The Role of Indonesian Religious Institutions in Empowering Society During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Human Security Perspective

The COVID-19 pandemic is a disaster that triggered serious economic downturn, social unrest, and many human security threats in all countries across the world, including Indonesia. The Indonesian government has imposed many regulations, from soft to hard measures. However, the number of COVID-19 victims and death rate is high. Moreover, many people do not comply with government regulations. Therefore, the government collaborates with religious institutions, including Islamic institutions, to convince people about the danger of COVID-19 and the necessity of complying with government regulations. Using the lens of human security, this chapter aims to examine the role of Islamic institutions in handling the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. It is found that the roles of Islamic institutions are essential to protect and empower the people. Its roles can be categorised as (1) socialisation and education, (2) donation, (3) regulations, and (4) community assistance. Learning from Indonesia’s experience, we conclude that promoting human security, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, needs a comprehensive collaboration between the government, civil societies, and the people.