Islam in Southeast Asia: Negotiating Modernity ed. by Norshahril Saat (review)

Islam in Southeast Asia: Negotiating Modernity is a compilation of eight articles that offers new insights on the dynamic developments which have taken place within Muslim society in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. The authors of the chapters—academics and researchers with proven prowess in their respective fields—present articles that offer in-depth explanations of the developments in the subject of their choice. This book, according to the editor, Norshahril Saat, is an attempt to elucidate the impact of the developments of the Middle East on the Muslims in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, especially in the sphere of contemporary socio-cultural factors and politics. The editor also informs readers that 'Southeast Asia' in the title is limited to the three countries considered to be the bastion of modest Islam in the region: Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. Issues related to the Muslims in Thailand, the Philippines and Burma are intentionally neglected. Also, discussions and analyses presented in the book encompass only circumstances and progression prior to 2015 as the book contains selected papers from a workshop held in Singapore in 2015.

This book contains three sections segregated by country, with three articles on Muslims in Malaysia in the first section, four articles on Indonesia in the second section, and an article on Singapore in the final section. Articles in each section enable readers to understand that the Muslims in the region have been influenced by their fellow Muslims in the Middle East, as well as those in their own region. The intertwined relationships of Muslims and non-Muslims, as well as the dichotomy between traditionalists and modernists, as demonstrated in the arguments of each chapter, enable the reader to appreciate the uniqueness of the developments in each country.

In the first section on Malaysia, discussions focus on the issues correlated to political spheres, mufti, and the influence of Saudi Arabia on Malaysia. In the discussion on the emergence of progressive Islamists in Chapter 2, the author argues that progressive Islamist ideas will grow in Malaysia, even though he recognizes that the conservatives remain the majority in the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS). In summary, a study on PAS suggests that prior to 2015, conservatives had won the heart of its members. A similar trajectory can be observed in the following chapter. The author argues that the degree of Arabization has increased over the years, as depicted by the growth of conservatism among Muslims. The argument is strengthened through the observation of mufti, who are responsible for the religious departments of Malaysian states. The conservative factions appear to have the upper hand. This circumstance arose from the attitude adopted by Malay sultans, who remain key in defining the political behaviour of some Malaysian mufti. Hence, the author suggests that, compared to the local factors, developments in the Middle East havr little significant role in this occurrence. Meanwhile, the following chapter suggests a different course of development in Malaysia. In the discussion on the relationship between Saudi Arabia and Malaysia, the author demonstrates that the former had influenced the government of Malaysia on a few occasions. Malaysia has also shown a lenient attitude towards Wahhabism, with the approval and acknowledgement of Al-Madinah International University (MEDIU) as an Islamic university. According to the author, this tolerant and compassionate approach arises from the need for financial aid and oil money from Saudi Arabia.

The discussion in section two begins with a chapter that scrutinizes the influence of the Middle East on campuses in Indonesia. The author suggests that such influence has its origin in various countries, such as Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Turkey, Syria as well as Iran. In consequence, numerous movements were founded in Indonesia, and Muslims in the country continue to be divided into groups based on their perception of the movements in the Middle East. The author demonstrates that Islamic movements have enriched contemporary Islam in Indonesia yet have also deepened hostilities within Indonesian society. The following chapter illustrates that the influence of the Middle East also comes through...