Majalah Al-Hikmah Edisi ke 16

religious studies. However, the New Age Movements go beyond the New Religious Movements by including not only faith and belief issues but also education, economics, fashion, lifestyle, music, politics, and many more aspects of human life in their teachings and activities. To this day, these New Age Movements continue to expand, permeating human thought through books, seminars, and other mediums that promote themes of happiness, peace, and success in life through trans-religious spiritual practices. What concerns us as Muslims is the potential erosion of Islamic identity and understanding, little by little, under the guise of freedom, unity, openness, and inclusivity. Islam and the New Age and New Religious Movements Islam is the only religion accepted by Allah the Most High, and it is the religion of all His prophets and messengers. Islam is the religion of unity ( tawhid ) and forbids the concept of dualism, trinity, and polytheism in its theory and practice. A Muslim is not just the one who confesses the testimony of faith in the heart and mouth but also professes it through the whole body and soul. In Surah al-An’am 6, verse 153, Allah the Most Wise reminds us: “And, [moreover], this is My path, which is straight, so For these reasons, what could be seen today, these New Age Movements appear in the society in the garb of non-religious groups or non-spiritual associations. They present themselves to the public as motivators, advisors, counsellors, and professional instructors for life change courses, career development classes, entrepreneurship programs, family management training or social rehabilitation programs. Perhaps, practices of mixed rituals or blended teachings of spirituality are not an issue for the non-Muslims. Nonetheless, for Muslims, such practice could open the door to polytheism ( al - shirk bi Allah ) and nullification of the faith testimony ( shahadatayn ). Many researchers and academicians have studied and analyzed these new age and new religious movements. Among them: Paul Heelas through his The New Age Movement. The Celebration of the Self and the Sacralization of Modernity (1999); Michael York through his Historical Dictionary of New Age Movements (2004); and Hugh B. Urban through his New Age, Neopagan, and New Religious Movements: Alternative Spirituality in Contemporary America (2015). MA JA L AH A L - H I KMAH 49

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzMyMDE=