IBN TAYMIYYAH’S THEOLOGICAL INFLUENCE ON INDONESIAN MUSLIM REVIVALISTS

BY

SUDAR

A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Heritage (Uṣūl al-Dīn and Comparative Religion)

Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences International Islamic University Malaysia

AUGUST 2014

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study is to examine ibn Taymiyyah’s theological influence on Indonesian Muslim Revivalists, specifically the three revivalists who were leaders of revival movements in in the early twentieth century, namely Dahlan, Aḥmad Sūrkattī and Ahmad Hassan. Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728/1327) was one of the Muslim scholars who reformed Islamic religious thought in the early thirteenth century. Ibn Taymiyyah’s thought on theology, specifically ‘aqīdah has considerably influenced Muslim scholarship not only in his own time but the present as well. The three Indonesian Muslim revivalists were well known figures in the early twentieth century who called to purify their ‘aqīdah based on the Holy Qur’ān and Sunnah through their reformist organizations. In that period, the ‘aqīdah of some Indonesian Muslims deviated from Islamic teachings. Thus, it is very essential to investigate the influence of Ibn Taymiyyah’s theology specifically, his ‘aqīdah on the three Indonesian Muslim revivalists in dealing with the circumstances of Muslims’ ‘aqīdah in their period, and their way in disseminating their comprehension of ‘aqīdah based on the teachings of the al-salaf al-ṣāliḥ. In this research, the approach that has been implemented is textual analysis, using descriptive and analytical methods referring to numerous works on the subject as well as the deductive method to obtain conclusions for this study. This study pursues to ascertain Ibn Taymiyyah’s theological influence on these three Indonesian Muslim revivalists. It concludes that their understanding and teachings of ‘aqīdah are clearly influenced by Ibn Taymiyyah’s thought.

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خالصة البحث

يهدف هذا البحث إىل دراسة أثر االجتاه العقدي عند شيخ اإلسالم ابن تيمية يف فكر اجملّددين يف إندونيسيا، وخباصة أمحد دحالن، وأمحد السوركيت، وأمحد حسن، الذين هم قادة حركة التجديد يف إندونيسيا يف أوائل القرن العشرين امليالدي. ويُعّد شيخ اإلسالم ابن تيمية أحد كبار العلماء املسلمني الذين قد جّددوا الفكر الديين اإلسالمي يف أوائل القرن الثالث عشر من امليالدية. وإن اجتاه شيخ اإلسالم ابن تيمية يف العقيدة كان يؤثر ّكثريا يف العلماء املسلمني حىت يف الوقت احلاضر. وكان أمحد دحالن، وأمحد السوركيت، وأمحد حسن من الدعاة إىل هللا يف إندونيسيا لتزكية عقيدة اجملتمع اإلندونيسي على أساس القرآن والسنة من خالل منظّماهتم. ويف ذلك الوقت، قد متسك بعض املسلمني يف إندونيسيا ابلفكر العقدي املنحرفمن التعاليم اإلسالمية. ويسعى هذا البحث إىل دراسة مدى أتثري فكر شيخ اإلسالم ابن تيمية يف الفكر العقدي عند هؤالء اجملّددين يف إندونيسيا، وخباصة يف التعامل مع اجتاهات العقائد املوجودة يف عصرهم، وبيان مناهجهم يف نشر الدعوة إىل عقيدة السلف الصاحل. ويقوم منهج هذا البحث على حتليل النصوص ابستخدام املنهج الوصفي التحليلي واالستنتاجي. ويقوم هذا البحث أيضا بتحقيق أثر االجتاه العقدي عند شيخ اإلسالم ابن تيمية يف فكر هؤالء اجملّددين الثالثة يف إندونيسيا. وخيتتم هذا البحث أب ّن فكر هؤالء العلماء يف العقيدة كان يتأثّر كثريا بفكر شيخ اإلسالم ابن تيمية.

