Making Moderate Islam in Indonesia

This article examines the roles of the late Abdurrahman Wahid and Syafi’i Maarif in the promotion of moderate Islam in post-Suharto Indonesia. Both as formerly prominent leaders within Indonesia’s largest Muslim organizations, Nahdatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, their earlier influences through family, education and travels abroad are examined, and how these shaped their views and ideas on moderate Islam within Indonesia. The establishment of their namesake institutions, the Wahid Foundation and the Maarif Institute, is discussed, as is the ongoing legacy of these two men and their principles and ideas about moderate Islam. The inspirational influence of both Wahid and Maarif on the younger generations across Indonesia warrants critical attention, in particular as Indonesia is facing an upsurge of disunity and religious discrimination.