Muhammadiyah has a tradition of progressive thinking within its own ranks.
One example is the Young Muhammadiyah Intellectual Network (JIMM),a group of young activists within Muhammadiyah who made headlines in the 2000s with their call for intellectual renewal and reform of Muhammadiyah, opposing conservatives in the organisation’s leadership.
This tradition is not new. since its establishment in 1912,there have been progressive leaders and intellectuals who have sought to challenge the religious orthodoxy,embrace social justice,and compete with more conservative and state-aligned factions within the group.
Now, the latest debate within Muhammadiyah over its decision to accept a mining concession from the Prabowo Subianto government has led to the ascent of new progressive elements within the organisation.
Unlike JIMM activists, these new progressives advocate social and environmental justice and are heavily critical of muhammadiyah’s venture into mining.
The ‘green’ environmentalists
One prominent progressive group within muhammadiyah, ‘Muhammadiyah Green Cadres’ (KHM, Kader Hijau Muhammadiyah), advocates an Islamic vision of environmental justice.
Its Manifesto mentions the rising number of agrarian conflicts and environmental destr
Muhammadiyah Leaders Debate Coal Mining Concession
A debate is unfolding within the Indonesian Islamic institution Muhammadiyah regarding the ethics of accepting a coal mining concession from the government. The discussion centers on whether fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) should prioritize societal benefit (maslahat) or broader ethical and environmental considerations.
Ulil Abshar-Abdalla, a prominent Indonesian Islamic intellectual, has argued for accepting the concession if it benefits society. However, Niki Alma Febriana Fauzi, a lecturer at Ahmad Dahlan University and member of muhammadiyah’s Majelis Tarjih (peak religious body), challenges this view. Fauzi asserts that fiqh is grounded in a wider ethical framework that includes protecting nature,not just humanity and religion.
“Fiqh is not simply a matter of what is good or bad for societies (maslahat and mafsadat),” Fauzi contends, drawing on Muhammadiyah’s approach to fiqh as developed by the Majelis Tarjih.
Fauzi points to scientific evidence demonstrating the negative environmental impacts of coal mining. She advocates for a just energy transition away from fossil fuels, aligning with similar calls from other young Muhammadiyah intellectuals like Hening.
Muhammadiyah Chairman Haedar Nashir has also weighed in, writing in Suara Muhammadiyah on September 26, 2023, that opponents of the mining concession pre-judge mining as inherently harmful. Nashir’s statement emphasizes the importance of sustainable natural resource management.
