The Role of Islamic Philosophy in the Formation of a Nation’s Cultural Identity
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54150/alirsyad.v4i1.291Keywords:
Islamic Philosophy, Culture, NationAbstract
Philosophy plays a crucial role in shaping a nation's cultural identity by understanding cultural roots, worldview, morality, and cultural concepts in response to the continuously evolving challenges of globalization. This study aims to analyze the role of Islamic philosophy in shaping cultural identity through ethical, moral, and spiritual values that influence social and cultural life. This research employs a literature review method to examine relevant scholarly works, assess current knowledge, and identify research gaps as a foundation for further study. The results indicate that Islamic philosophy plays a crucial role in shaping Indonesia’s cultural identity by integrating Islamic values with local culture, as well as education and political policies that support moderation and inclusivity. This approach strengthens social harmony within a pluralistic society. Islamic philosophy not only enriches the intellectual tradition but also serves as a foundation for fostering tolerance and understanding among different groups. These findings emphasize the importance of combining cultural and religious aspects in developing policies and education that can inclusively and sustainably strengthen the national cultural identity. Conclusion: Philosophy shapes a nation's cultural identity through values and critical reflection, although literature-based studies remain limited.
References
Aji, A. M., & Yunus, N. R. (2019). Identity politics in cultural and structural Islam in Indonesia. Ahkam: Jurnal Ilmu Syariah, 19(1), 127–140. https://doi.org/10.15408/ajis.v19i1.10860
Akrami, M. (2020). Logic in Islam and Islamic Logic. In Sophia Studies in Cross-cultural Philosophy of Traditions and Cultures (Vol. 34, pp. 277–300). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-43535-6_15
Aydeniz, H. (2021). The possibility of knowing Allah and the limits of speaking about Him in Mulla Sadra [Molla Sadrâ’da Allah’? bilmenin imkân? ve O’nun hakk?nda konu?man?n s?n?rlar?]. Hitit Theology Journal, 20(1), 353–382. https://doi.org/10.14395/hid.860341
Badrun, S., Sujadi, I., Warsah, I., Muttaqin, I., & Morganna, R. (2023). Pancasila, Islam, and harmonising socio-cultural conflict in Indonesia. Al-Jami'ah, 61(1), 137–156. https://doi.org/10.14421/AJIS.2023.611.137-156
Bijumes, L., Sugiarto, A., Dwiatmaja, C., & Suhari, L. (2024). Integrating the Padan Liu’ Burung wisdom into organizational culture: A qualitative study in an Indonesian government institution. Journal of Logistics, Informatics and Service Science, 11(6), 141–166. https://doi.org/10.33168/JLISS.2024.0609
Chen, N. C., Rao, Y., & Li, A. (2021). Understanding generational differences in multiple place identities and the visitor economy: The case of migrants’ descendants in China. In Managing events, festivals and the visitor economy: Concepts, collaborations and cases (pp. 88–94). CABI International. https://doi.org/10.1079/9781789242843.0007
Danakari, R. A. (2019). Patriotism and friendship of peoples as the basic determinants of the Russian civilization. Vestnik Volgogradskogo Gosudarstvennogo Universiteta, Seriia 4: Istoriia, Regionovedenie, Mezhdunarodnye Otnosheniia, 24(5), 193–204. https://doi.org/10.15688/jvolsu4.2019.5.14
Dewantara, J. A., Sulistyarini, S., Prasetiyo, W. H., Efriani, E., Riyanti, D., & others. (2023). School teachers, national identity and an Indonesian-Malaysian border community: A case study in Entikong. Issues in Educational Research, 33(2), 510–528.
