Pluralism And The Existence Of The Ahmadiyah In The Rural Area Of Java

Abstract

This study described and analyzed how the people in rural areas responded pluralism before and after the reform era. It also examined how conflicts occurred as a consequence of the waning tolerance and pluralism in rural area. The research was conducted in one village in West Java Province, where the Ahmadiyah have existed since 1933. This study used a qualitative approach to explore the responses of the religious leaders, village government and ordinary people toward Ahmadiyah. Tolerance and pluralism in the village were reflected in their social or religious lives, such as mutual assistance, education, health and religious events. However, since 2005, the attitude of tolerance and pluralism has been fading along with the Cikeukeuh people’s increasing resistance to Ahmadiyah. One of the reasons is that the attitude of the religious elite who are too reactive in response to the existence of the Ahmadiyah. The reactive attitude can not be separated from the rules and policies issued related to Ahmadiyah. Public responses to Ahmadiyah were not the same, depending on the people’s social/religious status and their domicile. The study indicated that the negative and reactive responses were shown by the religious elite and the people living close to Ahmadiyah. In the meantime, the positive response and tolerance were shown by religious leaders, village officials and ordinary people in villages far from Ahmadiyah. Various policies related to Ahmadiyah raise segregations in society that ultimately fade the tradition of pluralism itself. As a consequence, social interaction is not fully formed because the followers of Ahmadiyah worry violate existing regulations. On the contrary, non Ahmadiyah people are also not easily interact with the followers of Ahmadiyah intensively considered for fear of other people close to the Ahmadiyah.