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APPROVAL PAGE

I certify that I have supervised and read this study and that in my opinion it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a dissertation for the degree of Master of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Heritage (Uṣūl al-Dīn and Comparative Religion)

……………………..…………….... Megawati Moris Supervisor

I certify that I have read this study and that in my opinion it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a dissertation for the degree of Master of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Heritage (Uṣūl al-Dīn and Comparative Religion)

……………………………..……… Ismail Mamat Examiner

The dissertation was submitted to the Department of Uṣūl al-Dīn and Comparative Religion and is accepted as fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Heritage (Uṣūl al-Dīn and Comparative Religion)

……………………………..……… Thameem Ushama Head, Department of Uṣūl al-Dīn and Comparative Religion

The dissertation was submitted to the Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences and is accepted as fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Heritage (Uṣūl al-Dīn and Comparative Religion)

……………………...…………...… Ibrahim Mohamed Zein Dean, Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences

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DECLARATION

I hereby declare that this dissertation is the result of my own investigations, except where otherwise stated. I also declare that it has not been previously or concurrently submitted as a whole for any other degrees at IIUM or other institutions.

Sudar

Signature…………………… Date……………….…………

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INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA

DECLARATION OF COPYRIGHT AND AFFIRMATION OF FAIR USE OF UNPUBLISHED RESEARCH

Copyright © 2014 by Sudar. All rights reserved.

IBN TAYMIYYAH’S THEOLOGICAL INFLUENCE ON INDONESIAN MUSLIM REVIVALISTS

No part of this unpublished research may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written permission of the copyright holder except as provided below.

1. Any material contained in or derived from this unpublished research may only be used by others in their writing with due acknowledgement.

2. IIUM or its library will have the right to make and transmit copies (print or electronic) for institutional and academic purposes.

3. The IIUM will have the right to make, store in a retrieval system and supply copies of this unpublished research if requested by other universities and research libraries.

Affirmed by Sudar

……………………… ………………………. Signature Date

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In honour of my beloved parents:

Salip bin Sariun

Minten binti Mining

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Praise be to Allāh the Exalted who has blessed us, His powerless servants, with the joy and peace of true faith. Let His regards and salutations be upon the Holy Prophet Muḥammad (pbuh), his noble family and Companions. My most sincere and respectful thanks is due to my supervisor, Assist. Prof. Dr. Megawati Moris. This difficult study could not have been done without her valuable guidance, sympathetic encouragement and kindness. She has shown admirable patience and dedication as my major academic supervisor. May Allāḥ the Most Merciful bless her always in her life. I also extend my thanks to Assist. Prof. Dr. Ismail Mamat, as the examiner and Prof. Dr. Thameem Ushama, the Head of Department, Uṣūl al-Dīn and Comparative Religion, for their constructive suggestions and valuable comments on my thesis. I must also express my deep sense of gratitude to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Syamsuddin Arif, for helping me during my study in Malaysia and for encouraging me to seek knowledge all the time. My sincere thanks also go to those who are not mentioned by name for all their contributions; without such assistance, this study could barely have been completed. I am also grateful to my beloved parents and family who always shower me with their prayers. My wife Risnawati Wira Mandaya has been, for years now, outstanding in her support of my studies. She lent me a special hand by taking it upon herself to bear almost all the responsibilities of the family. Finally, this work is a gift for my first child Maryam Nurul Azkiya.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract ...... ii Abstract in ...... iii Approval Page ...... iv Declaration ...... v Copyright Page ...... vi Dedication ...... vii Acknowledgements ...... viii Transliteration Tables ...... xi

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ...... 1 1.1 Introduction ...... 1 1.2 Statement of the Problem ...... 4 1.3 Research Questions ...... 5 1.4 Objectives of Study ...... 5 1.5 Significance of Study ...... 5 1.6 Research Methodology ...... 6 1.7 Literature Review ...... 7 1.8 Justification of Study ...... 13

