Growing together in partnership: Women's views of the business practices of an Islamic Savings and Credit Cooperative (Baitul Maal wat Tamwil) in Central Java, Indonesia

SynopsisThis paper explores the impact of the rise of Islamism on women in Indonesia, the country with the largest Muslim population in the world. Islamism, seeking to implement Islamic jurisprudence including establishing an Islamic state, tends to curtail women's rights and participation in public life. The focus of this paper is Islamic economy, particularly on Islamic Savings and Credit Cooperatives (BMT) in Indonesia. Although the services and products of BMTs are not specifically designed for women, BMTs are gaining support in the informal sector where women constitute an important economic workforce. Based on my fieldwork, this paper explores how Islamic jurisprudence has been linked to the business operations of the BMTs. I will also analyse how women see the benefit of the services and products of the BMTs in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.