ABSTRACT
This text attempts to understand the nature of the interactions between the Indonesian Council of ‘Ulamā (Majelis Ulama Indonesia, abbreviated as MUI), the government, and society in Indonesia during the period of 1989 to 1996. A postcriptum has been added to cover the period of 1996 to 2000. The point of departure for the analysis is a study by the same author covering the period from 1975, when the MUI was established, to 1988.1 With this purpose in view, first the findings of the previous study will be summarized, next a comparison will be made with more recent developments.