CHAPTER II: IBN TAYMIYYAH’S HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND EARLY EMERGENCE OF HIS THOUGHT IN INDONESIA ...... 15 2.1 Ibn Taymiyyah’s Historical Background ...... 15 2.1.1 Intellectual and Religious Background ...... 15 2.1.2 An Account of Ibn Taymiyyah’s Personality ...... 19 2.1.3 Ibn Taymiyyah’s Works and Contributions ...... 21 2.2 Early Emergence of Ibn Taymiyyah’s Thought in Indonesia ...... 23 2.2.1 The First Period ...... 24 2.2.2 The Second Period ...... 29

CHAPTER III: IBN TAYMIYYAH’S THOUGHT ON ‘AQĪDAH ...... 34 3.1 The Problem of ‘Aqīdah in the Time of Ibn Taymiyyah ...... 34 3.2 Ibn Taymiyyah’s Methodology in ‘Aqīdah ...... 39 3.3 Ibn Taymiyyah’s Exposition on ‘Aqīdah ...... 45

CHAPTER IV: IBN TAYMIYYAH’S THEOLOGICAL INFLUENCE ON INDONESIAN MUSLIM REVIVALISTS ...... 55 4.1 Introduction ...... 55 4.1.1 Ahmad Dahlan: Leader of ...... 55 4.1.2 Aḥmad Sūrkattī: Leader of Al-Irshād ...... 61 4.1.3 Ahmad Hassan: Leader of Persatuan Islam ...... 69 4.2 Summary of the Nature of Ibn Taymiyyah’s Influence on Indonesian Muslim Revivalists ...... 75

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ...... 78 5.1 Summary and Findings ...... 78

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5.2 Recommendation for Further Research ...... 82

BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 84

APPENDIX I: A LIST OF IBN TAYMIYYAH’S BOOKS ...... 95

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TRANSLITERATION TABLE

Arabic Transliteration Scheme (According to IIUM Thesis Manual)

Consonant Arabic Arabic Arabic Transliteration Transliteration Transliteration term term term Q ق Z ز ’ ء K ك S س b ب L ل Sh ش T ت M م ṣ ص Th ث N ن ḍ ض J ج H ه ṭ ط ḥ ح W و ẓ ظ kh خ Y ي ‘ ع D د Gh غ Dh ذ ف R ر

Vowel Arabic term Transliteration Arabic term Transliteration Ā ﹷ+ ا a ﹷ Ī ﹻ + ي i ﹻ Ū ﹹ+ و u ﹹ Aw او ay اي

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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 INTRODUCTION

Islamic thought and history are not newly found disciplines of knowledge. Since the emergence of Islamic civilization, their study have shown that Islamic history stood witness to a prodigious number of scholars or reformers who were called to the path of All Éh. They were those who walked in the ways of the pious predecessors ( al-salaf al-ṣāli ḥ) in thought and action. It agrees with the statement of the Prophet (pbuh) that at the beginning of every century there would emerge someone who would reform

Islam, including its thought and be considered a reformer. 1 In the Islamic perspective,

‘reform’ means purification of Islamic teachings, and the removal of un-Islamic new practices and misconceptions. The reformers studied various types of sciences until they were experts in some areas of knowledge such as exegesis of the Holy Qur’ān

(tafs īr), tradition of the Prophet (ḥad īth ), logic ( man ṭiq ), philosophy ( falsafah ) and astronomy ( ‘ilm al-falaq ) and were valuable contributors to human civilization, for example, Im ām Al-Sh āfi ‘ī, Im ām Al-Ghaz ālī, Shaykh al-Islam ibn Taymiyyah and others.

