Title Arabic as Cultural Mediator in Bugis Islamic Identity Formation

Abstract

Background:  Arabic occupies a distinctive position in Bugis Muslim society in South Sulawesi, where Islam has integrated deeply with local cultural structures. Rather than functioning solely as a formal school subject or communicative tool, Arabic operates as the language of sacred scripture, worship, and social identity

Purpose: This study aims to analyze how Arabic language learning operates across formal, non-formal, and informal educational spaces, how it strengthens Islamic cultural identity, and how Arabic-Islamic values are negotiated with Bugis cultural traditions.

Methods: A qualitative case study design with an ethnographic orientation was employed. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and document analysis in South Sulawesi, involving Arabic teachers, Qur’anic instructors, religious leaders, learners, parents, and community members. Thematic analysis was applied to examine patterns across learning spaces, identity dimensions, and cultural negotiation.

Results:   The findings indicate that Indonesian courts’ application of wasiat wajibah to non-Muslim heirs aligns with Maqasid Shari'ah, particularly in preserving life (hifz al-nafs) and property (hifz al-mal). Judicial reasoning often relies on kinship considerations, legal adaptation through ijtihad, and social justice principles. However, the study identifies inconsistencies in how Maqasid Shari'ah is applied, with courts sometimes using it as a justification rather than an active tool for legal development.

Implication: The study emphasizes the necessity of developing culturally responsive Arabic language education that connects formal linguistic instruction with Islamic ethics and local Bugis heritage, transforming language pedagogy into culturally grounded identity education

Originality: Unlike previous research focusing strictly on institutional or pesantren identity, this study introduces a novel perspective conceptualizing Arabic learning as a cultural mediator bridging translocal Islamic universalism and local Bugis cultural identity.