ISLAM IN INDONESIA: MODERNISM, RADICALISM, AND THE MIDDLE EAST DIMENSION
Book Description
In a world where understanding between cultures has never been more crucial, this scholarly exploration offers profound insights into the spiritual and political landscape of Indonesia, home to the world's largest Muslim population. Rather than focusing solely on contemporary headlines, Giora Eliraz takes readers on a deeper journey through the complex currents shaping Indonesian Islam today.
The book illuminates two powerful movements that reveal how Middle Eastern influences have profoundly shaped Indonesian spiritual and social life: Islamic modernism and radical fundamentalism. Through careful analysis, Eliraz demonstrates how these contrasting streams of thought continue to influence millions of believers as they navigate between tradition and modernity, local identity and global connection.
For readers seeking to understand the diverse expressions of Islamic faith and practice, this work provides essential context often missing from surface-level media coverage. The author examines how Indonesian Muslims have engaged with reformist ideas and fundamentalist interpretations, showing how external influences from the Middle East interact with local traditions and contemporary realities.
This thoughtful examination offers valuable perspective for anyone interested in interfaith understanding, the evolution of religious movements, or the complex relationship between spirituality and politics in our interconnected world. Through its focused lens on Indonesia, the book reveals broader truths about how religious communities adapt, transform, and sometimes conflict in the modern era.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Short (< 200 pages) (~4 hours)
📄 Length: 142 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Middle east, relations
- ✓ Explore Islamic renewal
- ✓ Explore Indonesia, foreign relations
- ✓ Explore Relations
- ✓ Explore Indonesia, politics and government
- ✓ Explore Politics and government
- ✓ Explore Islam and politics
- ✓ Explore Religion and politics
