Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia Melanjutkan Kehidupan Islam
Introduction
Most Muslims around the world feel a special affection for the Muslims in the countries of Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei Dar us Salaam and the southern regions of Thailand and the Philippines. This special affection is directly linked to what is said about the spread of Islam to these particular parts of the world.
Islam came to the Levant, the north of Africa, Central Asia and Southeastern Europe on the back of conquests by Muslim armies. In most of these parts of the world the original inhabitants first resisted Islam out of unfamiliarity with the new religion. But, after the Islamic systems were implemented over them and they realized that these replaced tyranny, injustice and exploitation with fairness, justice and opportunity, they developed a deep appreciation for Islam and converted.
In Southeast Asia, however, the local people welcomed Islam from the very start. They did not resist the coming of the new religion but rather invited Muslim preachers to explain the core concepts of Islam, and then converted on the basis of the intellectual strength of these concepts.
Unfortunately, besides this not much is commonly known regarding the origins of Islam in Southeast Asia. Who brought Islam to this part of the world? When? How quickly was it adopted by the local people? What drove them to adopt this new religion?
This article “The Origins of Islam in Indonesia” was written to answers these questions. Its first part looked at the first contacts between Islam and the people of Indonesia, and how Islam spread on the island Sumatra following these first contacts. The second part looked at how Islam spread to the other main Indonesian islands, Java, the Moluccas, Sulawesi and Kalimantan. This third and final part will investigate the lessons that should be learned from the history of Islam in Indonesia.
The main islands of Indonesia, bordered by Malaysia and Thailand in the north and Australia in the south.
The driving forces behind the Islamization of Indonesia: Scholars, rulers and the practical implementation of Islam
There is notable similarity between the Islamization of Sumatra, Java, the Moluccas, Sulawesi and Kalimantan.
On all islands the first local people to adopt Islam did so in response to the preachings of Islamic scholars. This means the early adopters were convinced by the creed of Islam either by rational arguments, or by the exemplary behaviors of the preachers, or by a combination of both.
While the “early adopters” had an impact on society, as evidenced by the fact that visitors such as Marco Polo and Tomé Pires, as well as various emissaries from the Chinese Emperor, all noticed their presence, they did not constitute a dominant force in society. This means the preaching by Islamic scholars alone was not sufficient to make Islam a defining characteristic of Indonesian culture. In fact, as evidenced by Islam on Kalimantan, not even the conversion of the local aristocracy had this effect.
The transformation of the Indonesian culture, from being based Hinduism-Buddhism to being based on Islam, required the converted local aristocracy to “team up” with the Islam scholars. This enabled the Islam scholars to engage in mass communication, through utilizing the education system of the Sultanate (after having built it up with the support of the Sultan), and to add to the communication of the rational arguments for Islam a practical experience of Islam, through facilitating the implementation of the Sharee’ah by the Sultanates.
In this there are two key lessons:
Firstly, that the credit for the spread of Islam in Indonesia should go to rulers like Sultan Abdulaziz Shah of Perlak; the Sultans Malik us Saleh and Al Malik Az Zahir of Samudra Pasai; Sultan Johan of Aceh and his successors such as Sultan ‘Ali Mughaya Shah and Sultan ‘Ala Al Din Ri’ayat Shah Al Qahhar; Sultan Ahmad Abd Al Arifin of Demak; Sultan Abdullah Muhammad Maulana Matari of Mataram; Sultan Abu Al Mafaakhir Abd Al Qadir of Banten; Sultan Zain Al Abidin of Ternate; Sultan Abdullah Awwal Ul Islam of Gao-Tolla and the Sultans Suriansyah and Tahlil Allah of Banjar; just as much as it goes to the Islamic scholars that supported them such as Sheik Ismail in Samudra Pasai; Sheikh Abdullah Kan’an in Aceh, the Wali Songo on Java, Sheikh Abdul Makmur on Sulawesi, and Sheikh Muhammad Arshad on Kalimantan.
Secondly, that for Islam to really flourish the role of Islamic scholars may not be limited to preaching. Rather, as shown by the great scholars behind the Islamization of Indonesia, they must also be statesmen who themselves rule or advise the rulers; soldiers who train and lead the armies; and technocrats who organize education, the justice system, and the economy. Otherwise Islam will remain a theory for the people, while its power of conviction is the greatest when people practically experience the Islamic solutions for their problems.
The Arabian connection
It is sometimes said that Islam in Indonesia, Islam Nusantera, is a unique type of Islam, different from Islam in the Arab world. [67] The history of Islam in Indonesia shows, however, that the Islam the people of Indonesia adopted was the Islam of the Arab world.
