The third phase of the Islam Nusantara political movement is reflected in the involvement of Nusantara clerics and Kiai in the national tendency to form the Unitary Republic of Indonesia based on Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution.
The fourth phase of the Islam Nusantara political movement was manifested in the form of the involvement of Kiai and scholars in defending independence, maintaining the integrity of the Unitary Republic of Indonesia from being undermined by the rebels to the acceptance of Pancasila as the single principle in the nation and state.
Prioritizing Maslahah and Rahmah
From the historical trajectory of the political movements of the Nusantara ulama and Kiai, we can see that several main characteristics can be called Islam Nusantara politics, namely; First, the politics of Islam Nusantara prioritizes benefits rather than legal-formal-symbolic demands. This makes Islam Nusantara’s politics flexible in accepting local elements that do not conflict with Islamic teachings or prevent Muslims from carrying out their Shari’a. This attitude realizes the purpose of implementing Islamic law: to realize the benefit of the ummah (maqasidus syar’i Lil mashatil ummah). It is hard to imagine that Pancasila can be accepted as the basis of the state if most Muslims in this country do not put forward a maslahah political attitude.
Second, it prioritizes a rahmah approach rather than a confrontational-radical attitude that can lead to conflicts that can cause damage (mafsadah). With this approach, the politics of Islam Nusantara can weave differences and diversity to withstand potential disputes that occur in society. Indonesia will become a source of religious conflict if the Muslims of the Archipelago, with a high degree of plurality, do not prioritize Islam Rahmah.
Third, the politics of Islam Nusantara makes texts (Quran and hadith) as a source of inspiration, moral guidance, and references which are then interpreted and derived to be more operational as seen in the thoughts of the scholars of interpretation, tasawuf, fiqh, ushul fiqh, and so on. In short, the politics of Islam Nusantara uses the Quran and hadith as the basis and uses the thoughts of the ulama as practical-operational instructions in practising the Koran and hadith.
This is reflected in the use of the principles of ushul fiqh in formulating views and determining political attitudes, such as the rules of dar’ul mafasid muqaddam ala jalbil mashalih (preventing damage takes precedence over seeking goodness), the application of the concept of istihsan (finding the best way and way), al-‘Adah Muhakkamah (customs can be used as legal support), al-dzarar la yuzalu bil dzarar (we can not remove the danger, in a way that will cause another threat), and so on.
In this way, Islamic teachings contained in sacred texts become easier to apply and continue to be actual throughout the ages because they have relevance to reality without losing the substance contained in them. In the diverse context of Indonesia, it’s in these ways that Islam can become a knitting force for differences and diversity, as has been proven by the ulama and Kiai of the Archipelago, who later became known as the politics of Islam Nusantara.