Faith based Caring Practice for the Enviroment: Muslim Women’s Movement Against Andesite Mining in Wadas

Abstract

This article examines the role of Muslim women in Wadas Village, Central Java, who established the Wadon Wadas movement to oppose andesite mining associated with the Bener Dam construction project. The study traces how faith-based caring practices shape resilience, social cohesion, and environmental advocacy in the face of state-backed extractivism. Employing a qualitative case study approach, data were collected through in-depth interviews with women activist, participatory observation of community life, and documentation of protest actions from local archives and social media campaigns. Thematic analysis was applied to identify key patterns of resilience and faith-driven collective action. The findings reveal that the women of Wadas frame their resistance as a form of social dakwah, blending Islamic spirituality, local traditions, and environmental ethics. Spiritual practices such as mujahadah (collective prayer) provide psychosocial strength, while the principle of ngugemi (upholding ancestral land) represents place attachment as well as collective moral legitimacy. Women’s solidarity is expressed through caring practices, including food logistics organization, reciprocal support, and communal rituals that sustain social cohesion amid intimidation. Furthermore, the movement reformulates the meaning of sustainable development from a grassroots perspective, emphasizing food security, water preservation, and intergenerational justice over extractive economic interests. This article contributes to the scholarship on caring society and faith-based environmental movements within Muslim communities by introducing the concept eco-dakwah an integration of Islamic values, local wisdom, and ecological care as a strategy to resist extractivism while advancing sustainable development.