Legitimating Islam as “rahmatan lil’ al’amiin”: Agency and Habitus in the Production of Recent Indonesian Islamic Novel Assalamualaikum Beijing

Abstract

This article examines the core Islamic values as a part of the Islamic discourse of the novel Assalamualaikum Beijing production. The theoretical agency and habitus of Pierre Bourdieu suggest that if the novel promoted the core values of Islam for harmonizing the sensitive issues in Indonesia, then the agency interpretive schemes as spaces of creativity in producing the novel should also be understood. Using the slogan “Islam rahmatan lil’ al’amin“ is a mercy for the whole life in-universe. The article argued that such narratives form a crucial part of legitimate Islamic rule in the present day. Specifically in Indonesia, the novel emphasizes the Islamic role in providing moral authority and guidance for the general public, specifically on women's existence and gender relations, modern human lifestyles, and the relation of Islam and China.