Power, Politics, Culture, and History as Connectors of State Relations

Statehood is always shaped by the historical, social, as well as cultural contexts unique to each nation. These interconnections define political directions while also simultaneously becoming the arena of politicization since the birth of modern democracy including in Indonesia.

Since the proclamation of independence in 1945, Indonesia has gone through different models of elections: starting from the historic 1955 general election, through the New Order era (1971–1997), to the post-1999 reform period that is characterized by direct elections that are still ongoing up to 2024. This trend depicts that Indonesian democracy has never been static or remained the same; it has continually evolved particularly in response to legal frameworks such as the Election Law (Law No. 7/2017) and also to shifting social dynamics.

However, a common issue that has lingered on in every election in Indonesia as a recurring challenge is the polarization between religion and the state.  Such polarization produces diverse political orientations ranging from religious populism to nationalism and secularism while also emphasizing the dynamic as well as the flexible relationship between religion and the state in Indonesia.

As a result, in this context, Islamic political thought often acts as both a point of convergence as well as a source of tension. The relationship between religion and state is not solely and only determined by theological interpretations or power struggles, but it is also determined by socio-economic, political, legal, and cultural forces that shape democratic configurations. As the world’s largest Muslim-majority democracy, Indonesia faces a very unique challenge: religion permeates daily life, yet politics is often co-opted by elites for the pursuit of power.

This complexity is also further enhanced by the role of ulama and other religious figures, whose influence is quite inseparable from politics. From populist preachers to secularly educated Muslim intellectuals, all participate in the electoral arena. Consequently, Indonesian politics is imbued with religiosity, making it a lot more distinct from the more secular democracies elsewhere.

Reformist Variant of State Politics

In contemporary Islamic political thought, three major paradigms dominate debates across the Muslim world. The first is the secularist paradigm, which views Islam as regulating only the relationship between human beings and God, while matters of governance remain entirely within the human domain. The second is the traditionalist-revivalist paradigm, or Islamism, which asserts that Islam encompasses all aspects of life, including the social and political. The third is the reformist paradigm, or moderate Islam, which put emphasis on the need to interpret Islam within the context of state life, while also at the same time remaining grounded in the Qur’an and Sunnah and open to renewal (tajdid).

In secular political theory, religion is regarded as a private matter. Yet in practice, religion frequently acts as a very powerful social force that shapes all spheres of life. Within the Islamic intellectual tradition, for example, Ibn Mas‘ud’s interpretation of uli al-amr distinguishes between umara’ (formal political rulers) and  also ulama (religious leaders). This particular distinction illustrates that politics in Islam extends far beyond formal state structures to also include cultural as well as societal dimensions. Ultimately, the purpose of politics is not just limited to the struggle for legislative, executive, or judicial office as outlined in Montesquieu’s theory of trials politica but the pursuit of justice and  welfare for humanity as a whole.

The spread of Islam in Indonesia has historically been shaped a lot by cultural politics. Religious organizations such as Muhammadiyah, Persis, and Al-Irsyad, alongside political movements like Sarekat Islam, were very instrumental in the early twentieth century. Of just equal importance was Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), which had strong influence on the political and religious life in the country, due to its networks of pesantren, santri, and kiai. The support of religious figures and that of local rulers accelerated Islamization in the archipelago, highlighting the fact that modern Islamic politics in Indonesia developed not only through state structures but also through social as well as intellectual movements.

In Indonesia’s state practice, Islam often occupies an ambiguous position. The nation is neither an Islamic state nor a fully secular one. Hence, Islam’s influence is very much visible through cultural channels education, art, media, and civil society organizations which indirectly shape political structures. The values articulated in these public spheres frequently transform into national values, merging with the spirit of the 1945 Constitution and also the philosophy of Pancasila. Therefore, Islam functions not only as a religious identity but it also acts as an integral part of Indonesia’s political foundation.

Philosophy as State Ethics Rooted in Religion and the State (Symbolic-Mutualistic)

Islamic values play a very crucial role in Indonesian culture. They shape political culture, religious worldviews, as well as the behavior of individuals and groups within the political arena. A vivid manifestation of this influence can be seen in the Pancasila, the foundational ideology of Indonesian politics, several of which are based on Islamic teachings.

The key question is: how are Islamic values applied within a political culture that is strongly grounded in Pancasila? The answer to this question depends on the extent to which these values permeate political processes. When their influence weakens, secularization of political culture takes place. This is a more complex phenomenon than a mere formal separation of religion and state. In Indonesia, a strict functional separation between the two is neither possible nor desirable. But the secularization of political culture remains a possibility, particularly as values shift with advances in science, technology, as well as industrialization. These dynamics inevitably affect formal and structural politics as well.

For this reason, it is very essential to cultivate a political culture that reflects religious values without obstructing formal political processes. Balance must be maintained to prevent disjunctions between these two spheres. At the same time, suspicion from political elites toward culturally rooted political activities should be avoided, since cultural channels represent one of the unique strengths of Indonesian democracy.

In Islamic teaching, a government even if not formally labeled “Islamic” is still obliged to ensure justice as well as the welfare of its people. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) taught that the ultimate goal of Muslim politics is not the acquisition of power itself, but also the improvement of governance and society as a whole. As a result, both religious leaders and the politicians are called upon to act as moral guardians of politics: strengthening ethics, reforming political culture, and also promoting just governance.

To achieve this, Muslim politicians must possess very broad horizons, sharp socio-political analysis, as well as the courage to move beyond traditional methods that rely solely on mobilizing mass emotions through religious symbols. More importantly, they must cultivate flexible, intellectually equipped cadres who can engage very meaningfully with society. This would allow Muslim politicians not to remain on the margins, but to become active contributors to Indonesian democracy.

Nonetheless, challenges persist. Political paternalism, short-term interests, and elitist tendencies continue to hinder Islam’s role in strengthening political culture. Therefore, politics should not be reduced to the struggle for formal power alone. It must also be understood as an effort to reshape political culture with Islamic values that are aligned with nationalism. When such harmony is realized, religion and state can coexist in a symbolic and very mutualistic relationship, reinforcing and benefiting one another. Otherwise, secularization will grow more dominant, distancing the Muslim community from its ultimate goals: justice, welfare, as well as the pursuit of happiness in both this world and the hereafter.