Islamic Scholars in Local Political Dynamics: An Analysis of Islamic

Scholars’ Involvement in 2018 North Sumatra Governor Election

Katimin, Dahlia Lubis, Azhari Akmal Tarigan, Chuzaimah Batubara, and Sukiati

Universitas Islam Negeri Sumatera Utara

Keywords: Islamic Scholars, Governor Election, North Sumatra, Politics.

Abstract: Islamic scholars (ulama) have played important roles in Islamic history both as individuals and groups. In

Indonesia, Islamic scholars held a central role at the time of colonialism and during the revolutionary of

Indonesia. At the time of colonialism, Islamic scholars were in the front row to fight the colonization.

Similarly, during the revolutionary of Indonesia, the Islamic scholars participated in defending Indonesia’s

Independence. Islamic scholars have also involved in various aspects of of the nation from Indonesia’s

Independence Day up to the present reformation era, which include their involvement in politics, especially

in 2018 North Sumatra Governor election. Their participation as campaigners in representing Islamic

organizations, such as Nahdathul ‘Ulama (NU), Muhammadiyah, and Al-washliyah is quitesignificant to

show their supports in 2018 North Sumatra Governor election. This research aims to analyse the

involvement of Islamic scholars in 2018 North Sumatra Governor electionfrom Indonesian Ulama Council

(MUI) as well as other Islamic organizations such as NU, Muhammadiyah, and Al-washliyah. This study

applied qualitative research methodology using in-depth face-to-face interview as the instrument of data

collection. The findings of data analysis reveal that the Islamic scholars from MUI and other Islamic

organizations actively involved themselves as the campaigners in 2018 North Sumatra Governor election.

However, their involvement varied from firm and formal to indirect and informal. Furthermore, it is also

found that some of their involvement is in line with the political attitudes of their organizations while some

others opposed. This study concludes that Islamic scholars still play crucial role in political world in

Indonesia, particularly in 2018 North Sumatra governor election.

1 INTRODUCTION

Islamic scholars (ulama) have played important roles

in Islamic history both as individuals and as groups

(Fogg, 2013; Katimin, 2017; Liddle, 1996; Van der

Kroef, 1958). Their roles can be observed from their

involvement in various aspects, such as; education,

Islamic da’wah, agents of change, politics, and etc

(Katimin, 2010; Katimin, 2017). Some famous

Islamic scholars such as; Buya Hamka and K.H.

Abdul Wahab Hasbullah, are considered as

individuals who concern about the educational world

in Indonesia. Similarly, Zainal Abidin and Ahmad

Natsir are the Islamic scholars who directly involved

in politics. Some other Islamic scholars are also

noted as Indonesian national heroes such as;

Pangeran Diponegoro, Haji Piobang, Haji Miskin,

Cik Ditiro, and Cut Nyak Dien. The list is still going

on as many others are not only concerned about

religion, but also participated in defending

Indonesian Independence.

The central position of Islamic scholars was

appreciated by the society. They are very respectable

with very little (if not none) negative view exists due

to their multiple roles in Indonesia. The multiple

roles played by the Islamic scholars are continuing

up to the present day, and it emerges the view that

Islam is not only as a system of religioun or belief,

but also as a system of society. In other words, Islam

is the way of life for its worshipers.

However, in line with the issues of religious

integration after the abolition of khilafah system,

there are currently diverse views on the role and

function of the Islamic scholars among Islamic

societies. Related to this, there are two views in the

society: First, the opinion which assumes that

Islamic scholars are individual figures who need to

take care of religious matters only and their

involvements in non-spiritual matters are considered

400

Katimin, ., Lubis, D., Tarigan, A., Batubara, C. and Sukiati, .

Islamic Scholars in Local Political Dynamics: An Analysis of Islamic Scholars’ Involvement in 2018 North Sumatra Governor Election.

DOI: 10.5220/0008885804000403

In Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Multidisciplinary Research (ICMR 2018) - , pages 400-403

ISBN: 978-989-758-437-4

inaccurate. Second, the opinion assuming that

Islamic scholars are the heir of prophets who should

not only take care of the religious matters, but also

play an active part in political matters as what had

been practiced by the prophets and their

companions.

The different views on the roles and functions of

Islamic scholars in society also exist among societies

in Medan, North Sumatra. Related to those different

opinions, this study aims to analyze the involvement

of Islamic scholars in 2018 North Sumatra Governor

election. This study is important because it identifies

the views of society related to the involvement of

Islamic scholars in politics. This study can also

provide educational value in the form of information

about the roles of Islamic scholars in Islamic history.

