Jamaah Tabligh as a Social and Religious Movement in Cianjur (1980–2020)

Abstract

This article examines the history of the emergence and development of Jamaah Tabligh in Cianjur Regency from 1980 to 2020 and analyzes its transformation from an unfamiliar transnational preaching group into a social and religious movement rooted locally. Previous studies of Jamaah Tabligh have generally stopped at analyses of preaching strategies over short periods or at the microsociological level of a single community, leaving the long-term historical dimension and the relationship among khuruj practices, the role of mosques, and social networks in forming a regional movement largely unexplored. This article fills that gap by reconstructing the periodization of Jamaah Tabligh's development in Cianjur diachronically. This research uses the historical method through the stages of heuristics, source criticism (external and internal), interpretation, and historiography, drawing on primary sources consisting of retrospective interviews with nine participants and two documents held at Al-Ikhlas Sukamanah Mosque, supported by secondary sources in books and journal articles. The results show that Jamaah Tabligh's development in Cianjur passed through three phases: pioneering (1980–1990), marked by cultural resistance and mediation by local figures; expansion and the establishment of a permanent headquarters (1990–2000), supported by leadership succession and reported support from local ulama; and stabilization and institutionalization (2000–2010), in which regular syura and preaching routines were described. As a social movement, Jamaah Tabligh mobilizes resources through collective and collegial leadership, status associated with experience and commitment, and self-financing (infak nafsi); as a religious movement, it puts dakwah bi al-hal into practice through khuruj, bayan, and jaulah. In 2010–2020, the interaction of these two dimensions was associated in participants’ accounts with changes in religious practice, inclusion of some formerly stigmatized people, and social ties. This article argues that Jamaah Tabligh's endurance over four decades can be interpreted through its members’ religious commitment, interpersonal networks, and adaptation to local settings.