Ahmad Syafi’i Ma’arif

1. Biography

Ahmad Syafii Maarif who is familiarly called Syafii Maarif was born into a religious family in Sumpur Kudus, West Sumatera, Indonesia, on Mei 31, 1935. He is the youngest child among four kids of Marifah Rauf (1900-1955) and Fathiyah (1905-1937). Marifah (the father of Syafii) was an honorable person in Sumur Kudus who occupied a central position within his community; before 1946 he was a head of Malay ethnic titled Datok Rajo Melayu and a head of Nagari (village).

Syafii whose hobbies are playing table tennis, badminton, chess and watching foot ball, completed his early formal education in Sekolah Rakyat (folk school) and Madrasah Ibtidaiyah (elementary Islamic school) in 1947 in Sumpur Kudus. From 1950 until 1953 he attended basic school at Madrasah Muallimin in Balai Tengah, Lintau, West Sumatera. Afterward, he moved to Yogjakarta spanning 3 years to finish his high school at Muallimin Muhammadiya. In 1964, Syafii reached his Bachelor‘s degree of the History of Culture from the University of Cokroaminoto, Solo, Central Java; and reached Bachelor‘s degree of History from Institut Keguruan Ilmu Pendidikan (IKIP), Yogjakarta in 1968. His in-depth study of Historical science was continued to Master‘s degree in the Department of History at Ohio University, United States of America, in 1980 with the thesis entitled “Islamic Politics under Guided Democracy in Indonesia (1959-1965)”. The young Amien Rais (an Indonesian Muslim Intellectual), the close friend of Syafii, introduced him to Fazlur Rahman (the prominent modernist Muslim) and asked for him a recommendation. And later Syafii was received as a student of the University of Chicago, and reached Doctor‘s degree of Near Eastern Language and Civilization, with the dissertation entitled “Islam as the Basis of State: A Study of the Islamic Political Ideas as Reflected in the Constituent Assembly Debates in Indonesia”. During his study at the University of Chicago, he involved extensively in in-depth study of the Quran supervised by Fazlur Rahman. Additionally, he and his Indonesian colleagues, Nurcholish Madjid and Amien Rais, held an exclusive dialogue among them.

Syafii worked extensively in academic world. From 1956 until 1957 he taught at high school of Muhammadiya in East Lombok. In 1967 he was an assistant lecturer of Old Indonesian History at the Faculty of History at the State University of Yogjakarta, and an assistant lecturer of Islamic History at the Islamic University of Indonesia (UII). In 1997 he was one of the lecturers of Graduate School of the Islamic State University of Yogjakarta, and was inaugurated as the Professor of Historical Philosophy at the State University of Yogjakarta. He was a member of Kelompok Pemikir Masalah Agama Departemen Agama (Religious Issues Experts in the Department of Religion) in 1984. From 1990 until 1992 he was a guest lecturer of the History of Crusade and of Islam and Social Civilization in Southeast Asia at the National University of Malaysia. Although encapsulated extensively in the scholarly activities, Syafii was also acknowledged as an organization activist: in 1955 he was a member of Muhammadiya (one of big Indonesian Muslim organizations). From 1957 until 1968 he was a member of Himpunan Mahasiswa Islam (Islamic Student Association). He was one of the managers of Islamic Student Association of Surakarta from 1963 to 1964. And his last occupation is as a General Chair of Muhammadiya that he occupied since 1998 to 2005.

Although Syafii was very busy activist, he did not stop writing books and giving speech in both national and international seminars. Until the end of 2005, he had visited many countries to give speech at international seminars and universities, and as an honorable guest of states such as Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Pakistan, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Malta, Libya, England, Netherlands, Australia, Saudi Arabia and United States of America. His works are primarily focused on the issues of Islamic thought that have already been published in many printed media in Indonesia such as Panji Masyarakat Magazine, the journal of Suara Muhammadiya, Genta and Kedaulatan Rakyat newspaper in Yogjakarta. In his young age until 1972, he was entrusted as an editor of the Journal, namely Suara Muhammadiya.                        

Syafii Maarif, in his old age, does not occupy any important position in both government and Muhammadiya. But his figure, as a religious, critical, firmed and moderate scholar who upholds high commitment of nationality, is still interesting for various academic groups to invite him to give speech in many seminars. Nowadays, his wife, his only one son, Mohammad Hafiz and he enjoy cheerfully their time in Padang, West Sumatera. Nevertheless, Syafii still attempts strongly to publish his great scholarly work on Islam and humanity that will, as he hopes, give an important contribution for human civilization at large.