It is unclear whether the very Islamic scholars that came to Indonesia were of Arab descent, or of Gujurati descent, or perhaps even Chinese. [68] This matter is, however, completely irrelevant. The facts are, namely, that the Muslims in Indonesia, wherever they may have been born, have always referred back to the Arabian heartland of Islam for counseling, advice and guidance.
In Aceh, for example, Arabic even became the lingua franca at the court. Sir James Lancaster, who visited the Sultanate of Aceh in 1011 Hijri, 1602 Christian Era, to negotiate a peace treaty between the Sultan of Aceh and the Queen of England, mentioned in his memoires that the negotiations were held in Arabic: “The one of the noblemen was the chief bishop of the realm, a man of great estimation with the king and all the people; and so he well deserved, for he was a man very wise and temperate. … And all the conferences passed in the Arabic tongue, which both the bishop and the other nobleman well understood.” [69]
Furthermore, the relations built with the Khalifah of the Muslims and his delegate the Sharif of Mecca by Sultans such as Sultan ‘Ala Al Din Ri’ayat Shah Al Qahhar of Aceh, Sultan Abdullah Muhammad Maulana Matari of Mataram and Sultan Abu Al Mafaakhir Abd Al Qadir of Banten also shows that the Arabian heartland of Islam was the reference point for the Muslims of Indonesia.
The final evidence for the Arabian origin of Islam in Indonesia is the fact the Indonesians that completed their Islamic studies in Indonesia and then anted to deepen their knowledge of their religion all travelled to the Arabian heartland of Islam. Sheikh Muhammad Arshad of Banjar was already mentioned, who spent more than 30 years in Arabia studying Islam before return to support the support the Sultan. Another example Sheikh Yusuf Al Maqassari who played a pivotal role in the Sultanate of Banten during the 11th century Hijri, 17th century Christian Era.
He was born 1037 Hijri, 1627 Christian Era, in the port city of Makassar on Sulawesi. After studying Islam in his own locality, he decided to travel to Arabia in 1054 Hijri, 1644 Christian Era. On his way, he stopped over in Banten. The Sultan of Banten at that time, Abu Al Mafaakhir Abd al Qadir, had transformed Banten into a center for Islamic learning on Java. Before proceeding on his journey Al Maqassari therefore studied in Banten and became a close friend of the crown prince of Banten, Pangeran Surya. Once in Arabia Yusuf Al Maqassari studied in Hadramaut, Mecca and Al Madina. He also visited Damascus and Istanbul as part of his studies. In total he ended up spending between 20 and 28 years in the Arabic heartland of Islam before returning to Indonesia. Upon his return to Indonesia the former crown prince Pangeran Surya of Banten had become the Sultan and taken the name Ageng Tirtayasa. Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa had sent ambassadors to the Khalifah in Istanbul and requested Islamic scholars from all over the Muslim world to travel to Banten and become teachers and advisors to the Sultan. When he heard of Yusuf Al Maqassari’s return he jumped on the opportunity to recruit his now Arab educated friend for his court. Yusuf Al Maqassari so became the Sultan’s main advisor for general state affairs, special advisor on legal matters, and Grand Judge with responsibility for the court system. [70]
This is evidence that Indonesians who had studied Islam in Arabia were held in the highest esteem, a fact which could not have come about if the Islam of Arabia had not been held in the highest esteem by the Indonesian Muslims.
Therefore, it is incorrect to conclude from any observed differences between Islamic practices in Indonesia and the rest of the world that these have resulted from a conscious decision by the Muslims of Indonesia to choose for themselves a different type of Islam. If that had been the case the Arabic language would not have risen to prominence, the would have been no need for alliances with the Muslims rulers in Arabia, and studies could have taken place at home rather than in Hadramaut, Mecca and Al Madina, Cairo or Istanbul.
The only fact based explanation for the observed difference is that many Indonesia did not have, and often still do not have, the necessary access to Islamic learning that would enable them to fully align themselves with the teachings of Islam, revealed by Allah (swt) to Prophet Mohammed (saw).
The driving forces behind the demise of the Indonesian Sultanates
Just as Islam in Indonesia grew and flourished when the Muslims in Indonesia cooperated, the rulers with the scholars and also the rulers amongst themselves, it declined when the Muslims in Indonesia began to compete and align themselves with the colonialists.
The military defeat of the Sultanates by the Dutch colonialists, for example, was to a large extent caused by too little cooperation and too much competition between the Sultanates.
