DINAMIKA ISLAM DI LAOS

Abstrak

Islam di Laos berkembang sebagai agama minoritas di tengah dominasi masyarakat Buddha Theravada dan sistem pemerintahan sosialis. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji sejarah masuknya Islam ke Laos, corak mazhab umat Islam, hukum perkawinan bagi Muslim Laos, serta dinamika kehidupan komunitas Muslim di negara tersebut. Metode yang digunakan adalah studi kepustakaan (library research) dengan mengkaji berbagai sumber ilmiah yang relevan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Islam masuk ke Laos melalui jalur perdagangan, migrasi Muslim Cham, serta kedatangan pedagang Muslim dari India dan Pakistan. Mayoritas umat Islam di Laos menganut mazhab Syafi'i dan paham Ahlussunnah wal Jamaah. Dalam bidang perkawinan, umat Islam tetap melaksanakan akad nikah sesuai syariat Islam, namun wajib mencatatkannya kepada pemerintah sesuai hukum nasional. Meskipun menghadapi berbagai keterbatasan sebagai kelompok minoritas, komunitas Muslim Laos mampu mempertahankan identitas keagamaannya melalui pendidikan keluarga, aktivitas masjid, kegiatan ekonomi, serta hubungan sosial yang harmonis dengan masyarakat sekitar. Kondisi tersebut menunjukkan kemampuan adaptasi umat Islam dalam mempertahankan eksistensinya di tengah lingkungan sosial dan politik yang berbeda.

Islam in Laos has developed as a minority religion within a society dominated by Theravada Buddhism and a socialist political system. This study aims to examine the history of Islam in Laos, the religious schools followed by Muslims, Islamic marriage practices, and the dynamics of Muslim life in the country. The research employs a library research method by reviewing various relevant scholarly sources. The findings indicate that Islam entered Laos through trade networks, Cham Muslim migration, and the arrival of Muslim merchants from India and Pakistan. Most Muslims in Laos adhere to the Shafi'i school of Islamic jurisprudence and the Ahlussunnah wal Jamaah tradition. In terms of marriage, Muslims continue to perform Islamic marriage contracts in accordance with Islamic law while also registering their marriages with the state in compliance with national regulations. Despite facing various limitations as a minority community, Muslims in Laos have successfully maintained their religious identity through family-based religious education, mosque activities, economic engagement, and harmonious social relations with the broader society. These conditions demonstrate the adaptability of Muslims in preserving their religious existence within a distinct social and political environment.