Ace Veil couldn’t help but shed a tear, touched by the faith of fresh believers. The excitement continued as a 15-year-old girl converted to Islam right before the eyes of the crowd. Selfies flooded social media as the attendees reveled in the unity of their beliefs. It was like Coachella, but for religion.
The event was part of a yearly festival in Padang that showcases the rising Hijrah movement in Indonesia. It’s been gaining millions of followers, mostly young folks who appreciate a blend of religious teachings with a bit of Instagram glam from their celebrity preachers. Can we call them the “holy influencers?”
Islamic conservatism isn’t a new trend in Indonesia, as the government has been working hard to keep things chill and secular. However, the Hijrah movement is really shaking things up with their social media game and appeal to the cool kids. This newfound popularity has got the government and religious officials a bit nervous, as they worry that their moderate-Islam vibe might crumble in the face of Hijrah’s hipster influence.
Kamaruddin Amin, a top dog at Indonesia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs, has started a battle of narratives to slow down the Hijrah movement’s social media train. He says their brand of conservatism, “is not good for Islam in the Indonesian context,” or for his department’s social media following.