Indonesian Islam

Indonesian Islam is an important and timely book based on approximately 2,000 fatwa (p1. fatawa)--an opinion on a point of law or dogma given by a person with recognized authority (ijaza)--demonstrating that classical Islamic reasoning is an alternative to state defined Islam and is capable of dealing with contemporary challenges in ethics and morality in a consistent and rational way. The book provides a comprehensive survey of how modern Indonesian Islamic thinking has responded to changes in social practices since the 1920s, and how authorities have ruled on diverse subjects ranging from football pools to land sales and milk banks. The author examines in detail the development and nuances of Islamic thinking, both by reference to local tradition and comparatively, by reference to the classical Arabian texts, therefore providing an important contribution to deepening popular understanding of Islam in Indonesia. The author's detailed analysis of fatwa is unprecedented in the study of Indonesian Islam. To date there is no comparable analysis of modern fatwa available in book form anywhere in the world, making this volume an invaluable resource for anyone who studies Indonesia. Professor Hooker describes the fatawa as method and doctrine, religious duty, the status and obligation of women, Islam and medical science, offences against religion, and issues specific to Indonesain Islam. Responses to fatwa cover such contemporary issues as abortion, organ transplants, insurance, and the status of women.