Muslim Hardcore: Defining Resistance Identity Politics and the Reimagining of Punk

Abstract

The existence of a fairly large punk subculture and the position of Islam as the majority religion in Indonesia often give rise to a binary view that opposes the two. However, in the midst of this dichotomy, a group has emerged that identifies itself as Muslim Punk. This study does not focus on the Muslim Punk community in general, but rather examines the practice of identity politics carried out by The Fortys Accident, a hardcore punk band from Surabaya, through the media of music, lyrics, and pamphlets that they produce. Using Norman Fairclough's critical discourse analysis approach and qualitative descriptive methods, this study examines how these texts reflect efforts to re-articulate Islamic identity in the punk space that has been dominated by secular and anti-religious discourses. The results of the analysis show that The Fortys Accident practices counter-hegemony through the resemantization of punk as a space for spiritual and social expression, as well as building alternative discourses that are more down-to-earth, reflective, and humane. They not only reject the dominant view that separates religion and punk, but also show how Muslim identity can be constructed culturally without losing its spiritual dimension or social criticism.