Elsherif, A. (2015). Occidentalism and cultural identity: The interrupted dialogue of Islam and liberalism. Interventions, 17(5), 621–639. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369801X.2014.984616
Ergashev, I., & Farxodjonova, N. (2020). Integration of national culture in the process of globalization. Journal of Critical Reviews, 7(2), 477–479. https://doi.org/10.31838/jcr.07.02.90
Goma, E. I., Rijanta, R., & Putri, R. F. (2024). The impact of migration on linguistic and cultural identity: A case study of the Balik tribe. Training, Language and Culture, 8(2), 66–75. https://doi.org/10.22363/2521-442X-2024-8-2-66-75
Hakim, L., Hadi, R. T., & Ahmad. (2025). Minangkabau Leadership Philosophy: Synthesizing Religion, Adat, and Intellectuals in the History of Islamic Political Thought. Miqot: Jurnal Ilmu-ilmu Keislaman, 49(1), 117–140. https://doi.org/10.30821/miqot.v49i1.1357
Hall, S. (2021). Cultural identity and diaspora. In Contemporary postcolonial theory: A reader (pp. 110–121). Taylor and Francis. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003135593-8
Harmi, H., Ramdhani, M. I., Amalia, S., Apriani, E., Syafryadin, S., Supardan, D., & Zarin, I. (2022). How great is the level of youth cultural sensitivity? A multicultural education from one ethnic in Indonesia. Education Research International, 2022, Article 7983961. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/7983961
Ilma, A., & Rohmah, Z. (2024). Balancing faith and identity: Language policies and practices in Indonesian Muslim families. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development. https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2024.2396996
Kato, H. (2018). Religion and locality: The case of the Islam Nusantara movement in Indonesia. Fieldwork in Religion, 13(2), 151–168. https://doi.org/10.1558/irn.37050
Kumoratih, D., Anindita, G., Ariesta, I., & Tholkhah, E. (2021). The role of visual communication design to increase public literacy on the history of Spice Route in supporting Indonesia’s proposal toward UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 729(1), 012107. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/729/1/012107
Kuropjatnik, A. I., & Yang, M. (2017). Discourses of collaboration between the Republic of Korea and Russia in the post-Soviet era: A cultural outlook. Pacific Focus, 32(3), 445–471. https://doi.org/10.1111/pafo.12105
Lazányi, K., Holicza, P., & Baimakova, K. (2017). Different cultures different people. In Exploring the influence of personal values and cultures in the workplace (pp. 183–200). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-2480-9.ch010
Leaman, O. (2015). The biographical encyclopedia of Islamic philosophy. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
Long, N. J. (2017). On the Islamic authority of the Indonesian state: Responsibility, suspicion, and acts of compliance. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, 23(4), 709–726. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9655.12698
Meerasahibu, D. M. M. (2019). Islamic philosophical tradition: What can be contributed to the present and future of human civilization? Afkar, 21(1), 199–250. https://doi.org/10.22452/afkar.vol21no1.7
Meng, Q. (2021). Visualization design of cross-cultural identity information. In V. Sugumaran, Z. Xu, & H. Zhou (Eds.), Advances in intelligent systems and computing (Vol. 1384, pp. 651–658). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74811-1_93
Minsih, Mujahid, I., Mukminin, A., & Helzi. (2025). The integration of culture literacy in strengthening the profile of Pancasila students in science learning for elementary schools. Jurnal Ilmiah Ilmu Terapan Universitas Jambi, 9(2), 609–618. https://doi.org/10.22437/jiituj.v9i2.41764
Mohamed, N., Ghani, M. H., Sulaiman, R., & Noor, M. M. (2024). The construction of ethos in Muslim communities: An anthropological and sociological perspective. Global Journal Al-Thaqafah, December 2024(Special Issue), 279–289. https://doi.org/10.7187/GJATSI122024-18
Mohammadyani, D., & Majid, S. A. (2015). The influence of Qur'anic teaching on famous Muslim philosophers. Religious Studies and Theology, 34(1), 5–18. https://doi.org/10.1558/rsth.v34i1.24545
Mohsen Sallam, A. S., Syed Abdul Rahman, S. M. H., Harun, M. S., & Samudin, S. A. (2024). Reassessing Women’s Humanity: A Comparative Study of Islamic Teachings and Societal Perceptions. Afkar, 26(2), 337–374. https://doi.org/10.22452/afkar.vol26no2.10
Munandar, A., & Syaipudin. (2022). Reconstructing the meaning of social justice in a multicultural society in Indonesia. International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social and Community Studies, 17(1), 215–223. https://doi.org/10.18848/2324-7576/CGP/v17i01/215-223
Omar, S. M., Chowdhury, A. J. K., & Hashi, A. A. (2016). Islamic Ethics of Waste Management Towards Sustainable Environmental Health. International Medical Journal Malaysia, 17(Special Issue 1), 193–197.
Pierce, D. E., Holt Mehta, H., & Ferguson, J. R. (2022). Local pottery, hybrid identities: Exploring the Zapo-Teotihuacáno community at El Tesoro, Hidalgo through ceramic compositional analysis. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 45, 103598. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103598
Pujiati, P., Lundeto, A., & Trianto, I. (2025). Representing Arab-Indonesian identity: Language and cultural narratives on social media. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 14(3), 653–666. https://doi.org/10.17509/ijal.v14i3.78286
Rahman, Y., Walid, K. A., & Humaidi. (2022). Critical thinking and religious moderation: Instilling religiously moderate values through the teaching of Islamic philosophy in Indonesia. Journal of Indonesian Islam, 16(1), 49–74. https://doi.org/10.15642/JIIS.2022.16.1.49-74
Rahmawati, Y., Ridwan, A., Cahyana, U., & Wuryaningsih, T. (2020). The integration of ethnopedagogy in science learning to improve student engagement and cultural awareness. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 8(2), 662–671. https://doi.org/10.13189/ujer.2020.080239
Rejman, K., & Rejman, B. (2024). The nation as an ideological and cultural community: Reflections on identity and tradition in historical perspective. Historia Ecclesiastica, 15(2), 89–100.
Sakai, M. (2017). Still remembering the origins: The continuity of syncretic Islamic practice among the Gumay (Gumai) in South Sumatra, Indonesia. Indonesia and the Malay World, 45(131), 44–65. https://doi.org/10.1080/13639811.2017.1274561
Saruhan, M. S. (2022). Islamic philosophy as a civilization of evidence and clash of proofs. Hamdard Islamicus, 45(1), 61–79.
Schmid, H. (2015). Religion with or without culture: Muslim discourses of identity in Europe [Religion mit/ohne Kultur? Am Beispiel muslimischer Identitätsdiskurse in Europa]. Schweizerische Zeitschrift fur Religions- und Kulturgeschichte, 109, 367–375.
Simpson, A. (2023). Indonesia. In Language and national identity in Asia (pp. 312–336). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780199267484.003.0014
S?na, L. (2019). Cultural and media identity among Latvian migrants in Germany. In IMISCOE research series (pp. 183–201). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-12092-4_9
Suratno, U., & Faujura, R. P. (2024). Effectiveness of law enforcement of national and international instruments for the protection of traditional cultural expressions as intangible cultural heritage in Indonesia. Journal of Ecohumanism, 3(7), 3374–3385. https://doi.org/10.62754/joe.v3i7.4470
Tahara, T., Isra, A. B. A., & Tiro, S. (2023). Cultural resilience and syncretism: The Towani Tolotang community's journey in Indonesia's religious landscape. Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies, 10(4), 233–246. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejecs/1863
Tambovtsev, V. (2015). The myth of the “culture code” in economic research. Voprosy Ekonomiki, 2015(12), 85–106. https://doi.org/10.32609/0042-8736-2015-12-85-106
Taylor, R. C., & López-Farjeat, L. X. (Eds.). (2016). The Routledge companion to Islamic philosophy. Taylor and Francis Inc. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315708928
Tennet, J. (2021). Javanese tensions: Revitalizing the Javanese language amidst old and new symbolisms. Journal on Asian Linguistic Anthropology, 3(2), 32–60. https://doi.org/10.47298/jala.v3-i2-a3
Tusupbekov, Z. A., Baygabylov, N. O., Balshikeev, S. B., Orynbasarova, N. A., & Tusupbekov, A. A. (2020). Formation of national culture in the context of cross-border societies development. Rivista di Studi sulla Sostenibilità, 2020(1), 459–478. https://doi.org/10.3280/RISS2020-001027
Vedder, P., & Van Geel, M. (2017). Cultural identity development as a developmental resource. In N. J. Cabrera, B. Leyendecker, & H. S. Yoshikawa (Eds.), Handbook on positive development of minority children and youth (pp. 123–137). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43645-6_8
Wardhani, B. (2023). From Jakarta to Oceania: Indonesia’s cultural diplomacy with the South Pacific. Journal of Asian Security and International Affairs, 10(1), 47–64. https://doi.org/10.1177/23477970231152011
Widisuseno, I. (2020). Cultural trends in development of science and technology in Indonesia and the role of philosophy to overcome it (Pancasila in action). In E3S Web of Conferences, 202, 07059. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202020207059
Xu, C. (2020). Kulturelle Identität der zweiten Generation chinesischer Einwanderer in Europa: Eine Fallstudie von Studierenden in China. In Chinese immigrants in Europe: Image, identity and social participation (pp. 203–225). De Gruyter. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110616385-011
Zein, R. A. (2018). What’s the matter with being Indonesian? A social representation approach to unravelling Indonesian national identity. Revista de Psicologia Social, 33(2), 390–423. https://doi.org/10.1080/02134748.2018.1435219
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Yuanita Nurul Nisa, Apriliyana, Fatima Zahra Lotfi, Zainal, Dewi Apriana

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.








