Dynamics of Mosque Authority as a Religious-Social Space in East Java

Abstract

Mosques as religious spaces function not only as sites of worship but also as social arenas shaped by power relations and governance structures. In the context of waqf, ambiguous legal status and weak management mechanisms frequently generate contests of authority among stakeholders. This article aims to analyze how overlapping claims of authority in the management of waqf mosques produce social conflict and how mediation mechanisms respond to such tensions. This study employs a qualitative approach using a case study of waqf mosque governance in urban Indonesia. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observation, and document analysis, and were examined using a thematic-inductive strategy. Georg Simmel’s social conflict theory is used to interpret the intensity and functions of conflict, enriched by Max Weber’s perspective on authority to understand the interplay between traditional, communal, and legal-rational forms of authority. The findings indicate that conflicts in mosque governance are not merely driven by differences in religious practices but by the absence of integration among competing regimes of authority within waqf governance. Mediation efforts undertaken by state actors and local leaders tend to be effective in reducing short-term tensions but have yet to address the structural roots of the problem. This study underscores the importance of transparent, participatory, and legally grounded governance of waqf mosques to sustain the mosque as an inclusive religious space.