THE ROLE OF CIREBON WOMEN ULAMA IN COUNTERING RELIGIOUS RADICALISM

The trend in terrorist acts nowadays is using women as perpetrators with a feminine approach. To respond to the condition, the figure of the Cirebon women ulama takes a very significant role. When women could be recruited as terrorists, it should be easier too to get them back to become agents of peace. This study originally attempts to describe the experiences and efforts of Cirebon women ulama in the process of socio-religious transformation in the Cirebon society towards a better direction, namely counteracting religious-based intolerance in Cirebon. This study was conducted through a descriptive qualitative method with a phenomenology approach. Primary data were obtained through documentation study, interviews, and direct observations with Cirebon women activists from various community organizations and non-governmental organizations. The results showed that there are several strategies used by Cirebon women ulama in countering religious radicalism such as (1) developing religious literacy among Cirebon society; (2) shifting communication patterns from monolog to Qudus International Journal of Islamic Studies (QIJIS) Volume 8, Number 1, 2020 DOI : 10.21043/qijis.v8i1.6430


Abstract
The trend in terrorist acts nowadays is using women as perpetrators with a feminine approach. To respond to the condition, the figure of the Cirebon women ulama takes a very significant role. When women could be recruited as terrorists, it should be easier too to get them back to become agents of peace. This study originally attempts to describe the experiences and efforts of Cirebon women ulama in the process of socio-religious transformation in the Cirebon society towards a better direction, namely counteracting religious-based intolerance in Cirebon. This study was conducted through a descriptive qualitative method with a phenomenology approach. Primary data were obtained through documentation study, interviews, and direct observations with Cirebon women activists from various community organizations and non-governmental organizations. The results showed that there are several strategies used by Cirebon women ulama in countering religious radicalism such as (1) developing religious literacy among Cirebon society; (2) shifting communication patterns from monolog to

