15.7 Indonesia:
Sharia in a Democratic System

As of 2026, Indonesia’s population is estimated to be over 280 million, making it the 4th most populous country in the world.

It is also the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, with about 87% of the population identifying as Muslim (roughly 240+ million people). The overwhelming majority identify as Sunni Muslims.

Indonesia provides an example of a system where Islam plays an important role in society, but has a limited role in national law.

It is a democratic republic, which means leaders are elected and laws are created through a legislative process.

Although Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world, it is not an Islamic state; it is largely a secular democracy.

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Indonesia has a presidential system.

At the top of the system is the President, who is:

1. Directly elected by the public
2. Both head of state and head of government
3. Responsible for executive decisions and national policy

Indonesia also has an elected legislature, known as the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR), which includes:

1. The House of Representatives (DPR) → makes laws
2. The Regional Representative Council (DPD) → represents regional interests

This means political decisions are made through elected institutions, not religious authorities.

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Indonesia’s legal system is based on a national philosophy called Pancasila, which includes belief in one God but does not establish Islam as the official law of the country.

This framework is designed to represent multiple religions, not just Islam.

As a result, the legal system is largely secular at the national level, and so Indonesia does not apply Sharia as the primary source of law.

Most laws are based on a civil legal system influenced by European (especially Dutch) legal traditions.

However, Islam still plays a role in certain areas, particularly in family law (marriage, divorce, and inheritance for Muslims), and religious courts that handle Islamic legal matters.

This means that Sharia is only legally applied in specific areas of personal law, rather than across the entire legal system.

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One of the most important exceptions is the province of Aceh, which has a population of about 5.5 million people.

In 2001, the Indonesian government granted Aceh special autonomy as part of efforts to resolve a long-running conflict. This autonomy included the authority to implement Sharia more broadly.

Known as the “Verandah of Mecca,” Aceh has a deep-seated history of Islamic practice, with over 98% of its population identifying as Muslim, making it more culturally receptive to, and eager for, Sharia implementation.

In Aceh:

1. Sharia-based laws apply to criminal behavior as well as personal matters
2. Religious police enforce certain public behavior rules
3. Punishments may include public penalties for violations of Islamic law

This legal system typically applies to all individuals within the province, including non-residents, and includes areas such as public conduct, dress codes, and alcohol consumption.

While non-Muslims can sometimes choose between the national code and Sharia for certain offenses, in practice, they are often subject to the local Sharia ordinances.

As a result, Aceh is very different from the rest of Indonesia.

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Indonesia’s system can be understood as one where:

1. The national government is not based on Sharia.
2. Islam influences certain areas of personal law.
3. Some regions apply Sharia more strictly than others.

Rather than integrating religion into the structure of government (like Iran), or using it as the primary legal system (like Saudi Arabia), Indonesia allows religion to coexist within a broader national framework.

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Indonesia represents a different point on the spectrum:

Saudi Arabia → Sharia is the foundation of law

Iran → Sharia is built into the political system

Pakistan → Sharia influences and constrains the system

Indonesia → Sharia applies mainly to personal and regional law

Indonesia shows how a country can maintain a strong Islamic identity while still operating under a largely secular national legal system.

In section 15.8, we will examine Turkey, which represents a Muslim-majority country in which government is formally separate from Sharia.