Assalamu'alaikum Wr. Wb.

Excellency Governor of West Java, Dr. H. Ahmad Heryawan, Lc.

Excellences Speakers of the second international conference on Islam Nusantara “Islam and Sunda: Cultural Studies on Local and Global Challenges,” especially Bapak Dr. Said Agil Siraj, Chairmen of Nahdhatul Ulama, Dr. Julian Millie from Monash University, Australia, Dr. Michael Feener from National University of Singapura, Dr. Fachry Ali, historian and observer of Indonesian politic, Dr. Jajang Jahroni, and Dr. Usep Abdul Matin, our lecturer at Faculty of Adab and Humanities of State Islamic University Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta.    

Ladies and Gentlemen, Lecturers, researchers, journalists, delegates of embassy, and International NGO (Non-Government Organization), and students, Your attending is an honor for us.

In academic perspective, Sundanese Islam is important issue, because, different from Javanese Islam, there are no many researches on Sundanese Islam, at least not as many as research on Javanese Islam. The majority of Intellectual and researchers see Sundanese Islam as part of Javanese Islam. One of book recently studied on Sundanese Islam as part of Indonesian Islam is Ricklefts’ book, Islamization and its Opponent in Java.

Based on Indonesian Islamic History, there are two forms of Islamization in West Java (Tatar Sunda): Islamization from Cirebon spread by Sunan Gunung Jati to Parahiangan area, and Islamization from Banten spread by Sultan Hasanudin, son of Sunan Gunung Jati, and Syeikh Yusuf. Islamization from Cirebon produces syncretic Islam, and Islamization from Banten produces Orthodox Islam. So, in one side, it is not surprising, the West Java in modern Indonesian history is a basis of Masyumi, Islamic party in old order period, even Garut is a basis of DI/TII (Darul Islam [Islamic state area/Islamic Indonesian military), political Islamic movement under Karto Suwirjo. Moreover, it is not surprising either; the Sundanese Islam in contemporary Indonesian history is a basis of PKS (Justice and Welfare Party). But, in other side, Sundanese Islam is seen by researchers as part of Javanese Islam, because there are three categories in Sundanese Islam: santri, priyayi, and abangan. However, santri in West Java, from the beginning, was not only at northwest Java, but also in south West Java.    

Sundanese Islam is an entity influenced by local and global factors. We can see the local factors influenced Sundanese Islam in syncretic Islam model and west Java as a basis of Nahdhatul Ulama as traditional Islam. Recently, one of local challenges of Sundanese Islam is how Sundanese Islam faces Sunda Wiwitan as local religion and minority.   Moreover, we can see the global factors influenced Sundanese Islam in Syiah and Ahmadiyah as trans-national Islamic belief. Syiah as trans-national Islamic belief came to West Java and Indonesia science 1979. Now, one of global challenge for Sundanese Islam is how Sundanese Islam faces democracy, humanism as international law, and capitalism.

If we define globality as modernity, Sundanese Islam has a modernist Muslim movement. Muhammadiyah, Persis, and Islamic Salman movement in ITB (Bandung Institute of Technology) show the same point. Similarly, Sunan Gunung Jati Islamic State University in Bandung also shows to the point. And Achdiat Karta Mihardja with his novel, Atheis, divides Sundanese people in modernity perspective into three categories. Other Muslim figures have different perspectives. Rusli accepts modernity without reserve; while, Raden Wiradikarta denies modernity, and I myself accept modernity with selection.

That issues of Sundanese Islam will be studied in this second international conference on Islam Nusantara “Islam and Sunda: Cultural Studies on Local and Global Challenges”. I hope this international conference can give us new perspective about Islam Nusantara, past and present.

Let me open this international conference by reciting basmalah, Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

Wasalamualaikum Wr. Wb.

Prof. Dr. Sukron Kamil, M.Ag

(Dean of Faculty Adab and Humanities of State Islamic University Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta)