Pan-Islamism and Islamic Nationalism: Sarekat Islam’s Ideology in the Indonesian Independence Movement (1911–1927)

Abstract

The rise of Indonesian nationalism in the early twentieth century cannot be separated from the contribution of Sarekat Islam (SI), the largest Islamic political movement in colonial Indonesia. While previous studies have examined SI from political, organizational, and anti-colonial perspectives, limited attention has been given to the role of Pan-Islamism in shaping its ideological foundations. This study analyzes the reception of Pan-Islamism within SI and its contribution to the emergence of Islamic nationalism between 1911 and 1927. Using a qualitative historical approach based on archival documents, periodicals, and relevant scholarly literature, the study finds that SI adopted Pan-Islamism as a source of moral and political legitimacy in resisting colonial rule. Pan-Islamic ideas encouraged SI to develop strategies of mass mobilization, political education, economic empowerment, and organizational consolidation. Despite internal ideological tensions, SI maintained a nationalist orientation rooted in Islamic values. This article argues that Pan-Islamism functioned not merely as a transnational religious discourse but as an ideological framework that transformed Islamic solidarity into anti-colonial nationalism in colonial Indonesia. The study concludes that SI played a pivotal role in the formation of Islamic nationalism and the broader struggle for Indonesian independence.