Agus Ahmad Safei | Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Gunung Djati (original) (raw)

Papers by Agus Ahmad Safei

Empirically, Islamic society in Indonesia —as the majority of the population— hasnot been able to... more Empirically, Islamic society in Indonesia —as the majority of the population— hasnot been able to compete with the various advantages possessed by Islamic societies in other countries, particularly in the developed ones. Academically, the conceptual references on the development of Islamic society are relatively hard to find. These facts warrant both empirical and academic efforts to develop the concepts and formulas of Islamic society development, especially regarding its economical aspect. This report will further describe the importance of a formula for developing Islamic society, based on celestial business (al-mubāya'ah al-samāwiyyah), and how it can be a solution to the problem of economical disadvantages in Islamic societies. This research used literary method that conducted by analyzing various literatures relevant with the topic of the research. The findings show that conceptually, the celestial business (business with God) formula is relevant for the development of the...

Annual Conference on Islamic Studies, 2010

Ketika memberikan pengantar untuk buku tulisan Jusuf Sutanto, Kearifan Kuno di Zaman Modern, Haid... more Ketika memberikan pengantar untuk buku tulisan Jusuf Sutanto, Kearifan Kuno di Zaman Modern, Haidar Bagir sampai pada sebuah kesimpulan yang agak mengejutkan. Menurutnya, seluruh kearifan kuno (ancient wisdom) dan kearifan lokal (local wisdom, al-bi"at al-mahalliyat) yang dimiliki masyarakat di seluruh dunia, sesungguhnya, bersumber dan berpusat pada satu poros belaka, yakni kearifan Ilahi (perennial wisdom). Haidar Bagir (Sutanto, 2001: 9) mendasarkan kesimpulannya itu pada riset historis yang menyebutkan bahwa seluruh ajaran kearifan yang dimiliki oleh kebudayaan di seluruh dunia (Maya, Aztec, Zoroaster, dan India Kuno) merujuk pada satu sumber yang sama, yakni "Corpus Hermeticum", yang merupakan buah pemikiran Sang Guru Ilmu Pengetahuan, Hermes. Dalam telusur yang dilakukan oleh Al-Biruni, masa hidup Hermes dalam kurun waktu 300-100 SM (dibenarkan juga oleh hasil penelusuran Arnold J Toynbee dalam nama Hermaeus, 2006: 352) sama dengan masa hidup Nabi Idris (dalam bahasa Indonesia berarti "Sang Guru", dalam bahasa Yunani "Hermes"). Berdasarkan penelusuran ini, Al-Biruni berkeyakinan bahwa Hermes adalah Nabi Idris. Kenyataan ini diperkuat pula oleh penelusuran dan riset panjang yang dilakukan oleh Karen Armstrong. Hanya saja, menurut Armstrong (2007: 132), Hermes adalah "penyampai pesan dewa (Tuhan)" yang diabadikan dalam mitologi Yunani. Bila Al-Biruni benar, maka tak ragu lagi untuk dikatakan bahwa seluruh kearifan lokal maupun kearifan kuno memang merupakan kearifan Ilahi (perennial wisdom). Sebab, kesemuanya berawal dari Hermes, Sang Guru, Si Penyampai Pesan Tuhan, Nabi Allah. Kalaupun Al-Biruni meleset, kemungkinan seluruh kearifan lokal dan kearifan kuno berasal dari kearifan Ilahi masih sangat relevan. Hal ini berdasarkan pada kemungkinan "adanya" seorang Nabi Allah di setiap kaum yang memproduksi kearifan lokal sebagai "teks-budaya". Sebab, bukankah, "Sesungguhnya pada setiap kaum Dia menurunkan seorang Nabi" (QS. 35:24, 10:47, 21:7)? Juga bukankah menurut sebuah riwayat, jumlah Nabi ada lebih dari 124.000 Nabi, yang mengajarkan risalah dari sumber yang sama, dari kebenaran yang sama? Setidaknya demikianlah keyakinan para penganut kearifan perennial. Jika demikian adanya, mengikuti penjelasan Fahd Pahdepie (dalam Asep Saeful Muhtadi, ed., 2008: 14), kearifan Sunda juga sejatinya berasal dari kearifan Ilahi. Thus, demikian Pahdepie, kearifan Sunda adalah juga berarti kearifan Ilahi. Sebab, seperti yang sudah dipaparkan tadi, kebudayaan India (tempat lahirnya Hindu dan Budha yang menjadi warna awal tradisi Sunda) pun berasal dari Hermes, dari Idris. Berbicara soal kearifan Sunda, memang tak pernah bisa dilepaskan dari ajaran Hindu dan Budha (terutama aliran Tantra), sebab kedua agama kepercayaan ini menjadi warna tersendiri bagi kebudayaan, kearifan, dan masyarakat Sunda (Lihat Rosidi dkk.,

International Journal of Advance Science and Technology, 2020

Australia is the largest multicultural country where different religions exist including Islam. A... more Australia is the largest multicultural country where different religions exist including Islam. As a close neighbor, some Muslim communities from Indonesia have settled and involved in da'wah-teaching the religion of Islam-in this country: in the state of Victoria, New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory. This study aims (a) to obtain a picture of contributions of da'wah done by Indonesian Muslim communities to the expansion of Islam in Australia, and (b) to examine the acceptance of Australian non-Muslims residing in those states about Islam and the da'wah. This research utilizes a descriptive analytic approach. The findings reveal that Indonesian Muslims in Australia and their approaches in da'wah has contributed to the spread of Islam including its Indonesian influence. One challenge faced is the attitude of communal inclination, desire to gather with fellow Indonesians and people with similar religion and to show the ethnicity and religious identity causing resistance among local people.

