Being Muslim in a Secular World: Indonesian Families in Washington DC Area

Asna Husin

Abstract


Indonesian Muslims in Washington DC and the surrounding states of Maryland and Virginia are an important Indonesian community in the United States. They are one of a few Indonesian American communities with a Muslim majority. We survey its birth and assess the early Indonesian and Indonesian Muslim presence in America and their arrival routes. We then examine the lack of Indonesian interest to immigrate to this continent until very recently. Our study draws upon scholarly research on Indonesian-Dutch connections and the early Indonesian experience in the United States. Data about the Indonesian Muslim Association in America (IMAAM) mosque are derived from interviews with over two hundred leaders and members of the community (jamā‘ah). This includes in-depth interviews with forty-six selected individuals, and observation of the masjid activities over a year (April 2017 – June 2018) forms an integral part of this explorative research.


Keywords


Indonesian American Muslims; IMAAM Mosque; Indonesian Muslim Migration to America

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Interviews

Abdul Nur Adnan, Oxon Hill, Maryland, November 9th, 2017; December 21st, 2017.

Akhmad Helmi, Washington D.C., January 16th, 2018.

Albert Ticoalu, April 22nd, 2018.

Amang Sukasih, November 14th & 17th, 2017.

Burhanuddin Abdullah, May 2nd, 2018.

Daltur Rendakasiang, April 23rd, 2018.

Douglas Crow “Karim,” Washington DC, January 19th, 2018.

Dutamardin Umar, Oxon Hill, Maryland, November 9th, 2017; January 15th, 2018.

Fahmi Zubir, January 15th & 16th, 2018.

Faisal Mangoenkoesoemo, Washington D.C., January 16th, 2018.

Faizal Marzuki, Oxon Hill, Maryland, November 9th, 2017.

Firdaus Kadir, Silver Spring, Maryland, November 11th & 18th, 2017; March 23rd, 2018.

Fulla al-Bahri, May 7th, 2017.

Harry H. Napitupulu, April 23rd, 2018.

Isweni I. Bakri, May 17th, 2018.

Nurlisma Istiadi, January 15th, 2018.

Purnama Wati, January 11th, 2018.

Ranti Aryani, Kensington, Maryland, February 18th, 2018.

Siti Chassah, May 2nd, 2018.

Vivi Darmansyah, Silver Spring, Maryland, December 3rd, 2017.

Yusri Otty Harun, April 29th, 2018.

Interviews: Requested to Remain Nameless

Assistant Teachers, Silver Spring, Maryland, December 10th, 2018.

Teachers, November through December 2017.

Youths, Silver Spring, Maryland, December 3rd & 10th, 2017; Six email responses, January, 2018.

Students, Silver Spring, Maryland November 12th & 19th, 2017.

Un-Mosqued Indonesian Muslims: 10 men and women, (phone) January through March, 2018; 4 men and women, Chantilly, Virginia, February 18th, 2018; 3 men, Washington D.C., March 3rd & 4th, 2018; 2 women, Frederick, Maryland, February 25th, 2018.

Parents, Silver Spring, Maryland, November 12th & 19th, 2017.

Id Worshippers, Gaithersburg, Maryland, June 24th, 2017.

Ramadan Volunteers, Silver Spring, Maryland, 2017 & 2018.

W0shippers, Silver Spring, Maryland, April 2017 – June 2018.

Observations

Akhmad Helmi’s Sufi Gathering, Silver Spring, Maryland, January 20th, 2018.

IMAAM activities, Silver Spring, Maryland, April 2017 – June 2018.

Madrasah, Silver Spring, Maryland, November & December, 2017.

Ranti Aryani’s Sufi Class, Kensington, Maryland, February 18th, 2018; Studium Generale Islam 101, Gaithersburg, Maryland, March 18th, 2018.

Siti Chassah’s Pengajian, Silver Spring, Maryland, May 5th, 2018.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.15408/sdi.v26i2.8412 Abstract - 0 PDF - 0

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