A. Introduction
Religious intolerance acts are increasingly troublesome in Cirebon, West Java, Indonesia. People are easily ignited by their emotions when facing new and different religious understandings. Cirebon society seems to be easily carried away by issues and provocations especially related to religion and religiosity. They are easy to judge and claim heresy for anyone who is considered different from their worship activities. Differences in beliefs and ways of worship are responded with resistance and even violence. Religious minority groups often become the butt of intolerance.
Marginal and minority communities are often alienated from social life.
From the results of preliminary research, the data showed that religious-based intolerance in Cirebon is caused by the widespread practice of spreading hatred in society towards certain religious groups, besides because there is not much space for dialogue between different communities (Rais, 2014). Religious minority groups often become targets of acts of hate speech which result in violence, discrimination, and hostility such as cases of hate speech against Ahmadiyah who get attacked and even expulsion of Ahmadiyah members from Cirebon. The above reality is reinforced by Azyumardi Azra's statement on Radar Cirebon, that Cirebon is an area that is vulnerable to the emergence of religious radicalism (Azra, 2014). According to him, as a region that is quite high in transition and urbanization, Cirebon is a potential area that became the basis of the development of radical Islam. This departs from the Psychology of radical Islamic networks in Indonesia which generally targets several regions that have their characteristics. In addition to conflict or post-conflict areas, the radical Islamic network targets people living in regions that are undergoing transition such as the people living in Cirebon.
The prediction revealed by Azra above shows the truth.
Departing from the fears of the people of Cirebon about the presence of deviant religious understanding, the realm of religion in Cirebon in the last ten years was enlivened by the re-emergence of pros and cons about the heresy and whether a religious community existed in the community. Communities who have their religious ways that are different from society, in general, accept labels as heretical because they deviate from mainstream belief so they are not allowed to live in Cirebon.
From this, religious radicalism began to gain momentum in Cirebon.
Ironically, the new trend in terrorism makes women as perpetrators. If previously the acts of terror had a masculine face and used a patriarchal approach, but nowadays terrorist acts utilize women as perpetrators and with a feminine approach. Even though women are perpetrators, they are essentially victims. Victims of their ignorance then used by those who have a systematic plan for acts of terrorism. Some factors are suspected as the reasons why women are involved in terrorism. Among them, the factors of association and friendship, feelings of alienation and exclusion, feelings of frustration and revenge, but the factor of radical ideology is the keyword when they are already in a terrorist group.
Some studies revealed that the women were recruited in the network. 2) reasons for concern over the inequalities suffered by the global Muslim community; 3) narrow religious awareness so that by becoming terrorists they feel they have the same social position as male terrorists in jihad; 4) psychologically women whose husbands become terrorists are also involved as terrorists. The strategy carried out by terrorist groups in conquering women is by marrying them, even marrying them through social media that is legalized and/or legalized, so that according to the husband's wishes.
On the other hand, Yesa (2000) in her research on "Women's experiences in the fight for peace in conflict areas: research on women members of the caring women's movement in Ambon" showed that the biggest motivation or reason for women to be involved in peace efforts, although most of them is a victim of the conflict, stemming solely from women's concern for the future of their children. This has made them able to transform their existence as victims of conflict into peace actors. While Sumbulah (2019) in her study on two civil society women activist groups, namely Fatayat NU and Family Welfare Empowerment (PKK), who had concerns about empowering women through strengthening family resilience that, found the role of these activists in preventing radicalism can be categorized into two categories. Prevention of radicalism for families who have not been exposed to radicalism is done by strengthening family resilience through economic, health, education, socio-religious activities, and an increased understanding of radicalism, i.e. by detecting and avoiding radical ideologies. For high-risk families or those who have been exposed to radicalism, these civil society organizations provide intensive assistance through social-based strengthening and trauma healing. Assistance to children of former terrorists is carried out by these Septi Gumiandari and Ilman Nafi'a organizations to ensure the fulfillment of children's rights as guaranteed by law. These organizations also collaborate with the government and NGOs to increase the effectiveness in preventing family-based radicalism. The paper concludes that the role of women, families, and communities is strategic in creating a harmonious family atmosphere and preventing family members from being exposed to radicalism.
Moreover, Muthohirin (2015)   The various studies and writings above can be used as a comparison for this research, but they are not used as a concrete reference, because different study areas are assumed to have different patterns and colors. None of the studies above were specifically focused on Cirebon women ulama and religious radicalism. Therefore, this study originally attempts to describe the experiences and efforts of Cirebon women ulama in the process of socio-religious transformation in the Cirebon society towards a better direction, namely Septi Gumiandari and Ilman Nafi'a counteracting religious-based intolerance in Cirebon. This is very important research because besides as a lesson learned for the struggle of Indonesian women ulama in the future, it is also an effort to document the portrait of Indonesian women's agencies in their participation in spreading peace in increasingly thickening religious-based acts of violence in various parts of the world.
This study used a descriptive qualitative method (Kreuger & Neuman, 2006) with the phenomenology approach (Giorgi, 2009). Primary data obtained through documentation study, interviews, and direct observation with informants. Interviews were conducted with Cirebon women activists from various community organizations and nongovernmental organizations that have diverse backgrounds.
Secondary data obtained through the scientific literature,

writing, documentation, and internet-based information that
can support primary data. Data analysis techniques used in this study include interview transcripts, data reduction, data interpretation, and triangulation (Miles, 1992). From the results of data analysis then conclusions are drawn.

