Title	:	Method Religious Studies of Ibn Hazm (The Study of Al-Fashl fi al-Milal wa al-Ahwal wa an-Nihal)
Author	:	Bakhruddin Fannani (CRCS, 2005)
Keywords	:	Method, Religious study, Ibn Hazm and Zhahiriyah (textualism).
Abstract
This paper is a detailed examination of the views of Ibn Hazm which pour out in his written works, al-Fashl fî al-Milal wa al-Ahwâ’ wa an Nihal, with the aim of setting a course for the development of reasoned dialogue between religions based on the personal thinking of someone prominent in the history of Islam in Andalusia. The paper also seeks to understand Ibn Hazm’s ideas about religions in order to seek alternative ideas about ideas regarding the methodology of studying religion as well as adding hypotheses that will enrich the theory of dialogue between religions. The methodology used in this study is a qualitative methodology at towards library research and analysis of written works along with documentation associated with them. The most important works written by Ibn Hazm are titled al-Fashl fî al-Milal wa al-Ahwâ’ wa an Nihal, and as such have been selected by the author as primary source data. These works have also been selected because they contain Ibn Hazm’s views about the world’s greatest religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Other books of Ibn Hazm’s essays along with books written by other intellectuals about his life and views have been selected as secondary source material for this research paper. The analysis of data, in accordance with the form and characteristic of the matter being researched, is a historical and content analysis that has its origins in the results gleaned from library research. A historical analysis is the author’s chosen methodology to carry out an analysis aimed at finding out as much as possible, using reports and other recorded data, about what was happening at the time Ibn Hazm wrote his works. This involves research of texts relevant to the point in time as well as the subject being researched by the author. Furthermore the historical analysis involves a critical analysis applied when historical facts were uncovered, in particular historical facts related to confirmation, comparison and interpretation. The contents analysis in this study is used to uncover the characteristics of the subject, for example how the shape of Ibn Hazm’s writings was influenced by the environment, education and doctrines prevalent at that time and subsequently. The study forms a conclusion based on the primary research data selected by the author with support from the secondary data sources. It was discovered in the study that the views hypothesised by Ibn Hazm were influenced and not separate from the socio-political conditions prevalent at the time. As an adherent of persevering textualism Ibn Hazm placed textual epistemology as the prime methodology in carrying out religious study aimed at testing the truth of religion, that is, he used the direct study of the sacred books of Islam, Christianity and Judaism. He taught, critically analysed and compared these sacred books extrinsically and drew the conclusion based on the extrinsic form of the books that they were indeed the primary source that laid down the highest authority with regard to religion.

Title	:	Tutup Layang (The Togetherness Manifestation in the Society of Brondong, Lamongan, East Java)
Author	:	Budi Ashari (CRCS, 2006)
Keywords	:	Plurality, Brondong, Tutup Layang, religious organization, togetherness, social harmony, and hidden ideology.
Abstract
This research aims at showing that plurality in a society does not always raise conflict or tension. Plurality can also foster understanding which is shown in the ritual Tutup Layang in the village of Brondong. Multiculturality and plurality can spread tolerance and togetherness within Brondong society. The question of this research is why Brondong society, which has many different religious organizations, can create harmony, tolerance, cooperation, and does not bother about diversity of ideology? The theoretical framework of the research uses Andrew Beatty’s theory on slametan in Bayu. Slametan is an arena of multivocality. Slametan fosters the social harmony. Slametan can hide the ideological understandings of its members. The methodology of this research is qualitative research. To collect and gather the data, the researcher conducted deep interview and direct active participation in the field of the research. To analyze the data, this research has four steps. First, it reduces and ignores unintended data. Second, it explores all data. Third, it verifies the data. Forth, it analyzes and forms conclusions about the data. This research shows that the diversity of religious understanding can promote an attitude of togetherness via cooperation among them. Cooperation is very visible in the Tutup Layang ritual. The Tutup Layang is a worship ritual for Kiai Anjir which is regarded by Brondong society as a supernatural power. The ritual has two main ideas: spiritual idea and social idea. Its spiritual idea is worshipping to Kiai Anjir. Its social idea is empowering social tie among people in society. Its social idea has made it a cohesive power. Such power of the Tutup Layang is manifested in certain accommodations which are applied in the many following rituals. All of the following rituals are the kind of accommodations that represent all of religious organizations in Brondong. Each religious organization has the responsibility to successfully organize certain activities which represent its aspirations. This compartmentalization shows that the Tutup Layang is a ritual that belongs to all elements in Brondong society. Every participant of the Tutup Layang has interests. Religious organizations, political parties, skippers (owners of fishing boats) and fishers, and other residents all have interests. Their interests are diverse: and include both ideological and public interests. Then, the Tutup Layang has become an arena of contestation for influence or sympathy by such interests. However, such interests are as much as eliminated. Indeed, Brondong society has potentials for conflicts. Such potentials appear among fishers, religious organizations, and competition among skippers. In this aspect, society is unstable. Therefore, the society very much needs certain rituals to eliminate potential sources of conflicts and to empower the social ties among society. The Tutup Layang ritual is a cultural mechanism which gives a sphere for all social elements to participate in it and to empower the social ties among them. This participation brings in the term of social harmony (rukun) within society. The harmony has an implication that emerging ideological understanding in the ritual is not relatively significant. Rather than giving each ideology full expression in the ritual, most ideological differences are instead hidden.

