Contesting caliphate: Opposition of Indonesian fundamentalist groups to ISIS caliphate

Abstract

ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) which was declared by al-Baghdādī as an Islamic caliphate (dawlah khi-lāfah) is not necessarily welcomed by Muslim fundamen-talists in Indonesia. Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) and Majelis Mujahidin Indonesia (MMI), two Muslims funda-mentalist organization that struggle for Islamic caliphate, considers ISIS as deviant and invalid. This article aims to discuss the argument surrounding religious foundation of Islamic caliphate as believed al-Baghdādī as ISIS master-mind and the response of Indonesian fundamentalists to it. While all Islamic fundamentalism believes that establish-ment of Islamic caliphate is a religious obligation, they do not agree how to implement this obligation. ISIS’s al-Baghdādī is on the opinion that Islamic caliphate is to be implemented with all costs, including using violence and military campaign, Indonesian fundamentalists tend to use non-violence and dialogue as their strategy instead.