Cirebon
The term 'radical' actually has various meanings. It can be interpreted as fundamental, essential, reformist, and open. Radicals can also be understood as extreme, militant, partial, and hard in fighting for something. 'Ism' which is attached to the radical term refers more to an extreme and excessive understanding to exceed the limits (Hassan, 2015). is often directed and connoted to a term called radicalism.
The most common understanding of radicalism leads to a political movement that makes religion an ideological basis.
The strength of its militancy lies in a tendency to establish religious doctrine as a universal principle in regulating the existing order. It means that radicalism is interpreted as a certain understanding or flow that is so militant and extreme in politics. Radical groups want a great change and renewal of the social and political system based on religious principles.
This group often uses violent methods to drastically change the system that has been considered far from religious values.
As a religious-based political movement, radical groups often want the formation of a state based on sharia principles. They believe that only with this system, justice and independence can be easily carried out amid the chaos of injustice, social inequality, and rampant corruption. They are so convinced that the khilafah is the only way to arrive at perfect justice (Fealy, 2004).
In a pluralistic society like Cirebon, religion can have two faces. Religion can be a unifying factor and at the same time triggering social conflict. This is in line with the statement of Bahtiar Effendy (in Putra, 2019) who sees that the presence of religion is always accompanied by "two faces".
On the one hand, religion has an identity that is "exclusive", and "primordial". On the other hand, religion also has an identity that is "inclusive", "universalist", and "transcending".
The antagonistic potential of this religion has been one of the main concerns of religious activists and thinkers.
The dualism of the face of religion was born due to the diverse meanings of the existence of a religion. Will religion be placed in its position as the purpose of life or only as an instrument to maintain humanity and achieve human happiness? For groups who see religion as an instrument to achieve happiness, it will give birth to a view that religion puts the problem of humanity at a high position and therefore religion exists as a "servant" for humanity. Therefore, every act that humiliates and destroys human values and existence is the same as insulting religion itself. As for groups who view religion as a goal, they position human life for religion.
Therefore, for the sake of religion, the value and existence of humanity can be sacrificed whenever needed, by carrying symbols and raising the banner of religion from the "attack" of its enemies. The tragedy of the Bali bombing, Marriot, and various acts of terror in the Indonesian hemisphere some time ago, became its legitimacy for the validity of this view.
In the context of religious behavior, Cirebon society has always been known as a religious and plural society. The word "Kota Wali" is one indication that Cirebon is a city of students that has more than 500 Islamic boarding schools and other Islamic education. In almost every village in the Fourth, violence also afflicts the Christian community.
In the last ten years, this community is often under The transformation from intolerance to tolerance is one of the maximum measures of the civilization and civilization of a society. The more tolerant society is, the automatic level of public civilization and its civilization will automatically achieve maximum results. Therefore, tolerance is a value and attitude that must be developed in and for all citizens.

Counteracting Religious Intolerance
Women ulama consists of two words: "ulama" and "women". The word "ulama" is a plural form of the word 'alim which means someone who knows or is very knowledgeable, without limiting certain scientific disciplines. It is also not limited to a certain gender. "Ulama" is often attached to religious leaders who can understand the sources of Islam well, behave nobly, and guide people in their daily lives (Fayumi, 2017).
The Qur'an mentions the word 'alim with singular form 13 times (9: 105, 13: 9, 32: 6, 33:92, 34: 3, 35:38, 39:46, 59:22 , 62: 8, 18:64, and 72:26). Everything is about the nature of Departing from the sources of the text above, the word "ulama" is a person of deep knowledge, who has fear of God These two meanings are used to distinguish the word "women ulama" from "ulama women". "Ulama women" are all The meaning of "women ulama" implies a continuous process to affirm and ensure that the role of the ulama, with the knowledge they have, is to realize fair and civilized humanity.

This meaningfulness entails involving women as subjects and
beneficiaries in all religious activities. In this long process, the identification and appreciation of ulama women from the early days of Islam to the present is a necessity to emphasize the existence and legitimacy of women ulama.
In the KUPI's perspective, "women ulama" are people who have deep knowledge, both women and men, who have fear of God (integrity), noble personality (akhlaaq kariimah), uphold justice, and provide benefit to the universe (rahmatan lil 'alamiin). Fear of Allah SWT is not only for humanitarian matters in general but also in the affairs of women specifically.
Not only in public affairs, but also in family matters. Likewise, the noble, uphold justice and provide benefits, not only in matters relating to men but also the same in matters relating to women. Thus, harmonious mutual relations between men and women can be bound, and without violence to realize the ideals of humanity that are just and civilized (Fayumi, 2017).
The term "agent" is used because the agent has a more flexible and broad role. The term agent was adopted from Durkheim's concept of a qualified actor (knowledge actor) who has a role in the reproduction of cultural meanings and norms (Fardon (ed), 1985:6). The concept of an agent rests on his ability to influence others with a variety of order of meaning and narration in the process of interaction that occurs (Fardon (ed), 1985:10). While Berman (1998:51) defines agency as the role of personal responsibility in discursive activities. This definition is taken from the opinion of Muhlhausler and Hare in Fill and Peter (2001) that agency as one aspect of subjectivities is based on the capacity of one's critical reflection on what is thought and done.
In this context, the term 'narrative agent' is used, because it has a closeness of meaning to the term 'narrative speaker/ teller' used by Berman (1998: 59-62). The 'narrative maker' is not used here because the agent does not always produce discourse, but it can simply convey and adopt the ideas and Based on the breadth of its influence on the institution, the Cirebon women ulama's narrative agent broadly and somewhat flexibly can be elaborated their role in sowing peace and religious tolerance in the following explanations:

1) Developing Religious Literacy
According to Purnomo (2001) The development of religious literacy is parallel with the world of education which seeks to eradicate illiteracy. When people are instructed to be literate, then they become able to write and read. Therefore, in addition to breaking down the situation of illiterate people, the community is also challenged to develop an attitude of religious literacy as a form of dismantling the situation of people who are "blind to other religions". Quality education leads humans to openly engage in religion, so in organizing education Indonesian children should be able to become "literate in other religions", because if reading and writing lessons in schools can save the nation from illiteracy, religious education can lead Indonesians not to become "blind to other religions", so that they tend to be closed-fanatical, as well as easily despised, pitted and contested (Purnomo, 2001). This training is programmed for young people who are given material, reinforcement, and techniques to facilitate forums on issues of equality, human rights, pluralism, and religious tolerance. After the training, they will be deployed to 5 districts and cities of Cirebon to become facilitators in further preaching the importance of religious literacy.

Dialog
In a holistic paradigm, Purnomo (2001) emphasized that religious literacy will provide space for the creation of dialogue and cooperation between religious communities. In dialogue and cooperation between religious communities, every faithful person can honestly and openly offer truth, goodness, beauty, and peace to one another, not to recruit and influence each other; but to deepen the appreciation of his faith and religion for the sake of prosperity and true brotherhood.
Shifting communication patterns from monologue to dialogue is one solution to reduce misunderstanding between religious communities and society. Through dialogue, we will get an understanding that conflicts often occur not because of the existence of their religion, but rather because of the politicization of religion and the economy. In this context, religious leaders must explain the actual events by showing evidence that the conflict is not religious. Besides books and modules, there were also videos of tolerance, gravity, screen printing, and games about tolerance.

3) Reviewing Curriculum and the Process of Learning
The best way to carry out the de-radicalization of Especially if what is obtained is only at the level of knowledge of worship and not an experience of worship.
When the terrorist movement carries offensive jihad in understanding it, for example through suicide bombing, terror with violence, and so on, then surely it must be taught about the meaning of jihad adequately.
A moderate understanding of jihad is to work hard to achieve an excellent goal especially for the benefit of the people so that jihad should not be removed from the teachings because the connotations are misinterpreted.
However, there must be adequate efforts to provide adequate explanations as well. Of course, there must also be a teacher or lecturer who can explain the meaning of jihad which gives benefits for the universe, rahmatan lil 'alamien. Therefore, educators also need to be professionally selected so that they do not teach Islam or any religion by the radical conception. If that is the case, then, on the contrary, educators may even become agents for the development of religious radicalism.
Apart from the content of the material, the learning process also must get serious attention. Through practical learning in the classroom, tolerant attitudes are not only cognitively absorbed by students, but can be felt affective, and finally psychomotor can be implemented.
Another part of practical education is the delivery method for ongoing education. There are several learning methods such as discussion, role-playing, tutorials, and class visits or field trips related to local cultural studies. Through live-in activities, their views change.
At least, they realize that Muslims can also be used as friends to share. Even though when they live in, they have to encounter a variety of strange atmosphere, it is not a significant problem for them compared to the spirit of brotherhood that they will develop in the future. The other main point is the emergence of an awareness of how to respect the traditions of other religions as the owners of traditions respect them.

5) Establishing Institutional Networking
Among the roles that are also effective in the framework of accelerating the dissemination of a culture of peace among the people of Cirebon is by establishing cooperation, consolidation, and building networks between institutions both internal and external (Rais, 2014). Internal networking is done by building networks between interfaith institutions.
This activity is held in Cirebon for 3 (three) months.
Whereas external networking is done by building consolidation with the police related to their duties and functions that are required to carry out security and may not be tendentious, human rights, and various issues of radicalism. Consolidation with various parties is important to do. When the empowerment programs are carried out partially and not integrated, they will be difficult to materialize, even if they are successful, they will be a long process.
In this context, Cirebon women ulama has