Piety and Prestige: Analyzing Islamic Revival in Indonesia Through a Case Study of the <i>Umrah</i> Pilgrimage to Mecca

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  • 敬虔と威信をめぐって―巡礼（ウムラ）にみるインドネシアのイスラーム復興―
  • ケイケン ト イシン オ メグッテ : ジュンレイ(ウムラ)ニ ミル インドネシア ノ イスラーム フッコウ

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<p>Similar to the current situation in Islamic society, in Indonesia we can observe the exaltation of the phenomenon known as “Islamic revival.” However, it would be premature to say that this phenomenon demonstrates a trend toward the purification of Islam. As seen in the prevailing fashionable veil and consumer culture, especially for middle-class city dwellers, it seems that Islamic revival in Indonesia has included modernization and Western-based global values and lifestyles. This juxtaposition of Islam and its commodification was evident in my anthropological fieldwork and in-depth interviews conducted in Bandung, where I investigated the increasing number of pilgrimages to Mecca, especially the ten-day trips called Umrah. At first glance, the increase in the number of Umrahs demonstrates an Islamic revival, but visiting Mecca seems to be a way to express prestige and economic status. This paper shows that Islamic revival arose based not only on one’s faith and religious piety to Islam, but also for secular reasons, such as maintaining prestige and showing economic status. In addition, through analyzing these juxtapositions and the hybridity of the reasons to pursue a pilgrimage to Mecca, this paper reveals the stage of current Islamic belief in Indonesia.</p>

Journal

  • Religion and Society

    Religion and Society 24 (0), 81-96, 2018-06-09

    The Japanese Association for the Study of Religion and Society

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