THE ROLE OF URBAN SUFISM OF SHALAWAT MUHAMMAD ASSEMBLY ON URBAN MIDDLE CLASS SOCIETY

Abstract

This article critically examines the role of Sufism in the process of social change in society, especially among urban societies that are symbolized by their middle class society. The subject in this study is the Shalawat Muhammad Assembly under Mursyid Gus Kahar and his successor, Gus Mustakim. Although the assembly represents the urban sufism, but it has rooted from classical Sufism. In analyzing the role of this assembly in the process of social change in society, the theoretical framework of Cultural Brokers and Cultural Trendsetter of Geertz and Hirokosi are used as perspectives. The result simultaneously, consistently, and progressively shows that Sufism has a major contribution in any social change of societies to the value and ideology from the outside. The inherent value system in Sufism symbolized by the guru (murshid), is not just a role as a cultural broker as mentioned by the theory of Geertz. In fact, all gurus (mursyid) are willing to change the value and ideology from the outside into a new system of traditions and cultures. This phenomenon resembles the cultural role of kyai in the Islamization of Indonesia in the past. It is the same like the theory of the cultural trendsetter of Hirokosi

Keywords

• Urban Sufism
• Shalawat Muhammad Assembly
• Social change
• Cultural Broker and Cultural Trendsetter