The reformation of Islamic religious thought had a great influence on the world, especially in the Islamic world. The impact of the reform movement extended beyond the boundaries of Muslim countries, such as Egypt, Syria and Indonesia, the

1 The word mujaddid means ‘reformer’ or ‘renewer’. This term is sometimes translated as ‘revivalist’. A tradition of the Prophet (pbuh) cited by Ab ū D āwūd says: ‘God will, on the eve of every century, raise a person in this ummah who would renew Islam.’ The Prophet (pbuh) said Inna All āha yab‘athu lih ādhihi al-ummati ‘al ā ra’si kulli mi’ati sanatin man yujaddidu lah ā d īnah ā (Ab ū D āwūd, al-Ḥākim fī mustadrakih and al-Baihaq ī f ī al-Ma‘rifah from Ab ū Hurayrah). See: Al-Im ām Jal āl al-Dīn ibn Ab ī Bakr al-Suy ūṭī, Al-Jāmi‘ al-Ṣagh īr fī a ḥādīth al-Bash īr wa al-Nadh īr, (Bayr ūt: Ḍār al-Kutub al- ‘Ilmiyyah, 2002), No. Ḥad īth. 1845, 115.

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biggest Muslim country in the world. Unquestionably, one of the prominent figures of

Islamic reformation whose influence still continues to be deeply felt long after his death in Indonesia is ibn Taymiyyah (661-728/1263-1327).2 His thought and his reformist actions triggered a climate of revolutionary thinking that were felt not only in his own time but the present as well. Although he lived in an era of much political, social and religious upheavals, he was able to be an outstanding scholar whose expertise in many fields of Islamic learning as well as whose biography of achievements decorates the pages of Islamic history.

Ibn Taymiyyah’s reformation of Islamic religious thought has obviously called

Muslims to go back to the simple and original teachings of Isl am as promulgated by the Holy Qur ’É n and the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh). This was indicated by the high quality of his thought in many areas of sciences represented in creed ( ‘aq īdah ), theology ( kal ām), sufism ( ta ṣawwuf ), jurisprudence ( fiqh ), principles of jurisprudence

(uṣūl fiqh ), the exegesis of the Holy Qur ’ān ( tafs īr), tradition of the Prophet ( ḥad īth ) and in areas of economics, politics and society which always conform with the essence of both sources.3 He was a great scholar, recognized in his lifetime and in later centuries, and his thought and ideas have had an extensive influence on Islamic scholarship until the modern times. The impact of his efforts and reformist endeavours energized the call towards returning to the pure religion and to the path of All āh and was witnessed even beyond Egypt and Syria, where he resided.

One of the thoughts of ibn Taymiyyah in the area of theology which had significantly influenced Muslim scholarship is about ‘aq īdah (article of faith). ‘Aqīdah

2 The researcher will use hijr ī dates (A.H.) for the first, and then dates will be followed by before Christ (B.C.) or in the Common Era (C.E. or A.D.). However, he will use the abbreviations such as A.H. and A.D. only in some cases of single dates. A range between two dates after a name refers to the years of birth and death and the alphabet “d.” in the bracket refers to the year of death. 3 Serajul Haque, Ibn Taymiyyah and His Project of Reform , (Dhaka: Islamic Foundation Bangladesh, 1982), 1-9.

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means creed; but sometimes it is referred to as doctrine, dogma and article of faith.

The plural of this word is ‘aq ā’id , meaning articles of faith and it is also used to mean

“creed”. This word is related to the development and use of the form for example:

Creed is used to elaborate the faith of God, His angles, His books, His prophets, and the term ‘aq īdah also is used as the principle attitude for what is obligatory for a

Muslim’s belief. The second, the term ‘aq īdah also is associated to the development of dogmas, for instance the dogma of Khaw ārij and Sh ī‘ite on the concept of creed in the time of the caliphate of ‘Al ī ibn Ṭal īb. The explanation of ‘aq īdah based on intellectual arguments was influenced partly by Greek and Christian thought in the second half of that century and considered to be the beginning of theology ( kal ām).

Nevertheless, the term ‘aq īdah is linked to the main dogma of Islam such as God is one, God exists, God is eternal, God is different from created things, God will be seen by the faithful in the world to come, God is eternally powerful, knowing, living, willing, hearing, seeing, speaking, the Holy Qur ’ān is the eternal and uncreated speech of God, God’s will is supreme and always effective and others. 4

The term ