Faith-Based Humanitarian Diplomacy for Palestine: A Siyāsah Khārijiyyah Perspective
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18326/ijtihad.v26i1.67-92Keywords:
humanitarian diplomacy, Indonesian civil society, Indonesia's foreign policy for Palestine, siyāsah khārijiyyahAbstract
This research examines how Indonesian civil society organizations—Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah, together with the non-governmental organization Komite Nasional Rakyat Palestina (KNRP; National Committee for Palestinian People)—engage in humanitarian diplomacy in support of the Palestinian people’s struggle. Using an empirical qualitative approach based on interviews and document analysis, it examines these organizations’ roles in fundraising and the distribution of officially licensed public funds. The results show similarities in fundraising orientation and strategy, but differences in aid-distribution approaches shaped by networks, access, and licensing. Ideological factors play an important role in building public trust in humanitarian fund management. From the perspective of siyāsah khārijiyyah, the humanitarian activities undertaken by these organizations represent a form of people-centered diplomacy that complements Indonesia’s official foreign policy toward Palestine. Their initiatives embody Islamic legal and ethical principles, including justice (al-’adl), mutual assistance (ta’āwun), human dignity (karāmah al-insān), and the protection of human life (hifz al-nafs). More broadly, faith-based humanitarian diplomacy functions not only as a mechanism for delivering humanitarian assistance but also as an expression of Islamic engagement in foreign affairs, grounded in moral responsibility and global solidarity. Accordingly, this research contributes theoretically to the study of humanitarian diplomacy, Islamic civil society, and siyāsah khārijiyyah, demonstrating how religious values are translated into transnational humanitarian action for Palestine.
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