SPIRITUAL MARKETING: A STRATEGY TO INCREASED NUMBER OF ISLAMIC BANKING CUSTOMER IN CIANJUR, WEST JAVA, INDONESIA.

Abstract

The districts of Cianjur known as the city of students (santri), with 98% of the total population are Muslim. So that makes the Islamic scholar (ulama) as a central figure in deciding an issue or phenomenon that occurs in the community. Islamic banking have grown in Cianjur district, but the community's decision to choose Islamic banking in Cianjur very low. Cianjur community decision should choose Islamic banking is very high because it is motivated by the religiosity of the scholars. It's a big question for researchers, actually how much influence religiosity and scholars in an increasing number of Muslim Islamic banking customers in Cianjur. This study proves that the factor of religiosity (piety) of the Islamic scholars (ulama) has a significant effect on the increased number of customers of Islamicbanking in Cianjur. However, the scholars also insist that the procedures need to be improved, since there are still some problems in the contract that violates the principles of Sharia. One of them is the practice of mudaraba, where the Islamic banking should emphasize more in the aspect of trust instead in the aspect of insurance owned by clients or potential clients. While from the aspect of profit sharing, the Islamic banking still based its profit from the expected return rather than on the actual return.Similarly in the practice of murabahah bil wakalah, which is considered to be inconsistent in practice (akad). All this, eventually affect the public doubt in the aspects of Sharia compliant on Islamic banking itself. For the rational, this condition has become the reason to re-switch into conventional bank; but for the emotional, it has no effect whatsoever. Because, the condition of conventional bank used interest system (riba/usury) in practice (contradictory with principles of sharia). This study also offers solution in the form of Islamic banking marketing model accompanied with spiritual approaches.This particular approach of spiritual values is one of the most effective ways in order to increase the participation and awareness in Cianjur district to use Islamic banking in its economic activities. This research strengthen the theory of Philip Gerrard, J. Banton Cunnghen, S.A Metawa, and Almosawwi, which proves that the customers are motivated by religious factors (customers emphasized to principles of sharia loyalty) in choosing Islamic bank. The study also, at the same time, denied the theory by Norafifah Ahmad and Sudin Haron, Baeck Ulrich, and T. Introduction:-Islamic economic developments in the world starting with the establishment of Islamic banking and then followed by the establishment of Islamic financial institutions. Rapid growth encourage academics in various universities conduct more in-depth studies in various forms of research, discussion, and even develop it into a course either undergraduate to doctoral. Along with the Islamic economic development that have surfaced various research results which stated that the increase in the number of customers of Islamic banking and Islamic financial institutions are motivated by factors of religiosity and material benefits (rationality), where the public insists on adherence to the principles of Islam and the benefits to be obtained. Various studies, which states that the decision of the people choose Islamic banking and Islamic financial institutions are motivated by factors such religiosity conducted by Philip J. Gerrard and Banton Cunnghen [4] which concluded that 22.6% of respondents from among the Muslim states that religiosity of religious reasons is the main motivation for saving money Islamic banking and Islamic financial institutions. The conclusion drawn in Muslim circles in Singapore as its object. S.A Metawa and Almosawwi [5] , this study proves that in choosing Islamic banking customers are motivated by a factor of religiosity, in which the customer stressed to compliance with the principles of Islam. Later, this conclusion is also expressed by Sehrish Rustam, Saiqa Bibi, Khalid Zaman, Adeela Rustam and Zahidul-Haq in the Perceptions of Corporate Customer toward Islamic banking Products and Services in Pakistan [6] . The conclusion of this study, stated that religiosity factors and factors of economic rationality a big influence on the selection of corporate customers in Pakistan. However, they still have less knowledge of the Islamic banks.