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Doctoral thesis . 2015
License: CC BY NC ND
https://dx.doi.org/10.26190/un...
Doctoral thesis . 2015
License: CC BY NC ND
Data sources: Datacite
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Aspiring to Prosperity: the Economic Theology of Urban Muslims in Contemporary Indonesia

Authors: Kailani, Najib;

Aspiring to Prosperity: the Economic Theology of Urban Muslims in Contemporary Indonesia

Abstract

This study examines the dissemination of economic theology among urban Muslims in contemporary Indonesia. This “economic theology” emphasises the performance of Islamic devotional acts with a strong expectation that such performance will result in material wealth as its reward. It is promoted by the celebrity preacher, Yusuf Mansur, in various ways including popular book publication, televised Islamic sermons and movies. This study aims to answer the question of why and how economic theology is becoming widespread in Indonesian Muslim business circles. This study draws on six months ethnographic fieldwork among Muslim small business people, business start-ups, and university students in Yogyakarta and Jakarta. It demonstrates that Muslim business people see economic theology as the best way to seek spiritual and material benefit. They adapt and promote this economic theology through business motivation seminars, book publication and social media. They suggest that economic theology encourages entrepreneurship, rather than a dependence of public sector employment as a future work preference. The widespread circulation of the economic theology among urban Muslims is associated with unemployment issues among university-educated Indonesian over the last decade. Most of university graduates in Indonesia have wished to work in the formal sectors, both government and non-government. However, the limited work opportunities in the formal sector have resulted in the growth of unemployment among the educated section of the Indonesian population. This study contributes to the growing scholarship on dissemination of Muslim religious authority in contemporary Indonesia and discussions of religion and secularisation. This study argues that the popularity of economic theology among the urbanites is due to its potentials to facilitate their aspirations for a prosperous life. Furthermore, this thesis has also shown that the circulation of economic theology is attributed to the activities of promoters on various levels. They include Muslim business people and their followers who promote economic theology through business motivation seminars, social media and publications.

Country
Australia
Related Organizations
Keywords

755, Prosperity, Economic Theology, Islam, 300

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selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
0
Average
Average
Average
Green