ABSTRACT
In Indonesia, a number of NGOs are working to face environmental challenges, and many of them have Islamic backgrounds. Some NGOs have broad, nationwide networks, while others are community-based. In Indonesia, there are two huge Islamic associations, Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama (NU). Both of them are reported to have millions of members and supporters; for example, Muhammadiyah is reported to have about thirty million members and NU about fourty million. Emil Salim became the first National Minister of the Environment at that time and served until 1993. He is a famous Indonesian Muslim intellectual and one of the founders of Ikatan Cendekiawan Muslim Indonesia, The Association of Indonesian Muslim Intellectuals (ICMI), established in 1990. Muslims in Indonesia are trying to interpret Islamic ideas to motivate and justify their activities for environmental improvement through pengajian or the Qur'an study group and by cooperation with kiyai/ulama in a nearby pesantren, or with Islamic NGOs such as NU and Muhammadiyah.
