"Islam exists in global history with its richly variegated cultural and social realities. When these specific cultural contexts are marginalized, Islam is reduced to an ahistorical religion without the ability to contribute to humanity. This limited understanding of Islam has been a contributing factor in many of the violent conflicts in the present day. Reflecting on Islam in Indonesia, the world’s third largest democracy, supporting the largest Muslim population, Ahmad Syafii Maarif argues for an understanding that is both faithful to Islam’s essential teachings and open to constantly changing social and cultural contexts. Building on this, he then addresses critical contemporary issues such as democracy, human rights, religious freedom, the status of women, and the future of Islam. Through this book the breadth and depth of the ideas of one of Indonesia’s foremost Muslim scholars are made accessible for English language readership."

Ahmad Syafii Maarif is professor emeritus at Yogyakarta State University and founder of MAARIF Institute for Culture and Humanity. He was the chairman of Muhammadiyah from 1998 to 2005.

Contents
Foreword by Jan Michiel Otto
An Introduction to Ahmad Syafii Maarif: The Man and This Book
Preface to the Second Edition
Preface
Introduction
1.Islam and Nusantara
- Nusantara: Where Faiths and Cultures Interact
- The Rise of Islam in Nusantara
- The Influence of Colonialism, Islam, and the National Movement
- The Birth of Indonesia as a Nation
- World War II, the Constitution, and the Proclamation of Independence
- Ideological Clashes: The 1955 General Election and Islam versus Pancasila, 1956–1959
2.Islam and Democracy
- Why Is Islam in Harmony with Democratic Concepts?
- The Ebb and Flow of Democracy in Indonesia
- Islam and the Challenges of Cultural and Religious and Cultural Diversity
- The Status of Women in Islam
- The Place of Tolerance in Islam
- One Islam, One Thousand Expressions
- The Global Dimension of Indonesian Islam
3.Indonesian Islam
- The Quality of Education in Indonesia
- Islam, humanity, and indonesian identity
- The “Unity of Knowledge” Concept
- The Muhammadiyah on Education
- Humans Who Are Meaningful in the Perspective of the Quran
- Toward the Formulation of a Philosophy of Muhammadiyah Education
- Education in the Nahdlatul Ulama Environment
- Conflicts in Form and Content
- Islam and Indonesia’s Future
4.The Future of Religion
- Islam: An Open Religion
- Islam and Religious Sincerity
- Symbolism: Salt and Lipstick
- The Global Map: Between Hope and Alarm
5.Islam, Humanity, and Indonesian Identity
Afterword
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Index
About the Author
About the Translator