MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, BANTUL – Zuly Qodir, a lecturer in Islamic Sociology at Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY), highlighted the emergence of a new genre of religiosity in Indonesia, known as the New Religious Movement (NRM).
According to Zuly and several other experts, the term “New Religious Movement” does not refer to traditional religious beliefs, but rather to new interpretations or articulations of existing religious doctrines.
“New religious movements are essentially groups of actors who share a transcendental paradigm in their religious practice, using it as an authority for their understanding of specific religious doctrines. These movements are based on religious, ethical, spiritual, and philosophical beliefs,” Zuly explained at the Muhammadiyah Ramadan Preaching Series at the Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta on Thursday (March 14).
For example, many preachers appear on television or social media with limited religious knowledge but are perceived by some to have a significant influence on religious understanding.
“These media-created preachers will eventually be drowned out by the media itself,” Zuly said.
He also highlighted the current erosion of religious authority due to the proliferation of unverified and unreliable information.
“Hoaxes are rampant today, and all kinds of information are spread without any clear or valid sources,” Zuly explained.
In light of these developments, Zuly emphasized the need for Muhammadiyah to play a role in addressing the new religious realities.
“Muhammadiyah mission is to promote progress in both religious and national life. This has already been done, but it needs to be consistent and ongoing. Indonesia has a large Muslim population with a high level of religious devotion, and Muhammadiyah needs to seize this opportunity,” Zuly said.
Finally, Zuly stressed that the successes achieved by Muhammadiyah through its social and charitable work need to be more widely publicized so that the public can better appreciate the organization’s contributions in the areas of social welfare, economics, education, and healthcare.