For example, in the Moluccas the rivalry between the Sultanates of Ternate and Tidore opened the door for the colonialists to take control. In 1512 Christian Era the Sultan of Ternate allowed the Portuguese to settle in his Sultanate, hoping that they would help him against his rival the Sultan of Tidore. In 1522 Christian Era Sultan Bayansirullah even allowed the Portuguese to build a fort in his Sultanate. In response, Sultan Mansur of Tidore invited the Spanish into his Sultanate. Eventually the Portuguese and Spaniards turned against the Sultans and fought them from the forts the Sultans allowed them to build on the islands. This weakened the two Sultanates to such an extent that when the Dutch arrived on the scene, it was relatively easy for them to bring all of the Moluccas under their control. First, the Dutch aligned themselves with Sultanates with the promise that they would help the Muslims fight against the Portuguese and Spaniards. Then, they used the relationship of dependency this caused between the Sultanates and the Dutch to make the Sultans of the Maluccu Islands their lackeys. [71]
On Java things were not much different. The Dutch were able to colonize the Sultanate of Banten by exploiting a conflict over power between Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa and his son ‘Abd Al Qahhar. Initially, ‘Abd Al Qahhar was appointed crown prince of Banten. However, later on, while ‘Abd Al Qahhar was on a diplomatic mission to Mecca and Istanbul, Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa decided that his other son, prince Purbaya, was to succeed him. Amongst the reasons for this decisions was ‘Abd Al Qahhar’s closeness to the Dutch, who at that time had established a base on Java by occupying Jayakarta (now Djakarta). Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa resisted the Dutch colonialists with all his might, but ‘Abd Al Qahhar showed willingness to accept their occupation of Muslim land and work with them, which thoroughly upset Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa. Upon returning to Banten and learning about his father’s decision, in 1091 Hijri, 1680 Christian Era, ‘Abd Al Qahhar reached out to the Dutch to organize a coup against his father. He took the throne, adopted the title Sultan Hajji and immediately sent emissaries to the Dutch in Batavia to negotiate a peace treaty. Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa did not give up, however, so a civil war broke out in Banten. Because Sheikh Yusuf Al Maqassari chose the side of Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa, towards the end of 1092 Hijri, 1681 Christian Era, Sultan Hajji found himself besieged and on the brink of defeat. Sultan Haji then again turned to the Dutch and requested their help. This was the excuse the Dutch needed to send an army into Banten. Forces lead by a Captain Francois Tack reinforced the forces supporting Sultan Hajji and together they pushed back Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa, eventually capturing him in 1096 Hijri, 1683 Christian Era. From that moment onward the Sultanate of Banten effectively lost its independence. Sultan Hajji, and all future Sultans, had to do the biddings of the Dutch until the Sultanate of Banten was formally abolished by the Dutch colonialists during the 19th century Christian Era. [72]
That the Dutch colonialists felt a deep antipathy for Islam in Indonesia is now well known. Islam was an obstacle for them as it teaches Muslims that they should not accept the exploitation and oppression that are at the core of colonization, nor the ruling with manmade laws on which the Dutch based their colonial administration. [73] Consequently, the Dutch sought to not only subdue the Muslim of Indonesia physically, but also mentally. While the prior was the responsibility of military leaders such as Van Heutsz, the Dutch state sent specialists such as Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje to change the Islam of the Muslim in Indonesia, fundamentally to make them belief that obedience to (Dutch) colonialism is an Islamic command. [74]
So if it there exists such as thing as Islam Nusantera, the disgrace that is colonialism is its origin. []
[67] “From Indonesia, a Muslim Challenge to the Ideology of the Islamic State”, The New York Times, 26 November 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/27/world/asia/indonesia-islam-nahdlatul-ulama.html [68] Ibid. note 3 [69] “The Origins of Islamic Reformism in Southeast Asia: Networks of Malay-Indonesian ‘Ulama in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century”, Azyumardi Azra, KITLV Press, 2004 [70] “Jihad in Two Faces of Shariah: Sufism and Islamic Jurisprudence and the Revival of Islamic Movements in the Malay World”, Lukmanul Hakim Darusman, Australian National University, 2008 [71] Ibid. note 7 [72] Ibid. note 69 [73] “The Caliphate in the Dutch Media: The Resistance Against Dutch Colonialism in Indonesia”, New Civilization, http://www.newcivilisation.com/home/islamic-civilisation/the-caliphate-in-the-dutch-media-the-resistance-against-dutch-colonialism-in-indonesia-part-1/ [74] “Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje: History Of Orientalist Manipulation Of Islam”, Eurasia Review, http://www.eurasiareview.com/14092011-christiaan-snouck-hurgronje-history-of-orientalist-manipulation-of-islam-analysis/
