Politik Islam Hindia Belanda [Islamic Policy in the Dutch East Indies]

Abstract

A classic study by H. Aqib Suminto on the policy of the Dutch East Indies colonial government towards Islam, derived from his dissertation at IAIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta and published by LP3ES. This book traces how the Dutch built what was called "Islam Politiek" (Islamic policy): a separation between Islam as worship, which was tolerated and even facilitated, and Islam as a political force, which was monitored and suppressed. The central role of Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje and the institution Het Kantoor voor Inlandsche Zaken (Office for Native Affairs) is described in detail, including policies on the hajj, education, religious courts, marriage, and the relationship of the government with ulama and penghulu (religious officials). Drawing on colonial archives, Aqib Suminto shows that Islamic policy in the Dutch East Indies was a systematic political strategy for maintaining the stability of power, and that its legacy shaped the relationship between religion and state in Indonesia after independence. The edition in this collection was published in 1996.