KARSA Journal of Social and Islamic Culture

Post-Conflict Democratization: A Comparative Case Study of Cambodia and Nigeria’s Experiences

2025-08-12T16:34:32+07:00

Religious conflicts occurred in various countries, from Nigeria's 1980 conflict between Islam and Christianity to Cambodia's religious conflict in 1970. This study examines how religion reconstructs democracy following civil wars in Cambodia and Nigeria. Cambodia emphasizes a spiritual approach for conflict-affected communities to eliminate future conflicts, making religion a collective spiritual tool. Nigeria emphasizes an institutionalized approach using mediation and interfaith dialogue, using religion as socio-political mediation. This comparative study examines religion's role in post-conflict democratic reconstruction in both countries. The research analyzes using Most Similar System Design (MSSD) two countries with systemic similarities, including religious-based civil conflict, influential religious actors, and democracy disruptions between 1970 and 2005. Despite similarities, Cambodia and Nigeria used different faith-based peacebuilding strategies. In Cambodia, Buddhist monk Maha Ghosananda adopted a spiritual approach, focusing on healing through rituals like the “Pilgrimage of Truth” to restore trust and values for reconstructing democracy. In Nigeria, religious leaders Imam Muhammad Nurayn Ashafa and Pastor James Movel Wuye used an institutionalized approach, emphasizing mediation and interfaith dialogue for socio-political reconciliation. While Cambodia's approach yielded stronger personal reconciliation, Nigeria’s strategy effectively reduced violence and polarization, establishing deliberative democracy. The study concludes that religious peacebuilding effectiveness depends on context, with the socio-political environment shaping strategies. Quantitative data from V-Dem shows religious actor interventions coincide with improved democratic indicators, highlighting faith-based peacebuilding’s contribution to democratic reconstruction.

Aestheticizing Coexistence: Public Perceptions of the Istiqlal-Cathedral Tunnel on Social Media

2025-08-12T14:59:03+07:00

Although Indonesia is known for its religious diversity, numerous incidents of intolerance reveal that symbols and practices of tolerance have yet to be deeply rooted in the country's social fabric. the Terowongan Silaturahmi in this context, a connecting passage between the Istiqlal Mosque and the Jakarta Cathedral—stands out as a rare spatial phenomenon symbolizing interfaith harmony in an urban landscape. This study aims to examine the aesthetic and architectural dimensions of the tunnel and analyze public perceptions of it as a representation of pluralist values. Employing a qualitative-descriptive approach supported by digital quantitative analysis, the study integrates architectural interpretation, literature review, and sentiment classification of 2,003 comments from 5 videos on the YouTube page using the IndoBERT model and word cloud visualization. The findings reveal that the tunnel is broadly perceived as a positive symbol of tolerance and national identity, though some resistance emerges from conservative groups. Therefore, the Terowongan Silaturahmi exempli-fies how architecture can function as a medium for dialogue and social education on interfaith coexistence within Indonesia's public spaces.

Constructing Territorial Identity: Strategic Narrative in Aceh’s Maritime Boundary Disputes

2025-11-07T11:06:41+07:00

Territorial disputes concerning maritime boundaries have grown increasingly intricate in the context of subnational autonomy, especially in areas with special administrative status. The communication strategies employed by the Aceh government regarding maritime territorial claims exemplify a distinctive instance of strategic narrative construction within Indonesia’s decentralized governance framework. This study investigates how the Aceh government formulates strategic narratives in territorial claims, scrutinizing the discursive patterns, rhetorical strategies, and power dynamics inherent in their political communication related to maritime boundary disputes. This research utilizes Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) in accordance with Fairclough’s three-dimensional framework, examining official documents, press statements, and public speeches delivered by Aceh government officials from 2018 to 2024. The data were subjected to analysis through textual examination, discursive practice evaluation, and contextualization of social practices. The analysis uncovers three predominant narrative strategies: (1) historical legitimacy narratives that invoke pre-colonial sovereignty, (2) legal-constitutional narratives that underscore special autonomy rights, and (3) economic security narratives that emphasize resource sovereignty. The government employs particular linguistic devices, including metaphorical expressions, intertextuality, and strategic ambiguity, to construct legitimacy while addressing multiple audiences. Aceh's strategic narrative construction illustrates a sophisticated discursive management of territorial claims within constitutional limitations. The findings enhance the understanding of subnational political communication in territorial disputes and provide insights for conflict resolution through narrative mediation.

