Studi Fenomenologi terhadap Religious Identity Muslim Sunni-Asy’Ariyah pada Jamaah Al-Husam

Abstract

This research explores the dynamics of religious identity among Sunni-Asharites individuals of Jamaah al-Husam, West Sumatra. This study was motivated by tensions between Muslim theological groups that resulted in intellectual debates and even physical expulsion. Furthermore, there is a lack of social psychology and psychology of religion literature that discusses Muslims from a theological perspective. Using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach, this study employed semi structured interviews with three informants. Observation was also used to capture religious identity within a group context. The research data were analyzed through two main theoretical perspectives, social identity and meaning making. The idiographic analysis showed that the three informants traversed different paths of identity construction and legitimation: genealogical (sanad), individual-intellectual journey, and socio-historical accumulation, which culminated in the same social categorization. The group analysis identified six themes: inner tranquility, different basis of legitimacy within the same social categorization, tawasuth as a basic norm, behavioral-based perspective towards out-group threats, theological identity dissemination, and crisis as a path to full commitment. This research contributes to the literature on social psychology and psychology of religion through two proposed concepts, the diversity of knowledge pathways within religious identity and tawasuth as a regulatory norm. The findings are expected to enrich perspectives, especially in understanding the dynamics between Muslim groups.