IDENTITAS ISLAMIS DALAM TEGANGAN DAN NEGOSIASI ANTARA DOGMA DAN MODERNITAS: RESEPSI KOMUNITAS SALAFI DI YOGYAKARTA TERHADAP FENOMENA GHIBAH INFOTAINMENT

The Salafis, an Islamic praxis sect, are commonly presumed to be associated with terrorism, fundamentalism, radicalism, conservatism, and literalism. Although its followers originate from diverse backgrounds however they all share the common feature of adhering to the Salafus Salih, implying the commitment to refer to the Salaf manhaj in guiding their way of life. Nevertheless the challenges of modernity inevitably push Salafists to embrace a diversity of understanding with relation to their beliefs. This is because on the one hand, they are strongly loyal to their religious dogma and on the other, modernity purportedly constrains the application of religious dogma in the everyday lives of the Salafists. Such realities make the Salafists an Islamic subculture movement which becomes an interesting object of research. Interestingly in the context of the Salafists� reception towards infotainment ghibah (gossip television programs), contested meanings and negotiations towards religious dogma as well as mufti rulings are evident. Therefore, the current study utilized Hebdige�s concept of subculture, Hall�s concept of reception, Wiktorowicz�s concept of Islamic activism, Ting- Toomey�s concept of negotiation and Vancil�s concept of contestation. A qualitative approach was selected, using the phenomenological-cultural studies paradigm. Six Salafist Islamic boarding schools in Yogyakarta (Ihyaus Sunnah, al-Anshar, bin Baz, Taruna al-Quran, Hamalatul Quran, and Khoiro Ummah) and also Salafist community in Masjid MPR were analyzed. The study collected data by interviewing 16 informants, in addition to conducting direct observation and documentation as a way to clarify and confirm the primary data. The data was then analyzed using an interpretative-critical method using Miles, Hubermas, and Creswell�s 3 phase technique of data reduction, presentation, and conclusion or verification. Based on a review of the theoretical literature as well as data from the field, the research found that the Salafists� experienced tension between the requirements of strict adherence of dogma and the embracement of modernity. With veiled (purdah), Salafist woman has committed social suicide. The Salafist community affirms their life style by strictly following their creeds as well as negotiating the meaning of their identity in contestation vis-à -vis religious dogmatism and mufti rulings as well as the mainstream Islamic community. The study found that the Salafist community are consumers of technology and gossip television programs, are not anti modernity, and they display a religious aesthetic attitude as a symbol of symbolic-existential resistance. This study also found that Salafists are not always rigid with regard to the Islamic movement. Nevertheless, they represent the postmodern Salafists of which choice and liberty color the new preaching (dakwah) genre, and thus subsequently position themselves as the new Salafist trend in modernity