Maintaining Indonesian Muslim Identity Through Islamic Study Groups Wave of Muslim Arrivals Is Through Educa- Cent of All Indonesians in Australia Are Iden- Tion

Home , Islam in Australia, Punchbowl Mosque

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Komunitas: International Journal of Maintaining Indonesian Indonesian Society and Culture 11(1) (2019): 75-84 DOI:10.15294/komunitas.v11i1.16950 Muslim Identity © 2019 Semarang State University, Indonesia p-ISSN 2086 - 5465 | e-ISSN 2460-7320 through Islamic Study http://journal.unnes.ac.id/nju/index.php/komunitas Groups UNNES JOURNALS

Moch Fakhruroji1

1Islamic State University of Sunan Gunung Djati, Bandung

Received: December 26, 2018; Accepted: March 1, 2019; Published: March 30, 2019

Abstract As a minority group in Australia, Indonesian Muslims are potentially experiencing identity crisis as they categorized as outsiders. This article describe how pengajian (Islamic study groups) and other socio-religious events among Indonesian Muslims as a constructive effort to change the perception of insiders over their social status in order to strengthen their identity as a member in a multicultural societies as theoretically, religion is believed to provide not only the meaning for life but also as social system which provides social control, cohesion, and purposes. Using the IMCV (Indonesian Muslim Community of Victoria) as a case, it could be identified that religious events can be a potential means to maintain their identity as Indonesian Muslims in the context of Australia.

Keywords Identity; pengajian; IMCV; diaspora; Indonesian Muslim

INTRODUCTION Auburn, Greenacre, Bankstown, Lakemba, and Punchbowl. As for the Melbourne area, In 2001 census, total population of Muslims Muslim communities occupy suburb areas in Australia amounted to around 281,572 such as Meadow Heights, Reservoir, Dal- people or around 1.5 percent of Australia’s las, Noble Park and Coburg. Several smaller total population at that time which reach- communities can be found in areas outside ed 13,629,700 people (Commonwealth of the city such as Shepparton located in nort- Australia, 2002). The majority of Australia’s hern Victoria. Muslim population comes from several In the early twentieth century, a num- countries such as Lebanon, Turkey, Afgha- ber of Muslim immigrants from more than nistan, Bosnia, Pakistan, Indonesia, Iraq, sixty countries had settled in Australia. Bangladesh, and Iran. In addition to gene- A very large number of them came from ration of immigrant Muslims, there is also a Turkey, Bosnia, Lebanon, Indonesia, Iran, new generation of Australian-born Muslims Fiji, Albania, Sudan, Egypt, Palestine, Iraq, which amounts to around 36.5% of the total Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. The next Muslim population in Australia. The distribution of the Muslim po- Corresponding author pulation in Australia occupies two major Jl. A.H. Nasution No.105, Cipadung, Cibiru, Bandung, West Java 40614 cities, especially Sydney and Melbourne. Email In Sydney, Muslim communities located in [email protected] 76 Moch Fakhruroji, Maintaining Indonesian Muslim Identity through Islamic Study Groups wave of Muslim arrivals is through educa- cent of all Indonesians in Australia are iden- tion. There are now thousands of Muslim tified as Muslims. students from all over the world who study Although with a relatively growing in Australia, many of them coming from number, living in a country with a different countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, In- milieu from their homelands remains one dia, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. of the fundamental issues in the discussi- Abdullah Saeed (2003) describes that on about identity. Difficulties that they -ex Indonesian Muslim has a significant histo- perienced are not only in terms of expres- rical relationship with Australia. Indonesian sing their identity as Indonesian but also as Muslims first entered the Australian con- a Muslim so at some point, it can socially tinent through sailors from Makassar, an threaten their identity. Basically, they can eastern region of the archipelago who was merge into majority life with secular values, then under the reign of the Islamic sulta- but this can cause to experience an identity nate. According to Saeed, they have arrived crisis. Their identities as Indonesian citizen in this land since the 1750s. The sailors from as well as a Muslim is two identities that ap- Makassar then traveled to northern Austra- pear interchangeably in the context of eve- lia where they interacted with indigenous ryday relationships with people who come Australians. from different communities. In addition to the Makassar sailors, This has caused Indonesian Muslims Indonesian contact with Australia land was as minority groups should negotiate their marked by the arrival of Kupangnese and Ja- identity to keep and able to preserve their vanese who were brought as workers in the identity as Muslims and at the same time pearl processing industry and the planting become part of a multicultural Australian of raw materials for sugar which has been society. The insider-outsider issue in the existed since the end of 19th century (Saeed, context of social interaction is a certain ob- 2003). Nevertheless, restrictions on immi- stacle that must be overcome so that they do grants in 1901 caused most Indonesian im- not experience an identity crisis. The feeling migrants to return and only a small percen- of being part of a community is a fundamen- tage settled in Australia. The next wave of tal need in social life so each of them can Indonesian arrivals in Australia occurred in express their identity normally and sociolo- the 1950s through an Australian government gically, religion and a range of practices can education scholarship scheme in a number accommodate this expression of identity. of universities in Australia. During this peri- As Malefijt (1968) pointed out, one of od, several Indonesians also came to Austra- the functions of religion is social function, lia to teach Bahasa Indonesia in schools and but this function can only be understood universities. when religion itself placed in a relationship One of the first Indonesian migrants with its adherents. These functions can be at Monash University was Rabin Hardjadib- seen in the relationships built with family rata who arrived in 1964. He was a resear- institutions, political, economic, or values cher at Monash University and completed contained in other social structures. Even his master’s studies at the University of Mel- Durkheim (1965) emphasized that religion bourne. After Rabin, the arrival of Indonesi- is a significant integrator in a society whe- an Muslims in Australia was through the Co- re religion can bind people by uniting them lombo Plan scheme. Through this scheme, through a common set of beliefs, values, and gradually Indonesian students came to take rituals. various studies of universities in Australia. Hence, as an integrator in social life, Nowadays, most Indonesian Muslims live religion is seen as something which is able in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, and Brisbane. of preserving the identity of a communi- Although Indonesia is close to Australia and ty, including minority communities both also as the country with the largest Muslim religiously and culturally. Religious events population in the world, only about 17 per- both ritual and social are seen as a forum

