Heritage of Nusantara: International Journal of Religious Literature and Heritage
Vol. 14 No. 2 (2025): HERITAGE OF NUSANTARA

Blessing (Barakah) as a Social Capital of the Haul Guru Sekumpul: Anthropological and Religious Perspectives

Rahmad Kurniawan (Universitas Islam Negeri Palangka Raya)
Ilfi Nur Diana (Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim)
Segaf (Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim)
M. Riza Hafizi (Northern University of Malaysia)



Article Info

Publish Date
23 Dec 2025

Abstract

This study examines the concept of Barakah within the Haul (annual commemoration) of Guru Sekumpul by addressing a key research gap: although Barakah is widely invoked in Islamic discourse, its operational meaning and socio-economic manifestations in contemporary Muslim communities remain underexplored. The research investigates how Barakah functions as spirituality-based social capital that shapes collective behavior and community welfare in Banjar society, South Kalimantan. Using textual data from fatwas, documents, and interviews, complemented by ethnographic observations, the study applies teleological interpretation and content analysis to identify how Barakah is articulated, practiced and socially reproduced during the Haul. The findings indicate, first, that Barakah is conceptualized not merely as divine favor but as an integrated moral framework linking livelihood, emotional composure and communal benefit. Second, Barakah operates as a catalyst for voluntary service, trust-building and large-scale mutual aid, thereby strengthening the community’s social capital. Third, the Haul further ‘institutionalizes’ Islamic economic values, particularly maslahah and falah, hrough routinized acts of charity and cooperation. These insights demonstrate that Barakah serves both spiritual and socio-economic functions, offering an empirical model of how religious rituals can reinforce ethical development practices.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

heritage

Publisher

Subject

Religion Arts Humanities Civil Engineering, Building, Construction & Architecture

Description

Heritage of Nusantara: International Journal of Religious Literature and Heritage, This journal focuses on religious studies (both contemporary and classical), particularly in the fields of Religious Literature, Cultures, and Heritage in Nusantara and Nusantara (Indonesia), and its relation to the ...