A political ideology of the Indonesian Islamic philanthropy: a case study of Suryakarta Berama foundation

Abstract

This present research studies the ideologization practices of the Islamic philanthropy institution managed by the civil society in Indonesia—a case study of Suryakarta Beramal Foundation. A qualitative method with a case study approach was employed. Data were collected using in-depth interviews, observations and documentation techniques and then inductively analyzed. The results show that Suryakarta Beramal is a philanthropy institution ideologically affiliated with the Tarbiyah movement. Most of the collected Islamic philanthropy funds zakat, (alms-giving), infaq, sadaqah (donation), and wakaf (religious endowment) were provided to finance the educational institution possessed by Suryakarta Beramal, except for poverty alleviation. The educational institution also functions as an ideologization medium. Ideologization was conducted through curriculum engineering, holding various events such as smart recharging, liqa’, mabit, rihlah and halaqah and students’ habituation, starting from using uniforms for religious activities either at school or in the dormitory. The result of the ideologization is that the alumni of the school of Suryakarta Beramal became the loyalists of the Tarbiyah ideology and are affiliated with Partai Adil Makmur (PAM) (Just and Affluent Party) as the political wing of the Tarbiyah movement in Indonesia. Penelitian ini mengkaji praktik ideologisasi lembaga filantropi Islam yang dikelola oleh masyarakat sipil di Indonesia — studi kasus Yayasan Suryakarta Beramal. Metode kualitatif dengan pendekatan studi kasus digunakan. Pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan wawancara mendalam, observasi dan teknik dokumentasi kemudian dianalisis secara induktif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Suryakarta Beramal merupakan lembaga filantropi yang secara ideologis berafiliasi dengan gerakan Tarbiyah. Sebagian besar dana zakat, sedekah, infaq, sadaqah (sedekah), dan wakaf (wakaf) yang terkumpul sebagian besar digunakan untuk membiayai lembaga pendidikan yang dimiliki oleh Suryakarta Beramal, kecuali untuk pengentasan kemiskinan. Institusi pendidikan juga berfungsi sebagai media ideologisasi. Ideologisasi dilakukan melalui rekayasa kurikulum dengan mengadakan berbagai acara seperti smart recharging, liqa ’, mabit, rihlah dan alaqah serta pembiasaan siswa, mulai dari penggunaan seragam untuk kegiatan keagamaan baik di sekolah maupun di asrama. Akibat dari ideologisasi tersebut adalah alumni sekolah Suryakarta Beramal menjadi loyalis ideologi Tarbiyah dan berafiliasi dengan Partai Adil Makmur (PAM) sebagai sayap politik gerakan Tarbiyah di Indonesia.