Islamic Turn in Malay Historiography: Bustan al-Salatin of 17thCentury Aceh

Abstract

Bustan al-Salatin by Nur al-Din al-Raniri (d. 1659) is a leading Malay text on Islamic history. Written in the 17thcentury in Aceh, one chapter of the Bustan was dedicated to the history of Aceh. This paper discusses how the Bustan described the formation of the sultanate, the rulers who were in power, their political behaviour, and the methods of statecraft they tried to establish. The text shared the emerging intellectual discourse in 17thCentury Aceh, in which al-Raniri's reform of Muslims' religious practices to uphold shari'ah-based principles gained its prominence. With the support of his patron, Iskandar Thani (1636-1641), al-Raniri's Islamizing efforts for Aceh are reflected in the Bustan. This paper argues that the Islamic ideals and terms found in the Bustan signify the history of Aceh and profile the patron, which sets Bustan apart from previous Malay texts of historical writing.