Moreover, considering this year (2018) and next

year (2019) are political years in which the general

election of Indonesia’s president will be held, this

study is served as a consideration to all parties

involving Islamic scholars in the context of

nationality and society.

2 THE ROLES OF ISLAMIC

SCHOLARS IN NORTH

SUMATRA GOVERNOR

ELECTION

As other provinces in Indonesia, North Sumatra also

held the Indonesian Local Election (Pilkada) in

2018. There are two governor candidates and two

vice governor candidates in 2018 North Sumatra

Governor Election. The were two candidates running

for the governor and vice governor. The first

candidate is known as ERAMAS (Number 1)

standing for Edy Rahmayadi and Musa Rajeckshah

who were supported by two political parties; Golkar,

Hanura, PKS, PAN, and NASDEM; and the other

candidate is DJOSS (Number 2) standing for Djarot

Syaiful Hidayat and Sihar Sitorus who were

supported by PDIP and PPP.

Islamic scholar took part in supporting those two

candidates and their involvement can be categorized

into three models; 1) direct and firm support through

official declaration; 2) indirect support done either

individually or in group; and 3) vague and neutral

support, or also called as the two-legged political

term which is also done either individually or as a

group. The vague support here means that the

Islamic scholars individually or as a group support

both candidates (the ERAMAS and DJOSS).

3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This study applied qualitative method. The data

were collected through face-to-face interviews with

a number of Islamic scholars from the Indonesian

Ulama Council (NU) and other Islamic

organizations in Indonesia in order to see their

involvements in political dynamics in Medan, North

Sumatra. This study was particularly aimed to find

out Islamic scholars’ roles and attitude in facing

2018 North Sumatra Governor election. This study

also analysed whether the attitude and political roles

of Islamic scholars of Indonesian Ulama Council are

in line with tthose from other Islaimic organizations

such as Muhammadiyah, NU, and Al-Jamiatul

Washliyah. This study was conducted from March to

May 2018.

4 DISCUSSIONS AND FINDINGS

4.1 The Political Attitudes of Islamic

Scholars in Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)

As an organization, NU is not allowed to get

involved in politics. However, NU still gives

opportunity to its members to choose their own

political attitudes. Therefore, it is understood that the

Islamic scholars from NU provide support in a

variety of ways during the 2018 North Sumatra

Governor Election.

Related to the Governor Election in June 2018,

NU held a meeting in the regional office of NU four

months prior the election day. The result of this

meeting confimed about NU neutral position in

facing the 2018 North Sumatra Governor election.

Nevertheless, based on the observations and

interviews conducted with a number of Islamic

scholars from NU, it can be seen that the members

of NU have different political attitudes in supporting

the Governor and Vice Governor candidates. In this

case, the members of NU are divided into four

groups. The first group consists of 50% of Islamic

scholars from the regional board of NU, and they are

the campaigners for the candidates of Governor and

Vice Governor in North Sumatra. Some of them

support ERAMAS (Edy Rahmayadi & Musa

Rajekshah), and some others support DJOSS (Djarot

& Sihar Sitorus). However, the number of

campaigners of ERAMAS is bigger that that of

DJOSS. The second group consists of Islamic

scholars who support one of the candidates but are

not included as the campaigners for both candidates.

Islamic Scholars in Local Political Dynamics: An Analysis of Islamic Scholars’ Involvement in 2018 North Sumatra Governor Election

401

The third group consists of the Islamic scholars who

are in neutral position and do not involve in

supporting one of the governor candidates, and they

usually come from the Academic scholars. The

fourth group consists of Islamic scholars who are the

campaigners of both parties (ERAMAS and DJOSS).

The form of their support for the Governor

candidates is usually vague. The four groups of

Islamic scholars can be concluded as the

consequences for NU’s decision for being in the

neutral political attitudes in 2018 North Sumatra

Governor Election.

4.2 The Political Attitudes of Islamic

Scholars of Muhammadiyah

Based on the interviews in May 2018, it shows that

as Islamic organization, the Muhammadiyah has

conducted meetings for the regional leaders

concerning on the strategic issues such as;

consolidation of the organization, and the 2018

North Sumatra Governor Election. The meeting

clearly decides three points; 1) confirming the

supports for the candidate of the Regional

Representative Council, the member of

Muhammadiyah, Abdul Halim Siagian, 2)

confirming their supports for Muslim candidates for

2018 North Sumatra Governor Election, and 3)

encouraging the cadres of Muhammadiyah to

participate in the legislative election.This decision

is based on the paradigm of Muhammadiyah which

states that the issue of politics can not be separated

from Aqidah (Islamic creed).

