Indonesia’s Humanitarian Islam Movement

This volume offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary analysis of the origins, development, and increasing impact of the global Humanitarian Islam movement, aimed at promoting a humane and compassion-based reading of Islam across Indonesia and internationally.

Formally established by senior Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) leaders in 2017, the Humanitarian Islam movement emerged as a direct response to the terror and extremism promoted by Islamist groups such as ISIS and al-Qaeda. While relatively unknown in Western academic circles, the movement has significantly influenced religious and geopolitical dynamics globally, including in the Middle East, Europe, and North America, by recontextualising problematic aspects of Islamic orthodoxy. Chapters present in-depth analysis of Nahdlatul Ulama’s theological reforms and their implications for the future of Indonesia, and Islam globally, and are written by distinguished scholars — including two by KH. Yahya Cholil Staquf, General Chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama — from a wide range of academic disciplines. The book also looks at concrete initiatives launched by Nahdlatul Ulama in conjunction with the global Humanitarian Islam movement.

Fostering a deeper understanding of Indonesia’s unique contributions to global Islamic thought and practice, the book will be of interest to scholars and postgraduate students in the fields of Islam, peace studies, religion and fundamentalism, and human rights. The volume also makes clear its relevance to policymakers in North America, Europe, and the Middle East, as well as its implications for international peace and security