Conflict of Understanding of Wahabi-Salafi Creed and Sharia and the Aswaja Tarekat in North Sumatra: The Challenge of Religious Moderation in Indonesia

Abstract

This study aims to examine the roots of religious conflict among Islamic groups and to formulate conflict-mitigation strategies through intensive dialogue and mutual understanding. This research employs a qualitative approach combining literature review and fieldwork. Data were collected from scholarly journals and books, in-depth interviews with Islamic scholars and preachers affiliated with Wahhabi-Salafi movements and tarekat communities, as well as Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) on issues of aqidah and shari‘ah. Field research was conducted in several regions of North Sumatra, including Stabat, Binjai, Medan, and Deli Serdang. The findings reveal fundamental differences in theological concepts and interpretations of Islamic law between Wahhabi-Salafi groups and Sufi-tarekat communities. These differences are particularly evident in the interpretation of mutashabihat verses, where Wahhabi-Salafi adherents tend to avoid or reject ta’wil, while scholars of the Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama‘ah tradition advocate ta’wil to preserve the transcendence of Allah and to avoid anthropomorphic understandings. In the domain of Shari‘ah, Wahhabi-Salafi groups generally reject religious practices that are not explicitly performed by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), whereas tarekat scholars-predominantly following the Shafi‘i school recognize the concept of bid‘ah hasanah in subsidiary aspects of ritual worship. Overall, the study indicates that the Sufi-tarekat approach in North Sumatra demonstrates a more moderate and accommodative orientation compared to Wahhabi-Salafi interpretations, underscoring the importance of dialogical engagement grounded in Islamic moderation for reducing religious tensions.