiyah Indonesia group and

payment of dues for the operational commander in

running the government. This fee is also used for

massive national network distribution (Dahlan, 78).

In addition, the leader Nidah Kirani also followed to

look for members of Daulah Islamiyah Indonesia.

The members recruited by the leader Nidah Kirani

are his own family, namely both parents and two

siblings of the leader Nidah Kirani. The dominance

of thought was also carried out by the figures of

Nidah Kirani, a number of community members in

her village, totaling 16 people, namely 8 women and

8 men. After the Nidah Kirani figures dominates his

thoughts, the family and 16 community members

obey everything that is ruled by the Nidah Kirani

figures. The dominance of thought is an attempt to

strengthen power over others, so that others can

obey the commands of those in power.

In addition, stigmatization of religion also gave

rise to forms of power. Stigmatization of the

understanding that a person who has not adhered to

Islamic law is considered to be unjust and infidel. In

order not to be wrongdoers and infidels, people must

emigrate into a country that enforces Islamic laws

(Dahlan, 46). This is the basis for the stigmatization

of the cadres of the Daulah Islamiyah Indonesia

movement to move, from the pagan government to

the Islamic state of Indonesia. With this

stigmatization, the cadres of the Daulah Islamiyah

Indonesia believed the existence of the Indonesian

Islamic state as the implementation of Islam as a

Kaffah (Dahlan, 46). Daulah Islamiyah Indonesia or

the Islamic state of Indonesia is within the Unitary

State of the Republic of Indonesia or the state within

the state. The Islamic State of Indonesia already has

a government such as the highest commander

(central government), regional commander

(governor level), regional commander (regent level),

sub-district commander, and village commander

(Dahlan: 63). The formation of the Daulah Islamiyah

Indonesia proves that the form of power over

stigmatized thought forms the basis for forming the

movement. In an effort to recruit cadres of members

of the Islamic State of Indonesia, this is an effort to

stigmatize power in thinking which is done non-

repressively or in a smooth way.

Stigmatization was also experienced by the

figures of Nidah Kirani when wearing large

headscarves and large robes. Stigmatization using

large headscarves and large robes is excessive in the

view of others (Dahlan, 42). In fact, wearing a large

headscarf and a large robe is identical to the hard-

line Islamic label. Giving a strict Islamic label to

users of large hijab and large robes will bring

criticism by the general public. So that the use of

large headscarves and large robes will feel less

comfortable and more closed life from social life. As

a result of the practice of stigmatization above is the

role of one's power in society will be hampered.

Besides that, a novel called Tuhan Izinkan Aku

Jadi Pelacur! by Muhidin M. Dahlan is manipulated

in exercising power. This form of manipulation

arises when exercising power in the Indonesian

nation of Islam, the people have rights and

obligations. One of the obligations is to collect fees.

Nidah Kirani figures to get money to pay dues is to

manipulate tuition, semester money, book money,

and remittances from her sister abroad. So, the

figures of Nidah Kirani can provide contributions of

500 thousand in a week (Dahlan, 60). Form of

manipulation carried out by the leader Nidah Kirani

is by lying to his parents and brother that the money

to pay for college is used to finance his organization,

Daulah Islamiyah Indonesia.

In addition, the manipulation was also carried out

by the Daulah Islamiyah Indonesia group when

preaching to find new members. The form of

manipulation is propaganda for the sake of Islam is

allowed to lie, cheat, steal, rob, sell personal items,

and prostitute (Dahlan, 60). This form of

manipulation gives the idea that power can be

exercised in any way. In fact, violating Islamic

social and religious norms can be done to exercise

power for the sake of the establishment of the

Indonesian Islamic State.

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4 Forms of Body Power (Sexuality)

Power operates in society through social networks.

Not power in the form of statehood, but also spread

through social and individual. Forms of power

according to Foucault (in Synnot, 2007) there are

two forms of power over the body, namely the social

body and the individual body. Power in the social

body is in the form of spatial political rules,

capitalism activities, optimization, moral rules,

regulations, politics, and religion. Meanwhile, power

over the individual body in the form of sexual

activity, reproduction.

The form of social body power in the novel

entitled Tuhan Izinkan Aku Jadi Pelacur! by

Muhidin M. Dahlan namely, in the form of religious

life in Ki Ageng boarding school. The power of the

social body in the pesantren in the form of real life

which fosters religious values, such as the Koran, to

pray (pray, read the Quran, think), obey the rules of

the Islamic boarding school. Every boarding school

dweller obeys the provisions set by the boarding

school. When the inhabitants of the pesantren obey

the commands set by the boarding school, then the

power operates in the social body (Dahlan, 40). In

addition, the power of the social body also appears

in campus life. Campus life is the life of an

intellectual person who is studying in college. Not

only studying in tertiary institutions, students can

seek new knowledge in the form of Islamic study

discussion forums (Dahlan, 26)

The Daulah Islamiyah Indonesia movement

group is also part of the form of social body power.

