The existence of an ulama council is not a phenomenon unique to contemporary Indonesia but rather has roots in the early arrival of Islam to the area, from the era of Acehnese Islamic kingdoms in Aceh until today and the Indonesian state's current form. The MUI was established on 26 July 1975. Its basic statute describes the Council of Indonesian Ulama as a wadalz (forum) for consultation among Muslim leaders and scholars in Indonesia. This paper explains the evolution of the MUI and its role in political development of contemporary Indonesia.
The Author: Syafiq Hasyim was deputy director of International Center for Islam and Pluralism, Jakarta, 2003-2009. He is currently Ph.D. candidate at Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies (BGSMCS), Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany.
IRASEC:
The Research Institute on Contemporary Southeast Asia (USR 3142 – UMIFRE 22 CNRS-MAEE) has since 2001 focused its activities on the political, economic, social and environmental evolutions of the eleven countries of the region. Based in Bangkok, the Institute promotes a variety of approaches by calling on experts and specialists from all academic fields and teaming them up as required. Comparative approaches and transversal studies are favored as much as possible.