<![CDATA[Studies of religious authority in Indonesia have largely focused on male ulama, while the systematic construction of female religious authority in rural settings remains underexplored. This article examines how Hj. Musyarofah, a female ulama in Cepu, Central Java, constructs her religious authority within the majelis taklim. Drawing on qualitative fieldwork, including in-depth interviews and observation at two majelis taklim under her guidance, Khoirul Ummah and JPIC, the study employs Ismail Fajrie Alatas’s tripartite framework of religious authority, labor, infrastructure, and politics. The findings reveal that Hj. Musyarofah’s authority is built cumulatively across these three dimensions. In terms of labor, her extensive educational background and da’wah experience form a trusted foundation for the community of Cepu. In terms of infrastructure, she deploys an accessible exegetical approach, combining concise (ijmāli) and thematic (maudhui) methods, with Tafsir Jalalayn and al-Ibriz as her primary sources. Politically, her authority is deeply embedded in family ties, kinship relations, and broader social networks that reinforce her legitimacy. The case illustrates how female religious authority is actively cultivated at the grassroots level through the interplay of personal credibility, exegetical practice, and social embeddedness.]]>
Copyrights © 2026