UNNES JOURNALS Komunitas: International Journal of Indonesian Society and Culture 11(1) (2019): 75-84 77 for social interaction and communication of the community. among fellow community members. In ot- In this context, pengajian (Islamic stu- her words, these events are able to function dy) are not merely religious activities, but as a social bond between them so they can also social activities and manifestations in maintain their identity as part of a particu- order to maintain the integrity of the iden- lar community through some homogeneous tity of each member. Identity issues and characteristics they have. communication barriers experienced in wi- This homogeneous characteristic is der social interaction in multicultural rela- sought by everyone in the context of a plu- tionships are no longer individual problems ral society, namely the tendency to find and but communal issues so that each member join people with the same characteristics of the community has the same concern to and characteristics with themselves. This support each other. In a broader context, phenomenon is often referred to as the need recitation and other religious activities are for inclusion, namely the desire to join with manifestations of concern to strengthen the others who will deliver individuals to feel identity of each member of the community. fully appreciated and recognized as them- This article aims to describe the pen- selves, not because of the status inherent gajian activities organized by the Indone- in them. When they are in a homogeneous sian Muslim community in Australia by group, they will find easier to get the- ex focusing on Indonesian Muslim Commu- pected appreciation. nity of Victoria (IMCV) based in Melbour- In line with this view, Klopf (1989) ne. Therefore, this article is focused on the sees that one reason for individuals to join discussion of pengajian as a means of social a community is to find an image of their interaction and manifestations of concern status. Every person is deemed necessary to for fellow Indonesian Muslims and as an ef- find his own image as part of the communi- fort to maintain their identity as Indonesian ty so that it can be calculated in the midst of other communities. Another reason why Muslims in Australia. a person joins a community for reasons that Western societies that is multicultural expected values can be obtained from mu- is a new area where Muslim minorities have tual service among fellow community mem- to struggle with conditions that are diffe- bers. rent from their homelands. Western count- It is not surprising if the concept of the ries also provide a broad space for various community closely related to the concept of identity groups to carry out autonomous life solidarity. Furthermore, a number of theo- and creating a cultural system and establis- ries reveal the relationship between these hed a social order in a society that will be- concepts and some basic motives about the come a pillar of peace of a nation (Hasyim, relationship between them, one of which is 2016). However, it is inevitable that different the similarity of belief or religion. Both in identities in a society remain a serious issue the context of solidarity and community, between academia. religious values often emerge as elementa- As “others”, Muslims people in non- ry elements that affect these two things. If Muslim countries also face other problems religion is often seen as a moral and ethical such as discrimination, racism, even crimi- basis in a community, then in the context nalization. In the realm of education, for of solidarity, religion is seen as a binder of example, Zulfikar (2016) noted several stu- the solidarity of its adherents. The stronger dies that racialization and discrimination one’s religiosity, the stronger social solida- are still felt by minority students in public rity with fellow followers, especially in the schools in Australia. He quoted Ata (2009) same community. This is where we can see who found that non-Muslim students still the social function of religion especially in viewed their Muslim friends as “others.” its ability to bind each member so that it can Likewise, Mansouri & Trembath (2005) further be a place to strengthen the identity showed the fact that Muslim students still

UNNES JOURNALS 78 Moch Fakhruroji, Maintaining Indonesian Muslim Identity through Islamic Study Groups experience racism, discrimination, and cri- tain networks between migrants and their minalization. This is certainly contradictory home countries and also as a symbol of their to the multiculturalism policy adopted by loyalty. One of the transnational practices of the Australian government which gives the Muslims in Western countries in the context migrant community equal rights to interact of religion is when Turkish mosques in Ger- with the Australian community as a whole. many, Switzerland, and France help Turks in According to Ramadan, Muslims are Italy to buy apartments to serve as their pla- experiencing a dilemma when they have to ce of worship (Schmidt, 2005). be in a non-Muslim majority country. Their In addition, some studies that reveal identity is constantly being questioned by Muslims live in Western countries have at others as well as by themselves, for example least proved that especially in the context of in the question of whether they are “Muslim the Western world, Islam has increasingly who is French citizen” or “French Citizen deterritorialized (Roy, 2004). In describing who are Muslim?” This choice is not easy, if the implications of the deterritorialization they choose “Muslim” as their main identity, of Islam, organizations and their socio-legal they will make the whole of Islamic law as implications have been the empirical focus the guide of his life while ignoring the law of of many studies on Muslims and Islam in the State where they lives; on the contrary if the West (Silvestri, 2005). Meanwhile, other they claimed to be a French citizen it would studies point out on how Muslims respond have consequences on “abandonment” of to minority situations by being active in some provisions of Islamic law (Ramadan, various organizations such as youth groups 1999). and various religious movements (Manda- Regarding this, Schmidt (2004) explo- ville, 2001; Roy, 2004) which have generally res aspects of transnational identity forma- revealed that Muslim minorities are vocal, tion among young Muslims in three Wes- activist and visible concerning their religion tern countries, Denmark, Sweden and the and that revives their religion in the public United States. The process of transnational space. identity formation is described according to Meanwhile, studies on Indonesi- four overall conditions and themes, which an Muslims in Western countries, one of are (1) visibility and aesthetics; (2) choice; which was written by (Wardana, 2014) who (3) transnationalism; and (4) social ethics. examined the pattern of social relations These indicate that transnational identity between Indonesian Muslim immigrants formations are indeed taking place, and, on and multicultural Muslim communities the other, they are effected by aspects of the in London by testing the suitability of the local and the contextual, and in particular concept of ummah in the diaspora context. by the conditions and legislation of the host He finds that despite having the same faith, nation-state. Almost in the same fashion, Indonesian Muslim diaspora always arises Ramadan (2004) also proposes the idea that internal differences. Traditional Indonesian Muslims could “re-appropriate” the univer- Muslims consider the concept of ummah as sal values of Islamic teachings on the pre- common in everyday encounters with other sent-day horizon of thought. Muslim communities so that they keep dis- Elsewhere, Schmidt (2005) explained tance based on ethnic differences and the that in the context of transnational Islam, affiliation of their religious traditions while the relationship between setting migrants Indonesian revivalist Muslims understand and homelands is indeed commonplace. the unity as the ideal concept that needs to Not only that, as individuals and organiza- be realized in social life, culture and politics. tions, they also raise funds to donate in mos- Discussions and debates on identity ques, schools and other charities in their do appear in the context of Muslim diaspo- home countries, which in overall transna- ra in non-Muslim countries. However theo- tional activities can be explained as part of retically it is believed that the identity of a the diasporic; religious activities to main- multicultural society is something dynamic

UNNES JOURNALS Komunitas: International Journal of Indonesian Society and Culture 11(1) (2019): 75-84 79

(Kellner, 2010) but at a practical level, iden- be categorized as him/herself and conside- tity seems to be traditionally understood as red as in-group. Similarly, someone who is something that is permanent, strong and different from him/herself is categorized as stable because it is considered to be related an out-group (Burke and Stets, 1999). In ot- to the concept of belonging, which is about her words, being a person or part of a group the equation someone with someone else or of people is an active action, as stated by what distinguishes someone from another Weedon (2004) that, “...identity relies on an (Weedon, 2004). Identity is nothing but a active process of explicit identification, for social construct that has never been cultu- example, membership of a religious group, rally stable and has always been the subject and as a consequence may involve some of change and innovation (Fakhruroji & Ro- kind consciously counter-identification to jiati, 2017). In other words, the public view of clarify its identity through the meanings the identity of a group is largely determined and values they represent.” by the knowledge or discourse that develops Dengan demikian, identitas berkaitan in social life. erat dengan sistem kebudayaan kelompok The term ‘identity crisis’ in this context tertentu. As stated by Žegarag (cited in Nug- is seen as part of a broader process of change roho, Purnanto, & Tarjana, 2018), culture is to break away from the central structure and representation which are relatively stable processes of modern society and undermine and which form systems shared by the mem- the framework that was previously built by bers of a social group are cultural. Therefore, the social world. According to (Bell, 2005), culture distinguishes one social group from this kind of view caused two consequen- another. Having inspired by Žegarag’s opi- ces. First, it offers a critical view of identi- nion, a culture concerns the adhering values ty, demonstrates its historicity and arbitra- brought by societies and each society have ry nature. He deneutralized and revealed their own specific characteristics. the influence of the power that surrounded The expression above explains that the him. Second, it makes human agents very process of identification coincides with the important. Therefore, identity is shaped by process of counter-identification, which is history, related to power, and they can also a conscious effort to distinguish itself from be reshaped. In other words, identity can be the others. More broadly it can be said that seen as an arena for an ongoing struggle. being part of a particular social identity me- Burke and Stets (1999) describe two ans also being like other people in the group. basic categories of identity; namely role and Therefore it can be assumed that someone social identity. Role identity is the meaning as a member of a particular group will have that internalizes one’s role on him/herself. similar thoughts and actions. Thus, the si- Therefore, a person may need more than milarity in thought and action in a group one characteristic to explain the meaning of could differentiate them from other groups their role. So, maybe someone else has a dif- at the same time. ferent meaning about the same role identi- In this context, a community has an ty. Therefore, when the meaning of this role important role in shaping and strengthe- identity is not the same, one must negotiate ning individual identities, especially in a the meaning with another who has a diffe- plural and multicultural society. In the so- rent understanding. ciology discipline, the concept of communi- In addition to role identity, there is ty is often explained by organizations that also a social identity that is based on the live traditionally so that it assumes that “ge- identification of someone with a particular meinschaft” lies in the awareness of mutual social group. Social groups are a group of in- ownership and affirmation of the conditions dividuals who share the same views and in of mutual dependence. Traditional terms the same social category. Through a process actually refer to patterns of interaction that of comparison and social categorization, are based mostly on the same values and someone who is similar to him/herself will norms.

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Therefore, the community prioritizes in a relationship with its adherents (Malefi- consensus from the will of each member. Li- jt, 1968). That way, religion has a significant kewise in terms of ethics and norms, a com- potential in strengthening the social solida- munity, in general, makes values as the basis rity of its adherents due to a collective aware- of ethics and cultural norms, while society ness of the same religious teachings, values, usually produces ethics and norms through and norms. One of the religious practices in conventions or agreements between each the social context is the activity of pengajian member because generally it is more hete- which theoretically can be drawn in the con- rogeneous. Homogeneous and heteroge- text of religious communication or da’wa. In neous then become the fundamental cha- contrast to religious practices which is ritu- racteristics of both concepts to differentiate al, activities of pengajian are usually held in between one another. Therefore, in a multi- a social context so they are more a form of cultural society, the emergence of a number social interaction based on religious activi- of communities is usually bound by certain ties. similarities. Apart from its historical context, the According to Tischler (1990) this is a practice of da’wah explains two sides, each form of collective consciousness which is a of which has different implications, namely fundamental characteristic of a community da’wa as doctrine and as a social movement. which in the next stage can bring social so- As a social movement, da’wa is believed to be lidarity. In practical terms, social solidarity able to bridge Muslims to meet basic needs in the community is characterized by the not only those that are theological but also strengthening of inter-individual relations sociological. Pengajian activity as one of the which naturally raises the need for together- da’wa activities can be seen as a vehicle for ness. But it should be noted that according religious expression, seeking and strengthe- to Durkheim, social solidarity can also be ning identity, affirming social status, to ful- permanent or tentative, determined by mu- filling economic needs that can generate the tual awareness to need each other. spirit of community empowerment. Religion or belief system is a factor in social solidarity. In accordance with its characteristics, religion is the binding force of METHOD the solidarity of its adherents. This is where This research is a qualitative research desc- we can see the function of religion especial- ribed by Velez (2008) tends to be enriched ly in seeing the social solidarity and cohesi- with explorative narratives and descriptions, veness of a group. This is caused by, among and more about the process. The method other things, the nature of religion both used is a constructive case study which aims theologically and sociologically. Theologi- to bridge concrete observations and abstract cally, especially in Islam, it is caused by the meanings using interpretive techniques. In- omnipresent character which is through terpretive techniques are used by adopting a the symbols or values that it carries out in- different method from quantitative by using fluences and even shapes social, cultural, a variety of theories to analyze cases (Given, economic and political structures and pub- 2008). lic policies (Effendy, 2001). Not surprising- As Yin (1994) argues, case studies ly, religion is expected to provide a guide to are studies that investigate contempora- values for all discourses of human activities ry phenomena in the context of everyday both socio-cultural, economic and political. life, especially when the boundary between Meanwhile sociologically, religion is a deter- phenomena and context is not very clear. The minant factor in the process of transforma- case study method is considered effective to tion and modernization. understand pengajian activities as a form of However, it should be noted that the concern among fellow Indonesian Muslims social function of a religion can only be un- in Australia to care for their identity. But it derstood when the religion itself is posited is important to note that the pengajian ac- UNNES JOURNALS Komunitas: International Journal of Indonesian Society and Culture 11(1) (2019): 75-84 81 tivities organized by the IMCV are not the studying at Monash University so that they main discussion, but only as a medium to can organize activities so that they can com- understand the phenomenon of pengajian municate and stay in touch regularly. and its relationship with efforts to maintain The emergence of IMCV was also re- identity and strengthen the social solidarity lated to the establishment of the Westall among Indonesian Muslims in non-Muslim Mosque in the Clayton South area as a serio- countries. us effort to have a more representative place In addition to observation, this study considering that previously there had been also involved administrators and members pengajian activities in this area namely At of the Indonesian Muslim Community of Taqwa Mosque. After getting support from Victoria (IMCV) as informants in unstructu- various parties including the Consulate Ge- red interviews. Meanwhile, secondary data neral, they did fundraising until they were in this study were obtained through various able to raise up to 80 thousand Australian sources; Internet sites, literature, reports, dollars. These funds come from the govern- documentation of activities, journal articles ment, Indonesian businessmen and some and other writings. of the individuals both in Indonesia and in Australia. The monetary crisis that hit Indone- RESULTS AND DISCUSSION sia in 1998 had an impact on the fundraising In Victoria, there are at least six groups of activities so with limited funds, there was a pengajian, including; Pengajian Brunswick, house that will be sold in the Westall area. Pengajian SAS (Sulit Air Sepakat) Melbour- Not only that, based on the information by ne, Pengajian LaTrobe, Monash Indonesian the sales agent, this house even has a per- Islamic Society (MIIS), Young Indonesian mission as a place for the community center, Muslim Students Association (YIMSA), and which can be used for community activities. At-Taqwa (later known as Pengajian Wes- It is important to note that the regulation tall). In 1997, all these study groups agreed in Australia, a resident cannot be used for to establish a forum that could supervise the public activity unless they have official all of these groups which were later called permission from the City Council. After the as Indonesian Muslim Community of Vic- house was purchased, the next step was to toria (IMCV). One of the goals is that they convince the City Council and the surroun- can have stronger bargaining both with the ding residents to accept the existence of the Australian Government and the Indonesian Islamic community’s activities there and Government. Therefore it is not surprising this was not as easy. Even though the house that the establishment of the IMCV has the has a permit as a community center, there support from the Consulate General of the are still many efforts and strategies taken to Republic of Indonesia in Melbourne. After convince the government and the surroun- the IMCV was formed, a number of other ding residents that they give permission to groups emerged and joined them including establish a mosque as well as a center for Pengajian Footscray and An-Nur. community activities and it was succeeded. Indonesian Muslim Community of Westall Mosque, located at 130 Rose- Victoria (IMCV) is the only institution that bank Avenue, Clayton South, Victoria 3169, accommodates almost all Islamic organiza- Australia is what became one of IMCV cen- tions in the state of Victoria, Australia. One ters. Nonetheless, the Westall Mosque is organization that initiated the establish- not the only center of activity for Indonesi- ment of the IMCV is the Monash Indone- an Muslims in Victoria. In addition to Wes- sian Islamic Students or MIIS which has a tall, there is the Surau Kita Mosque in the secretariat at the Monash University cam- Coburg North area and the Baitul Ma’mur pus in Clayton, Melbourne. MIIS, which was Mosque in Laverton region which both fun- founded in the 1980s, aims to bring together ction as IMCV activities centers with areas Muslim students from Indonesia who are that are far apart in the State of Victoria. In

UNNES JOURNALS 82 Moch Fakhruroji, Maintaining Indonesian Muslim Identity through Islamic Study Groups addition to these three mosques, several re- As mentioned earlier, the aim of estab- ligious activities with a small scope are still lishing the IMCV is to accommodate penga- held by the study groups mentioned above. jian and other religious activities so IMCV The implementation of pengajian acts more as a facilitator for these groups. activities in Victoria is generally based on The struggle of the predecessors in establis- three things, namely based on the location hing the Westall Mosque became the most of the campus, the origin of the members, fundamental consideration for the imple- and the location of the mosque. Some pen- mentation of every Islamic activity there. In gajian events based on campus locations in- fact, among them often remind each other if cluding; University of Melbourne, Monash group claims arise which precisely according University, La Trobe University and other to will harm Indonesian Muslims there. campuses. Consideration of choosing a lo- The sense of togetherness among In- cation adjacent to the campus is caused by donesian Muslims is an important key in resources that can become more resource understanding social cohesiveness among persons for these studies. The resources in Indonesian Muslims living in Australia, es- question are Muslim student groups from pecially in Melbourne. Whatever the reason, Indonesia who are studying at each univer- they are united because they share the same sity. There are students who take roles as beliefs and come from the same country. participants or resource persons. Furthermore, these keywords also appear to Aside from being based on where be binding on social solidarity and strengt- campus located, there is also a pengajian hen their identity. group formed based on the origin of a parti- For Muslims, the discourse of solidari- cular group or ethnic group, such as the Sulit ty is not new since Islam taught ukhuwah or Air Sepakat (SAS) study group. SAS is a com- brotherhood, one of which is based on the munity organization with most of its mem- same identity as Muslims (ukhuwah Islamiy- bers coming from the Nagari Sulit Air, West ah). This ukhuwah spirit is what underlies Sumatra which has a central headquarter the people in this community to be able to based in Jakarta. In addition, there is also easily get along with egalitarian, without in- a pengajian group consisting of Sundanese sulation, and freely and fluidly interact. This ethnic groups gathered in an organization kind of social atmosphere is usually seen in called Paguyuban Pasundan. the community and in every religious activi- There are also a number of Pengajian ties. In a social atmosphere like this, it also groups based where the mosque is located. appears that religious teachings are easily Unlike the previous two, this group has a accepted and become part of their lives. greater number, among others; Pengaji- This is made possible as religious or- an Westall, Pengajian Brunswick, Monash ganizations’ have a function to bind the Indonesian Islamic Society (MIIS), Young cohesiveness of their followers, as well as Indonesian Muslim Students’ Association to strengthen the faith they believe in. The (YIMSA), Pengajian Footscray, Pengajian presence of religious institutions is seen as An-Nur, Pengajian Miftahul Jannah, Penga- being able to bind and strengthen the re- jian Bundoora, Pengajian Al-Islah, and Pen- ligious beliefs held by its followers so that gajian Ta’awun. Although some Pengajian they can further maintain the identity of were held on different schedules, all of these each member as Indonesian Muslims. This pengajian groups basically organized vario- also clarifies the view that self-identificati- us types of religious activities, including re- on is nothing but a classification process of gular pengajian every week, Al-Quran edu- ourselves with those who do have the same cation for children and teenagers, providing meaning about something. The process of religious counseling services for Indonesian self-identification or others is a matter of Muslim families and even mentoring new meaning and always involves interaction: Indonesian students about Australian cul- agreement and disagreement, conventions ture. and innovation, communication and nego-

