Why can’t Muslims in Indonesia say ‘Merry Christmas’ in public? Dual integralism and moral sovereignty

This article examines the recurring controversy over whether Muslims, who form the demographic majority in Indonesia, may say ‘Merry Christmas’, analyzing it as a symptom of dual integralism, the entangled authority of state and Islamic institutions in regulating moral conduct. Through a Foucauldian genealogical lens, the study traces how symbolic disputes are shaped by state integralism, rooted in the homogenizing logic of Pancasila, and Islamic integralism, which seeks to assert religious norms in public life. By analyzing key moments from the 1945 Jakarta Charter debates to the Majelis Ulama Indonesia (Indonesia Ulama Council) fatwas issued in 1981 and 2024, the article shows that moral authority in Indonesia is both contested and co-produced across state and religious institutions. The greeting controversy operates as a proxy for broader struggles over legitimacy and normative control. Within this dual structure, everyday symbolic acts become flashpoints through which Indonesia’s moral and civic boundaries are repeatedly negotiated.