The power of the social body takes the form of

activities of members, cadres, and senior officials of

Daulah Islamiyah Indonesia, such as linking each

member, looking for new members, worshiping,

dues, wedding parties, discussions (Dahlan, 58)

Furthermore, the nightlife in Yogyakarta is also part

of the authority of the social body. Social life

activities in Yogyakarta, such as free sex,

prostitution, drug distribution, staying up late,

trading (Dahlan, 111-112). Meanwhile, this form of

physical power according to Foucault (Suyono,

2002) is divided into two, namely, small and large

sizes. Small individual body in the form of body

actualization. This body writing is usually

transformed in the family, school and nurses.

Meanwhile, a large individual body in the form of a

law or regulations on the body made by the state.

The form of power of the individual body is

depicted in the actualization of the figuress of Nidah

Kirani who routinely carries out obligatory prayers

and sunnah. Nidah Kirani figuress routinely perform

the obligatory prayers, then supplemented with

sunnah prayers. The movements of the body that are

moved by the faith of God alone are able to carry

out. Especially midnight prayer is a heavy prayer

activity, because at that time it is time for people to

rest. Only people who have strong faith will carry

out these activities. Actualization of the prayer is a

form of obedience to the authority of God (Dahlan:

53)

In addition, the actualization of the figures Nidah

Kirani always uses a large hijab and a large large

robe identical to clothing in accordance with Islamic

law. The use of idiomatic clothing is an Islamic

religious instruction for women to cover the body so

that it does not cause lust for men (Dahlan: 43).

Large robes and large veils are used to cover the

body so that its shape and nature are invisible. This

is done as a form of recognition of the power of his

Lord.

Actualization of Nidah Kirani's character who

has free sex with some of her friends is also a form

of individual body power. Nidah Kirani figuress to

have free sex not to seek sexual pleasure, but rather

a form of protest against her Lord. The protest was

caused by his dissatisfaction with God over worship

and the struggle to establish the Daulah Islamiyah

Indonesia, which had sacrificed energy, study,

thought, family, and relatives. The figures of Nidah

Kirani felt that his obedience to his God had been in

vain when he learned that the members of Daulah

Islamiyah Indonesia had not been serious in fighting

and manipulating the movement (Dahlan, 123). In

addition, free sex carried out by the character Nidah

Kirani also uses drugs. Consuming drugs is a form

of power of the individual body to calm the mind

from disappointment with the reality of life that it

experiences (Dahlan, 107). By consuming drugs, the

leader Nidah Kirani feels he can forget the

disappointment with the Daulah Islamiyah Indonesia

group. Psychologically, the power of the individual

body of Nidah Kirani's character becomes unstable.

5 CONCLUSIONS

Forms of power and sexuality are interrelated forms.

Both the power of sexuality becomes a public

discourse that makes a person experience an

atmosphere of tension, high andrenaline, and power

and control. A novel called Tuhan Izinkan Aku Jadi

Pelacur! Muhidin M. Dahlan's work has

implications for the practice of power and sexuality

in life. Based on the research data packaged in the

research method, it can be implied that the public

The Form of Power and Sexuality in the Novel Tuhan Izinkan Aku Jadi Pelacur! By Muhidin M. Dahlan

497

needs to understand the practices of power around

them, so that the community can apply a form of

repressive power and not apply power dogmatically,

stigmatized, manipulated, or dominated for the

interests of individuals or groups. In addition, this

research has implications that understanding the

teachings of Islam must be selective, especially

radical movements that want to replace the Unitary

State of the Republic of Indonesia into another form

of state, such as Daulah Islamiyah Indonesia.

Meanwhile, sexualitiesimplies that the practice

of sexuality is inseparable from the practice of

bodily power (sexuality), both socially and

individually. The practical implications of the power

of the social body, such as the state regulating and

controlling the population through family planning

programs, the health of pregnant women. In

addition, sexuality has implications for sex

education for children. This will provide knowledge

for children to understand the power of the social

body and the power of the individual body. Children

will understand the power of the body socially by

understanding the pre-marital period or marriage

period, while the power of an individual's body by

maintaining its reproductive health.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am very grateful to the Trunojoyo Madura

University and the International Conference on

Education, Langugae, and Society (ICELS) seminar

committee for giving me the opportunity to present

my paper in this series of seminar activities.

hopefully it can be a benefit for all of us.

Alhamdulillah.

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