Reconsidering Muslim philanthropy and sustainable development in Indonesia

This chapter discusses recent developments in Muslim philanthropy in Indonesia and analyzes issues behind the changing landscape of Indonesians’ Islamic social activism over the past three decades. In particular, it examines how Muslim philanthropic organizations have evolved in Indonesia’s multicultural society and how they engage with the state’s welfare and other policies. The number of Muslim philanthropic organizations in Indonesia is relatively small compared to the Indonesian population. However, their vibrancy in the public space reflects their dynamic interpretation of Islamic benevolent action and their current understanding of the Islamic concept of social development. Portraying the experience of some major Muslim philanthropic organizations, this paper suggests that there has been an increasing trend within Indonesian Muslim philanthropy to adopt the ideas of sustainable development goals as translated into their social projects such as health care, education, and social services and income-generating project for low-income families.