Rebo Wekasan in Contemporary Islamic Law: Negotiating Textual Evidence and Local Religious Expression through the Perspective of Ḥadīth al-Aḥkām

Abstract

Rebo Wekasan tradition in Indonesia remains a persistent socio-religious practice. This tradition is practiced by the general public and Pondok Pesantren across rural and urban areas, including Pondok Pesantren Al-Hikmah in Bandar Lampung, located in a diverse urban community. Despite the continued practice, the Rebo Wekasan tradition has received different responses from society. The concept is an act of bid’ah, inconsistent with Islamic teachings, and should be preserved as part of local wisdom. Therefore, this study aims to examine how local religious authorities negotiate the interpretation of Hadīth ahkam related to the Rebo Wekasan tradition. Interviews are conducted with religious leaders, observation, and documentation, supported by the analyses of Hadīth ahkam using the approaches of takhrij, sharh Hadīth, fiqhul Hadīth, and socio-cultural analysis. The results show that the Rebo Wekasan tradition at Pondok Pesantren Al-Hikmah Bandar Lampung consists of voluntary prayers, the recitation of Sūrah Yasin, dhikr, prayers for protection from misfortune, and charitable communal meals. This practice represents the negotiation of the understanding and interpretation of general Hadīth ahkam through the authority of local religious leaders. Kiai at Pondok Pesantren continue to observe Rebo Wekasan tradition despite the absence of any specific textual evidence prescribing the practice. Local religious authorities play an important role in sustaining socio-religious practices as a method of da‘wah and in strengthening silaturrahim in the community and among Pondok Pesantren. This study contributes to academic discussions on the interpretation of Hadīth ahkam by negotiating between textual meaning and religious authority through a socio-cultural approach.