Self-Islah, Gender Relation and Socio-Economic Challenges on Tablighi Jamaat Proselytization Practice in Indonesia

Abstract

This article explores one of the Tablighi Jamaat (TJ) teachings self-islah that develops in its dawah practices.
Self-Islah emphasizes improving oneself through a proselytization program called khuruj from one community to
another, from one mosque to another. All this time, dawah was used as a medium to improve and correct others by
Muslim priest (da’i) without being directly involved in the practice of islah. The phenomenon of JT dawah shows
a different approach and pattern where da’i play dual roles not only as subject (preachers) but also as an object
(listeners) during that khuruj program. Self-islah in this context includes strengthening faith, morals, and gender
awareness. The gender aspect is strong external critics of JT religious tradition where it does not involve women in
their religious activities and even avoids interacting with them. Thus, TJ members must handle all the needs while
staying in the mosque for religious camps, such as washing clothes, cooking, washing dishes, and serving guests
from the local and international community. The article will investigate changes in gender relations within the JT
family in the post-khuruj program. This article also focuses on the economic challenges faced by Tablighi members
when they go out of preaching (khuruj), especially those from the lower-middle class. They struggle to fulfill the
needs during dawah and the family's needs who left at home, especially for long periods such as 40 days, three
months, and one year.