Title	:	Kebatinan and Religiousity in Paguyuban Tri Tunggal Yogyakarta
Author	:	Burhan Ali (CRCS, 2006)
Abstract
This research aims to seek the meaning of religiosity in Paguyuban Tri Tunggal, one of kebatinan groups in Yogyakarta, and tries to answer two main questions, those are: (1) What are the foundational values of paguyuban Tri Tunggal; and (2), Based on those values, how the followers of Paguyuban Tri Tunggal interpret their religiosity. This research is an ethnographic survey of the behavior and teachings of Paguyuban Tri Tunggal which uses a theoretical assumption that perceives culture as a system of knowledge acquired by man through the process of learning that they use to interpret and at the same time to build strategies facing their environment. The subject of the research includes teachers, disciples, followers, and people who live in the environment. Data collection is conducted through indepth interviews, participatory observation and literary research which strengthen the field research results. The research finding shows that there is a close relation between kebatinan and religiosity in Paguyuban Tri Tunggal. The relation is emphasized by the formulation of Teologi Kerakyatan, rooted in Javanese kebatinan, in the paguyuban to surpass the limitation of religion, ethnic, race, or group. These kebatinan values in turn influence how religion and/or religiosity are interpreted within the paguyuban. Religion is seen by the followers within two categories: as an outfit (ageming aji) which is sometimes in opposition to the second category, the essence, or religiosity which transcends the boundaries of institutional religions, races, ethnics, and/or groups. This religiosity of the paguyuban is manifested by the followers of paguyuban in the praxis of healing which employs a holistic approach derived from different religious and cultural traditions. The healing reflects an unshakeable belief in God and the implementation of the noble value of healing people.

Title	:	Sultan HB IX (His View and Attitude on Religion and Inter-Religious Relationship)
Author	:	Cut Mita (CRCS, 2004)
Keywords	:	Sultan HB IX; Religion; Inter-religious Relationship; Religious Tolerance.
Abstract
This research is aimed at understanding the Sultan’s view and attitude on religion and inter-religious relationship also its impacts to religious tolerance at Yogyakarta. Moreover the other goal of this research is to know and identify about factors that influential toward the Sultan’s view and attitude on religion and interreligious relationship.The basic research is library research. Data that will be collected are data related directly to the Sultan’s view and attitude toward religion and inter-religious relationships. These data can be obtained from books, local newspapers, and so forth. To more detail, data will be analyzed by using descriptive method and content analysis. This research also will be supported by interviews with several relevant individuals as abdi dalem and Sultan’s family. This research will use sociological approach i.e., approach gives attention to religious aspects or elements. In addition, the output of this research will be presented in a descriptive and analytical explanation. From the research done, it could be concluded that as a Muslim king, the Sultan HB IX is well known as a democrat and tolerant king. He always maintains the tradition to keep tranquility and peace in Yogyakarta. Moreover the Sultan HB IX never differentiate religions, ethnics, or cultures of his citizenry. In making a decision, the Sultan HB IX always endeavors to hear the opinions of other groups, and religions through dialogues. Further, the Sultan HB IX very realizes the pluralities among his populace. Awareness toward these pluralities does not only mean that the Sultan HB IX knows about those differences, but he also pays attention to handle those differences and pluralities through dialogues and making the policies. Therefore, the Sultan HB IX can be classified as a figure ‘Inclusive-Transformative’. Inclusive, because he realizes that the truth and salvation do not only exist in his religion, but also exist in other religions. This inclusive attitude does not mean that the Sultan HB IX acts intolerant to other religions conversely he is tolerant without losing the basic foundation of his Islamicity. On the other hand, he is labeled as transformative, because the interaction and dialogue that has been done between Sultan HB IX and his populace will express/utter the attitude of transformation i.e., an attitude of mutual respect and help among religions. Actually, there are some factors influencing and forming the Sultan’s view and attitude on religion and inter-religious relationships, among them are: background of his life from childhood up to adult, the ancestor teachings, historical factor, cultural/tradition factor, the Wayang philosophy, and Javanese Ethic. In the future, Indonesia needs figures such as Sultan HB IX. This is caused because all people whatever their religion, etnicity and culture should be able to hold a dialogue and to get the same interest/attention from Sultan HB IX.