Journal of Critical Reviews, 2020

This article discusses the organic relationships between the concepts of the individual, family, ... more This article discusses the organic relationships between the concepts of the individual, family, and community taking an Islamic perspective. Based on a literature review, this study finds that individuals are considered to be a unit among human beings and are often understood as comprising personal, self, and ego entities. In sociology, the individual is defined as a person in his personality, selfhood, and solitude that occupies a position and resides in the smallest unit of society. In Islam, when an individual reaches the stage of maturity, that individual is referred to as mukallaf. Even in the smallest and closest environment, individuals connect through a process of social interaction. The smallest and closest environment in question here is the family, and therein, the personality attached to the individual begins to be influenced by the environment. The concept of a human being born in a state of fitrah is very relevant when describing the early age of an individual. In the course of his social development, the individual arrives at a stage where he is the subject in his environment. Development through aging to adulthood is accompanied by social experience achieved with other social groups outside the family. This social interaction in Islam is known by the term ta'āruf initially, and this progresses to friendship. Therefore, when individuals or groups of individuals are interconnected with one another in a larger area, a society is realized. In relation to developing a society, Islam emphasizes the necessity of the Muslim community maintaining and preserving good values and traditions while also pushing toward better welfare in all aspects of community life.

International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation, 2020

Musabaqah Tilawatil Qurân (MTQ) is derived from Arabic by Indonesian society to refer to the lite... more Musabaqah Tilawatil Qurân (MTQ) is derived from Arabic by Indonesian society to refer to the literary Qurânic Recitation Competition. This is a large and fundamental development in the preaching and teaching of Islam in Indonesia. It started in the 1940s and was nationalized in the 1960s to help promote the power way of reading and reciting the Qurân. Since its nationalization in 1968, MTQ has become a tradition for Indonesians, although Qurânic recitation itself is a common practice and a universal activity within the Muslim world. During Qurânic recital competitions, participants compete in a number of different elements, which include Tilawah (the art of reciting the Quran), Fahm Al-Qurân (comprehension of Qurânic content), and tahfiz Qurân (memorization of the Qurân). In 2003, a new field was added to the MTQ competition, i.e.,Musabaqah Makalah Ilmiah Al-Qurân (M2IQ), which is translated as Al-Qurânic Academic Writing Competition. Since its first appearance during the 2003 Regional MTQ in the West Java Province, and later during the 2008 National MTQ, M2IQ, which is basically written da'wah material, has been considered an innovation within the preaching field in Indonesia. In the past, Islamic preaching (da'wah) in Indonesia has always been in the oral form. This development calls for comprehensive study to understand the underlying principles within the emerging M2IQ approach in the teaching of Islam or the Qurân within Indonesia, and its contribution to the shaping of modern Islamic preaching or teaching in Indonesia.

American Journal of Applied Sciences, 2016

As a religious institution that has focused on the propagation of Islam (tabligh), the Majelis Ta... more As a religious institution that has focused on the propagation of Islam (tabligh), the Majelis Ta'lim, particularly the branches in West Java, faces no small challenge. First, the Majelis Ta'lim is charged with implementing breakthroughs to preserve organizational existence as well as undertaking self-development to achieve a better state. Second, the Majelis Ta'lim is faced with the challenge of contributing to the quality of various aspects of the life of the Islamic community. This research studies the phenomenon of the shifting role of the Majelis Ta'lim, which is no longer solely a religious institution that propagates Islam but is beginning to actively respond to issues categorized as "worldly" (muamalah). This shift in the role of the Majelis Ta'lim is interesting: Why and in what aspects has this shift (or, more accurately, enrichment) in its role occurred? This study uses an analytic descriptive approach to examine this phenomenon. The research results show that in the context of a developing Islamic society, the Majelis Ta'lim institution, which exists throughout the region of West Java, can become a development actor in the midst of its routine religious study activities. Although its scope to date has been in the religious area (diniyah), its representatives are becoming involved as actors and spokesmen for the development of Islamic society in social and economic fields.

