The Dynamics of Indonesian Ahmadis Communication After Persecution
Bambang Saiful Ma^arif 1, Aziz Taufik Hirzi 2, Rodliyah Khuza^i 3

1, 3 Lecturers of Da^wa Universitas Islam Bandung (Unisba),
2 Communication Studies of Universitas Islam Bandung (Unisba),

Abstract

This paper discusses the communication dynamics of Ahmadis in building social relations with the people outside their community after they received various forms of persecution. In Indonesia, Ahmadis have been the subjects to persecution in at least four regions: West Java, East Java, Banten and West Nusa Tenggara (Nusa Tenggara Barat [NTB]). The persecution includes the sealing and burning of their mosques and was exposed by the media. Such religious persecution and discrimination shook the Ahmadiyya community, and their movement was made to some extent restricted. Ahmadiyya was a legal social-religious organization before several regulations such as Joint Ministerial Decree and local government regulations were issued to disband them. On top of that, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) also issued a fatwa that Ahmadis are not Muslims and that they are misled and misleading. Ahmadis took legal action to regain their legality, but it was in vain. What is discussed in this paper is the result of our qualitative phenomenological study, the data of which were collected through interviews, documentary studies, and observation. The research locus included West Java, Banten, East Java, Jakarta and West Nusa Tenggara. We found that Ahmadis^ efforts to peacefully integrate themselves with society through social communication had not been fully successful. Their movement was still restricted. In terms of social activities, Ahmadis are inclusive, but they are exclusive in their religious activities. This notably implies that religion becomes a factor contributing to the social exclusion of the Ahmadiyya community.

Keywords: social inclusion, social exclusion, Indonesian Ahmadis, religious persecution

Topic: Islamic Education