Democracy in the Eyes of Islamists: an Ideological Contest in Post-New Order Indonesias Socio-Politics

The discussion of Islam and democracy is obviously not new. This theme has already become the subject of discussion not only in Indonesia but also worldwide. Ongoing debates on whether or not Islam is compatible with democracy have even twisted misleadingly as if there is no correspondence between the two. This gave rise of stigmatization among the international community that Islam is not compatible with democracy. Islam and democracy are indeed developed from different history. Islam is the religion where the teachings of which are believed to be revealed by God and it is definitely true, while democracy is the product of human ijtihad which is not free from various shortcomings. These fundamental differences ultimately gave birth to many unceasing debates between those who see the compatibility between Islam and democracy and those who do not. This never-ending polemic and its various socio-political dynamics have certainly attracted scholars’ attention to review them.