Man In India, 2016

Religion not only dictates the relationship between humans and their God, but it provides solutio... more Religion not only dictates the relationship between humans and their God, but it provides solutions to human problems. This is related to a thesis stating that theological practice must be practiced or proven in real life. In terms of concept, theology is universal and total, involving all aspects of life. The idea of repentance is correlated to the practical action of the idea towards fellow humans and their surrounding nature. Therefore, religious theology should cover more than faith in God, but also a realistic role in the social dimension and a form of wisdom related to the surrounding environment. This can be understood as "earth theology". Monotheistic religions have been criticised for their tendency to be less friendly to nature. One interpretation of religion that sees humans more superior to nature is the basic issue of current ecological problems. It should not come as a surprise when the result of such interpretation is the ethics of exploitation and not protection. Furthermore, this essay will inspect the real role of religions in facing socio-ecological problems caused by misguided theological practices. Regardless, religious perspective of a society affects the attitudes and behaviours towards nature and environment.

Athens Institute for Education and Research, 2012

The purpose of this paper is to explain the dynamics of religious tolerance that occurred in Indo... more The purpose of this paper is to explain the dynamics of religious tolerance that occurred in Indonesia, especially in the last decade. Indonesia is indeed one of the most pluralistic societies in terms of ethnic, linguistic, cultural, and religious diversity, in which people from various backgrounds of tribe, race, and religion live together. In terms of religion, there exist in this country the great world religions, namely Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Kong Hu Chu. With a majority Muslim population, Indonesia is also known widely as the largest Muslim country in the world. Historically, the complexity of religious identity can bring harmony. In fact, with a diverse character, Indonesia is known as a model of a tolerant country where people from different religious backgrounds can live together in harmony. In this context, Indonesia has a very popular slogan, namely "Bhineka Tunggal Ika" (Unity in Diversity). Sociologically, the relationship among religious believers full of dynamics, sometimes full of accommodations that create an atmosphere of harmony and sometimes full of confrontations that lead to disharmony. The pattern of accommodative relationship occurs when the followers of different religions emphasizes tolerance. While the emergence of a confrontational relationship due to internal factors of the religious community itself, such a narrow understanding of religious, exclusive, self-righteous, but is also influenced by external factors, such as economic inequalities and the existence of provocation from the outside. This then causes the various nuances of religious conflicts in Indonesia. Ethnic and religious diversity, on the one hand, it can be a valuable capital for the establishment of tolerance is strong, but on the other hand has tremendous potential for conflict. Potential conflicts among ethnic and religious communities are still quite open. Thus the fact then raises a new problem of the dialectical relationship among religious and sometimes problematic. The problem was indeed a wedge that is long enough, especially in a plural society like Indonesia.

Kalam, 2016

nuansa yang berbeda, meski dalam beberapa hal ditemukan sejumlah titik yang sama. Hal demikian di... more nuansa yang berbeda, meski dalam beberapa hal ditemukan sejumlah titik yang sama. Hal demikian dipandang sebagai sesuatu yang normal saja, karena setiap pemimpin memiliki gaya, selera dan visi-misi masing-masing. Jika Dada Rosada tampil memimpin Bandung dengan semangat menjadikan Bandung sebagai Kota Agamis, dengan menekankan pentingnya toleransi antarumat beragama, maka Ridwan Kamil lebih memilih spirit Bandung Juara sebagai tagline utama kepemimpinannya, dengan tetap menekankan Bandung sebagai 'rumah bersama' semua umat beragama. Ridwan Kamil secara sadar tidak memakai bahasa agama di ruang publik sebagaimana halnya yang dilakukan Walikota sebelumnya, Dada Rosada. Dalam pendekatan esensialisme yang diusung Walikota sekarang, yang terpenting bukanlah membawa-bawa agama dalam setiap program yang diusung ke ruang publik, terpenting adalah justru mengimplementasikan nilai-nilai yang dikandung agama itu sendiri melalui berbagai program yang nyata-nyata memberikan manfaat kepada warga kota.

Walisongo: Jurnal Penelitian Sosial Keagamaan, 2016

Empirically, Islamic society in Indonesia-as the majority of the populationhasnot been able to co... more Empirically, Islamic society in Indonesia-as the majority of the populationhasnot been able to compete with the various advantages possessed by Islamic societies in other countries, particularly in the developed ones. Academically, the conceptual references on the development of Islamic society are relatively hard to find. These facts warrant both empirical and academic efforts to develop the concepts and formulas of Islamic society development, especially regarding its economical aspect. This report will further describe the importance of a formula for developing Islamic society, based on celestial business (al-mubāya'ah alsamāwiyyah), and how it can be a solution to the problem of economical disadvantages in Islamic societies. This research used literary method that conducted by analyzing various literatures relevant with the topic of the research. The findings show that conceptually, the celestial business (business with God) formula is relevant for the development of the economic aspect of Islamic societies. This formula offers equilibrium between the satisfaction of material and spiritual needs, or the physical and spiritual needs. On the higher level, it can be an alternative formula to develop the economic aspect of any Islamic society.

Sedangkan Iblis pun, atas desakan Musa, akhirnya memberi nasihat kepada Nabi musuh besar Fir'aun ... more Sedangkan Iblis pun, atas desakan Musa, akhirnya memberi nasihat kepada Nabi musuh besar Fir'aun itu: "Lupakan akumu, agar engkau tak menjadi seperti aku..."

Books by Agus Ahmad Safei