for kyle

In post 9-11 world, Islam is often mis-characterized as having a violent, chaotic, and authoritarian mind set. However, today in Indonesia, Islam thrives as an aid for democracy and is relatively peaceful. Indonesia is a prime example of a growing Islamic nation that has become more and more successful. The relationship between Islam and the Indonesian government proves to be rather productive; Islam in Indonesia is also open to modern thoughts of women rights, it is tolerant of other religions (foreigners and tourists shouldn't be afraid of visiting), and helps citizens focus on what they want, but at the same time be happy and have control with their lives. Islam was first introduced in Indonesia in the 14th century, but has now become the main religion within Indonesia. Islam is extremely important to Indonesians even if they aren't following every single rule precisely. It's the major guidelines of their life, but most do not have their whole life revolve around it. Islam in Indonesia has been a unifying force that has support/aided democracy, helped Indonesian citizens unite as one, influence over lifestyle, and has been a helpful tool to work beside other countries.
To understand why Islam stayed strong as the main religion within Indonesia you need to know it's background. Islam was first brought to the island of Java, within Indonesia, in the 14th century most likely from trading with India. The Javanese people already were deeply influenced with Hindu and Buddhist ways. Islam brought over a universal (-ish) form of writing, making communication and transactions simpler. Javanese people already had a strong belief in animism (belief in which inanimate objects have spirits) so they gladly accepted Islamic teachings, as Islam has a sense of mysticism to it. “In AD 1633, Sultan Agung, the greatest king of the Mataram dynasty, replaced the Indian Shaka calendar, which began in AD 78 and which had been used in Javanese courts since Hindu-Buddhist times.” Islam was able to stay in Java and spread to the other Indonesian islands because Islam already backed up many of their previous beliefs, it wasn’t a major change.
Indonesia is full of aspects that constantly remind you, that your in a Muslim country. With all of these constant reminders, you really get a sense of how united the Islamic people in Indonesia are. When you are in Indonesia you will constantly see sirens and towers every where you go. These are not for disaster warning (however they would be used as such give the circumstance) rather a siren that calls Muslim people to pray. When you are following the rules of Islam, it is normal to pray seven times a day. At certain points of the day the siren will go off and if your not doing something incredibly important then you should pray. However, in modern times the working man has very little time in which he can find a peaceful place to pray. If you are extremely religious then you may have to plan your entire days around the siren. When it is time to pray you will see a mass of people praying or moving to a Mosque to pray, a humbling sight.
The common image of a Muslim woman is clothed head to toe, normally in dark colors, with tiny slits for eyesight. That is mainly the Middle Eastern women who are dressed like that. The lifestyle for women in Indonesia is extremely more western compared to Middle Eastern outfits. While still more modest then Western clothing Indonesian women aren’t required to wear headscarves or full body covers. This may seem like a minor thing, but it is a huge step in women equality in the Islam religion. Although men are still getting paid higher and receiving better jobs, sex equality is taking tremendous leaps forward. Indonesia has already gotten a woman as the president, beating the U.S. in a woman leader. If a Muslim nation can have a woman as their leader of state, then says a lot about the progression of equality among Islamic democracies. “The Qur'an is very positive about women. In the story of Creation, women and men are created from the same cells, so usually scholars say that means that men and women are the same before God.” To some people the Qur’an may be saying a certain message that is a complete opposite from someone else who reads the same passage.
Islam in politics has been like a roller coaster ride in the past couple decades of democracy. Currently even though 85% of people within Indonesia say Islam is how they would describe their religious standing, the Islamic political party keeps getting lower percentages. Indonesia is said to be the role model of democracy within Islamic nations. "Moreover, this Indonesianized form of Islam bore none of the severity and rigidity attributed to Middle Eastern forms, earning it praise for its moderation and tolerance. Some scholars even approvingly observed that large numbers of Muslims appeared lax in their devotions and heedless of all but the most basic requirements of Islamic law," Greg Fealy and Sally White note. (10)" This "lax" nature of the Indonesian people could be the decline of religious involvement within politics. This in no way means that democracy is being hurt, but rather that politcal leaders are making decisions with reasoning rather then purely religion.