Islamization and islamic learning in the sultanate of aceh

Abstract

The emergence of such treat 'ulama' in the Sultanate of Aceh, north of Sumatra, as Hamzah Fansuri (Hamzah al-Fansuri), Syamsuddin Sum a trani (Shams al-Din al-Sumatram), Nurudain Arraniri (Nur al- Din al-Raniri) and Abdurrauf Singkel (Abd al-Rauf al-Sinkili) could lead one to pose an important questions. Why they emerged in the Sultanate of Aceh and not in other part of Nusantara. This study argues that their emergence bad closely to do with the fact that activity of Islamic learning was strongly supported by the Acehnese sultans. The Acehnese Sultanate rose as a center of Islamic (earning after Malaka fell into the reign of the Portuguese in 1511. At the time of Sultan Aii Riayat Syah ('AH Ri'ayai Shah) (1571-1579) Islamic teaming was very developed in the Sultanate of Aceh for the king himself engaged in that activity. He even provided a special place in the palace for developing learning activities in which the 'ulama' were placed in high regard with well-paid salary. This policy was continously put in effect by the consecutive rulers. As an important centre o) Islamic learning, Aceh visited by 'ulama' from the Middle East to teach Islam. It was thanks to this condusive intellectual atmosphere of Aceh there emerged some prominent 'ulamaV like Hamzah Fansuri, Syamsuddin Sumatraniy Nuruddin Arraniri and Abdurrauf Singkel Hamzah Fansuri (lived between of the 16th and 17th century took his basic education at Fansur, then moved to Pahang, Kudus and Siam until returned to his country, Barns. He is well versed in tasawwuf, fiqh mantiq, history, literature and philosophy. His ideas owahoat al-wujud (the unity of being) appears throughout his works like Asrar al-'Arifin, Ashrab al- llshiqin.Zi nat al-Muwahhidin and al-Munrahi. Furthermore, his teach∗I ing spread wider through his faithful student Syamsuddin Sumatrani.