Female Sufi guides and the Murshida fatwa in Indonesian Sufism: Murshidas in a Sufi order in Lombok

Abstract This article contributes to the wider historicity of female Sufi spiritual guides by engaging Indonesian examples about which very little have been written. While women can and do hold different levels rank leadership in orders (tariqah), usually among all-female congregations, this examines a rare example woman public position overseeing an entire tariqah network inclusive male disciples. Across world, it is not common publicly find official positions as based on predominant normative, but fractious, understanding that males are authentic with authority initiate Keeping understanding, national body governs correctness has since 1959 maintained fatwa bans from holding head highest known title Murshida, counterpart Murshid. We explore conflation Murshid leader subsequently problematize terms gender when Murshida separated analytically Arguments suggest practice roles Indonesia diverse culturally situated thus take understandings across socio-political contexts. Further this, two major aims: one historicize place broader context through anthropological examination contextual meanings carries opposed strict fiqh (which masculinized order’s legitimate guide); other aim document ethnographically contestation within order, Hizib Nahdlatul Wathan, island Lombok eastern had its formal guide 2005 2019 who continues together claims inherited sainthood.