2. Syafii‘s Thought

After having attended extensively Fazlur Rahman‘s lecture and discussion at the Chicago University, United Stated of America, the stream of Syafii‘s thought was influenced widely by his lecturer. As it is deemed useful, several Syafii‘s views such as his view on Islam; the relation between Islam and state; inter-religious tolerance; woman position in the political world; monogamy and polygamy are the most important aspects that ought to be cast on this portal.

a. Syafii‘s view on Islam

For him, Islam is the most marvelous source of reference of morality. The Quran, as the highest guidance of everything, is the holy book by which the Muslims may view the world comprehensively.   

b. Relation between Islam and state (Indonesia)

Attending Fazlur Rahman‘s class, at the first time, Syafii told him, “Professor Rahman, please give me one fourth of your knowledge of Islam, I will convert Indonesia into an Islamic state”. But after having attended his class for several months, Syafii did not cast the same statement; he later realized that Islamic state was not needed by the Indonesian citizens. He argued that if the Indonesian citizens dream to reach both justice and prosperity, they should take an Islamic morality as the foundation of their behavior. The Islamic laws, he continued, could be adapted with the Indonesian national laws through the process of democracy. Such understanding persistently appropriated with Hatta‘s view, “janganlah gunakan filsafat gincu, tampak tetapi tak terasa; pakailah filsafat garam, tak tampak tetapi terasa,” (do not use the philosophy of lipstick, it appears but can not be tasted; but use the philosophy of salt, it does not appear but tasteful). It means that indeed Indonesian state is based on Pancasila, but moral values of Islam should be implemented in both social and national life. Although Islam does not manifest as a state, its values should always be upheld.

c. Inter religious tolerance.

Syafii, as he describes himself, is capable of interacting with other religious believers, even with an atheist, in the frame of interrelated harmonious life that is based on a fundamental principle, “to be a relative in diversity, and to be diversity in one relative.” His understanding refers to the Quranic verses, al-Baqarah 256, and Yunus 99. He remarks that the earth is not created only for believers of one religion, but on the contrary, it is for all creatures; all of them have the same right to live on it with justice and tolerance.

d. Woman position in the political world.

Syafii‘s view on the leadership of woman is based on the Quranic verses, al-Hujurat: 3 and other verses which confirm that the pious man and/or woman are the most honorable people beside God. These verses guaranty that the pious Muslims (man and woman), if they attempt sincerely, will reach a nobility beside God. The leaders (man and woman), therefore, will be honorable among the citizens when they adhere to God, strengthen his commitment to do justice, and attempt to actualize both prosperity and welfare to all levels of society. For Syafii, the woman leader should accomplish the following requirements: has a good skill of leadership; has a good morality; it is better if she is more than 40 years old; and gets permission from her husband (if she has a husband).

e. Monogamy and polygamy system.

Syafii believes that in the strictly Islamic point of view, monogamy is the best system of marriage taught by the holy Quran. However, polygamy, in a certain condition, is permissible but surely controlled by strict requirements. In Annisa: 3, the holy Quran seems permits Muslim man to marry more than one woman. But such understanding would constantly disappear when one reads Annisa: 129. Annisa: 3 merely confirms that Muslim must do justice to all of his wives, while Annisa 129 strongly asserts that he will not do justice among his wives, although he intends to do it. Comparing both verses, Syafii then deduces that monogamy is the best system of marriage suggested by Islam. Therefore, for him, polygamy is permissible just in a certain condition.

3. Syafii‘s Works

Syafii, as an Indonesian Muslim intellectual, has published his scholarly works as listed below:  

1. Mengapa Vietnam Jatuh Seluruhnya Ke Tangan Komunis, published in 1975 by Yayasan FKIS-IKIP Yogjakarta.
2. Dinamika Islam, Published in 1984 by Shalahuddin Press.
3. Islam, Mengapa Tidak?, Published in 1984 by Shalahuddin Press.
4. Percik-Percik Pemikiran Iqbal, Published in 1984 by Shalahuddin Press.
5. Islam dan Masalah Kenegaraan, Published in 1985 by LP3ES
6. Titik-Titik Kisar di Perjalananku: Otobiografi Ahmad Syafii Maarif, published in 2006 by Ombak, Yogjakarta.
7. Islam dan Politik: Teori Belah Bambu Masa Demokrasi Terpimpin (1959-1965), published in 1996 by Gema Insani Press.
8. Dialog Dua Generasi, Tidak Ada Negara Islam: Surat-Surat Nurcholish Madjid-Mohamad Roem, published in 1997 by Djambaran, Jakarta.

4. Award

This sub title is still in the process of collecting data. 

Credit photo: www.tokohindonesia.com

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