Title	:	The Meaning, Ritual, and Response of Bersih Desa in Sekoto’s Society, Pare Kediri
Author	:	Efa Ida Amaliyah (CRCS, 2007)
Keywords	:	ritual bersih desa, meaning, function, and response
Abstract
The purpose of this research is to know about the process, the meaning, and response of bersih desa in Sekoto’s society. Bersih desa is an annual ritual in Sekoto. The purpose of this ritual is to respect and to memorize the danyang (the founding of village). Ritual of bersih desa in Sekoto has several meanings; functions; and response depends on the person. It is because Sekoto is plural society. There are four religious organizations, that is NU (Nahdlatul ‘Ulama), Muhamadiyah, Sapto Darmo (mystic organization), and LDII (Indonesian Dakwah organization). Therefore, there are different responses, agree and disagree. Bersih desa in Sekoto has many activities, such as nyadran (visiting the danyang grave to praying), hadrah (Arabic music tradition), and pengajian. The process of bersih desa is done for three days; the first day is praying together in Balai Desa, hadrah, and semaan Qur’an. The second day is nyadran; and the last day is pengajian and wayang. There are three meanings of bersih desa for the people who believe, that is cosmological meaning, symbolic meaning, and shift of meaning (santrinisasi). The cosmological meaning is Sekoto’s society believe that the danyang is more pious and more super than ordinary people in Sekoto, and the danyang more close to God. Therefore, they argue that if we praying in danyang’s grave is acceptable. Symbolic meaning is the meaning behind the sesaji, ambengan, merang, etc. They believe that all of thing (sesaji, ambengan, merang, etc) can make their wish easier to accept by God. The last is the shift of meaning. Previously, perform of bersih desa in Sekoto has mystical and kejawen condition. Today, they change perform bersih desa more religious, such as pengajian, sema’an Qur’an, and hadrah. It is because, Sekoto’s society more pious than before. Bersih desa in Sekoto has not only meaning, but also function. There are two functions, the first transfer of knowledge. It means that the parent in Sekoto’s society tries to introduce their custom (bersih desa) to their children in order to the child have to memorize their danyang. Second, bersih desa is as an integration space. When they visit the grave, they come together to perform nyadran. It is as a place to them to tell about their activities, and place to visiting each other. Response of bersih desa comes from the people who do not agree with this ritual. Response comes from Muhamadiyah and LDII, they argue that bersih desa is the way to syirik (believe to another things beside God). The danyang is the ordinary people. He/she is same with us. Allah is the Great One. Therefore, according to them this ritual is forbidden (haram).

Title : THE CULTURE OF DEMOCRACY AND POLITICAL PARTICIPATION (A Case Study of Political Behaviour of Muslims in Jekulo Kudus in the Post New Order Era) Author : Achmad Ta`yudin (CRCS, 2005) Abstract The purpose of the research is to explain the political behaviour of Islamic community (umat) in Jekulo Kudus the Central of Java in the 1999 and 2004 general election, which has shown a reality of the failure of Islamic parties in the religious communities. The raised question is “Why Islamic community in Jekulo who have a high level of virtuous were reluctant to choice the Islamic parties”. This interesting question becomes focus of this study. There are three main problems that would be analyzed in this study. First, to what extend does correlation between political aspiration, and voting behaviour of Islamic communities in Jekulo towards political parties in the 1999 and 2004 general election. Second, to what extend does correlation between level of understanding for religious teaching and voting behaviour of Islamic communities in Jekulo towards political parties in the 1999 and 2004 general election. Finally, are religious local elite (kiai) a determinant factor for voting behaviour of Islamic communities in Jekulo towards political parties in the 1999 and 2004 general election? The sampling method which was used in the research, besides the qualitative method (1) to make choice the religious people of Jekulo with using the probability of random distribution; (2) to choice domain sampling taken from religious people in the first point with using the non-probability of purposive distribution. The result of this research indicates that the failure of Islamic parties in Jekulo was determined by the increase of their tolerances to the diversity of faith, so that they do not want to dominate anymore other people based on their faith and political ideology. There are some factors of this social change. First, the dominant rules of New Order regime that marginalized the politic of Islamic syariat has changed the political orientation of Islamic communities based on religious liberalization. Second, the two biggest of Islamic Organization, NU and Muhammadiyah, have changed their social orientation based on politics of tolerant. Third, the level of education and the economic gaps among communities have weakened elite domination in Islamic communities. They cannot be influenced by political elite anymore. These all indicate that Islamic community with high level of virtuous become tolerance and democratic. They can separate whether it is a political or religious thing. Both political and religious things are sometimes difficult to be separated because of elite behaviours and their interests.