Prof. KH Ma'ruf Amin is an extraordinary figure behind the growth of Islamic Economics in the past 5 years. His journey did not only focus on Islamic institutions, but also spread Islamic values through the political world, starting to carry out the mandate at the legislative level to be able to become the number two figure in Indonesia since 2019. Currently, he is actively voicing Islamic Economics in Indonesia through educational agendas, socialization, and even becoming an Advisory Board in several organizations.
He has been active in the world of da'wah since he was young, starting from being a member of the DKI Jakarta Coordination of Indonesian Da'wah (KODI) until finally in the 90s he also began to persist in fighting for the idea of Islamic economics through Islamic financial institutions. One of the ideas that was born was the socialization of Bank Indonesia officials until the issuance of Law No. 7 of 1992 concerning Banking which discussed the profit-sharing system until it continued to be guarded and changed through Law No.1 of 1998 which explicitly stated the term bank system based on sharia principles.
As a result of the passing of the law, the Indonesian Ulema Council recommended to immediately establish sharia-based financial institutions which were immediately welcomed by sharia economic activists through massive socialization of the sharia financial system and the establishment of sharia economic activist institutions such as the National Sharia Council of the Indonesian Ulema Council (DSN-MUI), the Indonesian Islamic Economists Association (IAEI), the Sharia Economic Society (MES) and others.
As a scholar who is an expert in the field of fiqh, he also has extraordinary understanding and thoughts in the field of economics. Some of his ideas were conveyed in his inaugural scientific speech as Professor of Sharia Muamalat Economics at Maulana Malik Ibrahim State Islamic University Malang.
Fatwa as the Key to Accelerating the Expansion of Sharia-based Economy
The issuance of Law No. 1 of 1998 encouraged the birth of five Islamic banks from previously during 1990-1998 Indonesia only had one Islamic bank. Then Fatwa Law Number 19 of 2008 concerning State Sharia Securities (SBSN) and Law 21 of 2008 concerning Islamic Banking made Indonesia continue to produce new Islamic financial institutions so as to create many choices for the community as well as a competitive and innovative Islamic financial ecosystem.
Economic Approach with Bottom Up Method
The heart of the economy lies with the ummah or community, not with conglomerates. If implemented, Indonesia is able to create markets and players in the Islamic economy by prioritizing the benefits of the people. This alignment with the lower middle class will have a major impact on the Indonesian economy and improve welfare. On the other hand, Indonesia also has an extraordinary Muslim population that can expand the potential for the development of Islamic Economics in Indonesia.
"The Ma'ruf Amin Way"
The results of his thoughts on economics were poured into a work by Sahala Panggabean through a book entitled The Ma'ruf Amin Way: Here Comes Indonesia, Asia's New Tiger Economy which has been printed in Indonesian and English contains the basis of sharp economic analysis empirically but written in popular language. Islamic Economic Thought by KH. Ma'ruf Amin rests on three principles namely justice, mumatan and sovereignty. Through this principle, he considers that it can bring prosperity to society. The concept of justice is based on religious values, social justice, and a moral economy with a humanitarian spirit.
The national economy is also based on the spirit of populism (economic democracy) that leads to the people. He argues that the principles of populist or ummah economy must be based on partnership, solidarity, and deliberation. Finally, the principle of an independent sovereign economy must be covered by the spirit of economic nationalism by upholding the principle of independence and empowering the weak.
The birth of Islamic financial institutions is one of the efforts fought for by previous Sharia Economics activists, one of whom is K.H Ma'ruf Amin. It is fitting that we continue to perpetuate the spirit of this struggle through participation in advancing Sharia Economics in Indonesia.
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