The paradigm of Muhammadiyah is in line with

some of classic Islamic philosophers. One of them is

Al-Ghazali (1059 – 1111 M). Al-Ghazali describes

the links between religion and political power as

follows: “the Sulthan (the political powers) is an

obligatory for the world policy; the world policy is

an obligatory for the religious policy; the religious

policy is an obligatory for the success in hereafter”.

Explicitly, according to Al-Ghazali, the relationship

between religion and politics is described as the

relationship between Sulthan and his guardian. The

religion is the foundation, and Sulthan is the

guardian.

In regard to the 2018 North Sumatra Governor

Election, the regional meeting decides that

Muhammadiyah should elect the Muslim candidates

for Governor and Vice Governor in North Sumatra.

Therefore, the Islamic scholars from

Muhammadiyah have clearly put their decision on

ERAMAS. This political attitude should be followed

by the 28 regional leaders of Muhammadiyah in

North Sumatra. When it comes to the consequence

for those who oppose this decision, the leader of

Muhammadiyah states that they will be warned and

given some advice.

However, in practice, there are some members of

Muhammadiyah who oppose this decision such as

the members of Muhammadiyah in the residential

area called Dadap who declared their support to

DJOSS. Some others are individuals who do not

agree with the programs proposed by ERAMAS. A

participant stated that Edy Rahmayadi as the

candidate of governor does not seem to understand

much about governance. He furthermore stated that

as an army, Edy demands too much from Islamic

scholars in Medan to support him but cannot provide

anything in retur.

In general, it can be said that Muhammadiyah

succeeded in directing his members to give political

supports for the certain governor candidates in 2018

North Sumatra Governor Election. The support

seemed so systematic and massive through

organizational mechanisms at every level.

Nevertheless, the symbols or attributes of the

supported candidates are not allowed to be installed

in the mosques or in the educational institutions in

Muhammadiyah.

4.3 The Political Attitudes of Islamic

Scholars in Al-Washliyah

The political supports of Islamic scholars from Al-

Washliyah in North Sumatra approaching the 2018

North Sumatra Governor Election can be seen in the

meetings of regional leaders in January 2018. The

results of the meeting conclude that Al-Washliyah

supports ERAMAS as the Muslim candidates for

2018 North Sumatra Governor Election. The

supports of Al-Washliyah for the Muslim candidates

(ERAMAS) is based on Fiqh Siyasah Al-Washliyah

which follows Imam Syafi’i. Other than that, the

decision of supporting ERAMAS is also based on the

agreement between Dewan Fatwa, a council a ruling

on a point of Islamic law and Dewan Pertimbangan

(advisory council) of Al-Washliyah. The full support

of Islamic scholars in Al-Washliyah can be seen

from the involvement of all Islamic scholars in

Alwashliyah as the campaigners of ERAMAS.

As the members of Islamic organizations, the

involvement of Islamic scholars in supporting the

Governor Election is an effort to improve the roles

and social function of their organization either

personally or institutionally. It is just that the

approach used is sometimes different; some people

ICMR 2018 - International Conference on Multidisciplinary Research

402

use a subtle and wise way, and some others use

excessive and emotional way.

5 CONCLUSIONS

Ulamas are Islamic scholars who master the sciences

of Al-Qur’an and Al-Hadith, as well as the Islamic

teachings. Ulama (Islamic scholars) have quite

important roles both as individuals and groups. It

can be seen from the involvement of Islamic

scholars in various aspects, such as; education,

Islamic da’wah, and politics. However, the roles and

involvements of Islamic scholars are argued in

Islamic society. In the one hand, Islamic scholars are

regarded as people who only take care of spiritual

issues. On the other hand, Islamic scholars are also

considered able to deal with non-spiritual matters,

especially politics. Related to these issues, this

research was conducted to see the involvement of

Islamic scholars in the political world and in facing

2018 North Sumatra Governor Election. The

findings show that the Islamic scholars from the

Indonesian Ulama council (MUI) and the three

biggest Islamic organizations in Indonesia; NU,

Muhammadiyah, and Al-Washliyah, involved in

2018 North Sumatra Governor Election. in different

forms. Some of their involvements are in line with

the political attitudes of their organizations while

some others are opposed. The findings of this study

may provide educational value in the form of

information about the roles of Islamic scholars in

Islamic history. Furthermore, this study may also

serve as a consideration to all parties involving the

Islamic scholars in the context of nationality and

society.

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