UNNES JOURNALS Komunitas: International Journal of Indonesian Society and Culture 11(1) (2019): 75-84 83 tiation (Jenkins, 2004). tions such as IMCV is a manifestation of the agency-structure phenomenon. In this context, the agency is not only the IMCV itself, Ansar and Muhajirin but also the activists, while the context of There is one thing that is interesting in the the structure is the milieu of Australia as a narrative of one informant regarding the re- non-Muslim environment, both as a govern- lations between fellow Indonesian Muslims ment and as an environment. in the context of the IMCV community. He The context faced by the Indonesian illustrated it as a relationship between the Muslim community in Australia is secula- Muhajirin and Ansar groups, two groups rism both at the state and community level that were referred to the Hijra events of the as the structure. These two aspects determi- Prophet Muhammad SAW. The Muhajirin ne the model of attitude and response given group were those who migrated to Medina by Indonesian Muslims as manifested in the and Ansar was the group that welcomed the form of religious activities as part of efforts arrival of the Muhajirin group from Mecca. to strengthen their identity as Muslims and The use of this illustration is certainly reli- as citizens of Indonesia. As a joint home for gious because it is an important event in Is- Muslims in Australia, IMCV strives to main- lamic history. tain togetherness by emphasizing the same In this context, the Muhajirin group identity as Muslims and as citizens of Indo- is those consisting of students who study in nesia. Australia, especially Melbourne. The presence of students from the undergraduate to doctoral level also colored the life dyna- Conclusion mics of the Indonesian Muslim communi- Australia provides a different experience for ty in Victoria. They come and go one after Indonesia Muslims. A multicultural society another. They are like the Muhajirin who with different identities has positioned In- stopped temporarily but brought extraordi- donesian Islam in Australia as a minority nary dynamics in the life of the Indonesian group that is vulnerable to an identity crisis. Muslim community in Victoria. The presence of the community is a signi- Meanwhile, the group referred to as ficant solution for them to maintain their Ansar are Indonesian Muslim community identity as Muslims and as well as Indone- who have been living in Australia and has sian citizens. Indonesian Muslims Com- permanent residence (PR) status. Unlike munity of Victoria (IMCV) exists and play students or students who return to Indone- a significant role as social bond in order to sia, Indonesian citizens who have become maintain identity so that they can still ex- PR are part of a witness to the history of press their identity. the formation of the IMCV. These Indone- Pengajian activities organized by va- sian Muslims with PR status are illustrated rious study groups under the IMCV have as Ansar groups who do not only maintain treated the longing of each member of the activities at the IMCV but also who provide community in expressing their identity. assistance to those who have just arrived in That way, recitation activities in Australia Victoria. This relation is one of the social are not only the transformation and trans- functions of the community where they mission of religious messages as well as in show mutual concern so that each member the practice of religious communication but of the community feels comfortable in a new also functioned as a vehicle for social inter- environment. action to show mutual concern among their In Giddens’ perspective, the Indonesi- members. an Muslim community in Victoria through The activities organized by IMCV various religious activities such as establis- have become a kind of social activity center, hing Westall Mosque and holding recitation scientific activities, as well as a place for va- activities to the establishment of organiza- rious information, especially for Indonesian

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