Abstract
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>Inspired by Islamic reform movements in the Middle East, Muhammadiyah was established by Ahmad Dahlan (d. 1923) of Yogyakarta in 1912. Muhammadiyah, literally “the followers of Muhammad,” is focused on religious praxis, rather than theological debates, devoting itself to social services, particularly in education, healthcare, and philanthropy. Theologically, the movement is rooted in the Quranic statement (Surah al-Maʾun 107: 1–7) that indulging in religious rituals but neglecting good deeds, not helping the poor and marginalized people, and ignoring social problems, is meaningless. “al-Maʾun theology” ultimately shaped the character of Muhammadiyah and instills in its followers the importance of translating and transforming religion into social activities. Today, it is the largest reformist and modernist movement in Indonesia with more than 20 million followers and sympathizers. Muhammadiyah has established and operated more than 20,000 schools (K–12 and vocational) and 164 universities or other higher-education institutions. Muhammadiyah’s health institutions include hundreds of hospitals, polyclinics, and maternity homes. It also operates hundreds of orphanages and more than 20,000 mosques throughout Indonesia.</jats:p>