Teologi Pembebasan Asghar Aili Engineer Dan Relevansinya Dengan Politik Indonesia Kontemporer

Abstract

Purpose – This paper attempts to examine the concept of liberation theology formulated by an Indian thinker Asghar Ali Engineer and its relevance to Indonesia contemporary political issues.

Design/methods/approach – This study is categorized as qualitative-descriptive research using a literature-based approach. The primary data analyzed in this research are Asghar Ali Engineer’s works.

Findings – The study finds that the Islamic liberation theology proposed by Engineer is rooted in the belief that Islam is essentially a religion liberating humanity from all forms of oppression, both spiritual and social. For Engineer, the divine revelation in the Qur’an is not merely a normative text but also a historical document having to be interpreted within the context of the struggle against tyranny and injustice. Engineer emphasizes that Islamic values such as justice (adl), equality (musawah), and compassion (rahmah) must be a foundation for the formation of a society free from structural oppression. The main characteristic of an Islamic society, according to Engineer, is the absence of oppression and injustice. In elaborating his liberation theology, Engineer also incorporates aspects of Marxism, particularly its spirit of emancipation, while at the same time criticizing its rejection of religion or spiritual elements. Engineer’s concept of liberation theology can be utilized as an approach or perspective to analyze political and economic issues in Indonesia, including agrarian conflicts and the exploitation of natural resources by extractive industries, which result in various forms of inequality and destruction in social life.