| It may be observed that the fatwa is the most dynamic element of Islamic law and expresses the dialectic relation between ulama and common believers. The fatwa is the formalization of the question posed by the believer and the answer given by the religious authority. Fatwa deals with controversial issues and it is the task of the ulama to judge whether certain beliefs or practices are congruent with Islamic law or not. Although not strictly binding, fatwa seeks to accommodate local practices with scripturalist ideals and both may change in the process. In this particular field competition for authority exists. Differences of opinion among ulama have increased and these differences are also expressed in (conflicting) fatwa. In this advanced research programme the identity of the muftis will be established, as well as the networks to which they belong. The programme will also address the way in which fatwa shape and reflect the shift in the intellectual orientation away from Mecca, which at the end of the 19th century could still be defined as 'the heart of religious life of the East-Indian Archipelago' (Snouck Hurgronje), towards Indonesia itself. Equally important is the question of social and cultural transformations: What is the role of fatwa in the shaping and reshaping of beliefs and practices in Indonesia? Research Topics God knows best; Explaining Islam in Indonesia, 1949-2000 Dissemination of Religious Authority in 20th Century Indonesia. |
