Ulama's Resistance to the Closing of Worship Places During The COVID-19 Pandemic in Indonesia

Authors

Luthfi Hadi Aminuddin, IAIN PonorogoFollow
Isnatin Ulfah, IAIN PonorogoFollow
Siti Rohmaturrosyidah Ratnawati, IAIN PonorogoFollow
Chafid Wahyudi, STAI Al-Fithrah SurabayaFollow

Abstract

PPKM Darurat (the implementation of community activity restrictions) is one of the policies implemented by the Indonesian government to control the spread of COVID-19. PPKM Darurat received opposition from ulama (Islamic religious leaders) because all places of worship had to be closed. Our qualitative study explores the forms, factors, and impacts of ulama’s resistance to the closing of worship places during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research data were collected through interviews with participating ulama. This study indicates that ulama’s resistance to the closure of places of worship during the PPKM Darurat period manifested in discourse and action. In the form of discourse, they considered the closure of places of worship contrary to the provisions of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence). While in action, they demonstrated resistance by continuing to perform five obligatory prayers, the Friday prayers, and Eid al-Adha prayers in congregation in mosques and prayer rooms. This study suggests that there should be cooperation between the government and religious leaders in drafting, socializing, and implementing laws, including those on PPKM Darurat.

Keywords

public resistance, closing of worship places, COVID-19, qualitative method, thematic analysis

Author Bio(s)

Luthfi Hadi Aminuddin is an Associate Professor of Islamic Law at Institut Agama Islam Negeri Ponorogo, East Java, Indonesia. He earned his doctoral degree in Islamic Studies from Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Ampel Surabaya, Indonesia. His research interests are Islamic law and jurisprudence. Please direct correspondence to luthfihadi@iainponorogo.ac.id.

Isnatin Ulfah is an Assistant Professor of Islamic Law at the Faculty of Syariah, Institute Agama Islam Negeri Ponorogo, East Java, Indonesia. She achieved her doctorate in Islamic Studies from Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Ampel Surabaya, Indonesia. She has research interests in Islamic Law, Islamic studies, and gender. Please direct correspondence to isnatinulfah74@iainponorogo.ac.id.

Siti Rohmaturrosyidah Ratnawati is a lecturer in Islamic Education at the Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training, Institut Agama Islam Negeri Ponorogo, East Java, Indonesia. She undertook her master's degree in Islamic Education from Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Her research interests include but are not limited to Islamic education, Islamic studies, and multiculturalism. Please direct correspondence to rosyidah@iainponorogo.ac.id.

Chafid Wahyudi is a faculty member at the Faculty of Ushuluddin, STAI Al Fithrah, Surabaya, Indonesia. He obtained his doctorate in Islamic Thought at Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Ampel Surabaya, Indonesia. His focus lies on Islamic thought and exegesis of the Qur'an. Please direct correspondence to chafid_wahyudi@alfithrah.ac.id.

Acknowledgements

We thank the scholars, kyai, leaders of Islamic boarding schools, and community leaders in Ponorogo Regency, East Java Indonesia, for their good help, we were able to complete this article

Publication Date

6-16-2023

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2023.5871

Recommended APA Citation

Aminuddin, L. H., Ulfah, I., Ratnawati, S. R., & Wahyudi, C. (2023). Ulama's Resistance to the Closing of Worship Places During The COVID-19 Pandemic in Indonesia. The Qualitative Report, 28(6), 1801-1816. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2023.5871

ORCID ID

0000-0002-6617-8712