The Integration of Islam and Culture in Islamic Thought

Abstract

This research explores the integration between Islam and local culture in the Archipelago, focusing on how syncretism and acculturation shaped diverse Islamic cultures in the Malay and Javanese regions. The study highlights the role of Sufism in facilitating the acceptance of Islam by local communities, especially among the early generations of Muslims in the Nusantara. Using a historical approach and literature analysis, this study examines how Islamic values were adapted through dialog with local animist traditions, resulting in a unique and diverse culture. This process involves communication between religious teachings and cultural traditions, which are often inseparable, although they retain their own characteristics. The study also identifies six main stages in the development of Islamic thought in the archipelago, ranging from the formal acceptance of Islam to sharia orthodoxy and the emergence of renewal movements. It highlights important figures in the Nusantara Islamic intellectual tradition such as Nuruddin Ar-Raniri, Mangkunegoro IV, KH. Hasyim Asy'ari, KH. Ahmad Dahlan, and A. Mukti Ali, as well as their contributions in integrating Islam with local culture. The results of this study provide insights into how Islam in the Nusantara was not only adapted but also enriched by local culture, making it a unique and humanist model of integration, which is relevant for religious and cultural studies in the modern era.