Falak Manuscripts: Windows into the Intellectual and Cultural History of Southeast Asia

2025-11-07T11:06:41+07:00

This study examines the development and role of falak (Islamic astronomy) manuscripts in Southeast Asia within the context of Islamic historiography and the transmission of knowledge from the Middle East. Scholars from the archipelago studied falak in the Middle East before developing it in their homeland, producing repetitive works to facilitate public understanding. However, limited documentation and a lack of in-depth research hinder a comprehensive understanding of the scholars’ roles in the history of falak. This study explored alternative sources, such as local manuscripts, travel notes, and oral traditions, using a multidisciplinary approach that includes philology, history, and the sociology of knowledge. The method used in this research is the philological method, a scholarly approach used to analyze, assess, and interpret ancient or historical texts, particularly in the context of manuscript studies. One of the research locations is the PEDIR Museum (Banda Aceh), the Manuscript Collection of Tarmidzi Abdul Hamid (Banda Aceh), and the Falak Center of Syaikh Tahir in Penang, Malaysia. The results show that falak science in Southeast Asia developed through networks of scholars connected to the Haramain and Egypt. The dissemination of falak manuscripts occurred through trade, missionary activity, and intellectual exchange, while adaptation to local culture preserved its relevance. The influence of the falak manuscripts in Southeast Asia includes strengthening religious authority, establishing local hisab-rukyat traditions, and playing a strategic role in harmonizing the Islamic calendar. This research confirms that the falak manuscripts are an intellectual heritage that reflects the synergy between science and the religious needs of Southeast Asian Muslim communities, while also serving as an important source for the study of the history of Islamic science in the region.

The Legal Challenge of Marital Rape: Bridging Islamic Law and Indonesia's Anti-Violence Statute

2025-11-07T11:06:34+07:00

In Islamic law, there are two views on marital rape: one rejects it because marriage is considered a lifelong consent to sexual relations. At the same time, the other recognizes the possibility of marital rape within a marriage. Unlike UU-PKDRT, marital rape receives strict penalties. This study aims to identify and analyze the legal sanctions for marital rape in UU-PKDRT and Islamic criminal law, compare the sanctions of both laws, and explain the concept of takzir for marital rape. The research method is juridical-normative, using qualitative data and three frameworks: credo theory, legal change, and takzir. The study results show that UU-PKDRT, which includes marital rape, does not contradict Islamic law and therefore should be obeyed by Ulil Amri. The legal sanctions are relevant and in accordance with takzir; sexual relations are a mutual right of husband and wife, and forced sexual relations in marriage are not considered rape but violence that can be sanctioned by takzir; marital rape is not considered rape in Islam because marriage negates fornication; Marital rape in UU-PKDRT is viewed as rape, but in Islamic law, it is only violence that can be sanctioned by takzir after reconciliation efforts. The new theory from this research states that marital rape is violence, not rape.

Islamic Jurisprudence in Academia: Knowledge Production and Interpretation at Indonesian Islamic Universities

2025-11-07T11:06:41+07:00

This research is based on a literature review using historical and phenomenological approaches, interviews, and comparisons. This study seeks to understand the efforts of Indonesian Muslim academics in the study of al-Tafsir Al-Fiqhi in Islamic universities, focusing on the Al-Quran Science University (UNSIQ) in Wonosobo and PTIQ University in Jakarta. The data from this study were analyzed using content analysis, by analyzing data from theses, dissertations, and publications from UNSIQ Wonosobo and PTIQ University Jakarta, focusing on the methods of knowledge production. The steps taken in this study were as follows: First, the research data were described through references related to legal interpretation or fiqh, especially in Indonesia. Then, the theses and dissertations at UNSIQ Wonosobo and PTIQ University Jakarta were reviewed, and finally, all data were interpreted, induced, studied, and investigated. This research shows that the production of knowledge in al-Tafsir al-Fiqhi at UNSIQ Wonosobo and PTIQ Jakarta strengthens the role of al-Tafsir al-Fiqhi studies in dealing with legal and jurisprudential issues in Indonesia. In addition, both universities contribute to the production of research related to the interpretation of legal verses, which contributes to the revival of al-Tafsir al-Fiqhi studies. Furthermore, this study also shows that both universities focus on three things: First, improving understanding of legal texts, analyzing legal verses, and comparing them with the needs of society. Second, focusing on the development of educational and research methodologies by integrating Islamic traditions and Sharia objectives with the realities of Indonesia. Third, contributing to community service. It can be done by applying fiqh interpretations to practical issues, such as family law and financial transactions. UNSIQ Wonosobo and PTIQ Jakarta face challenges in their efforts, such as the need for more studies linking legal interpretation to the global context and balancing the preservation of classical fiqh heritage with the demands of the times.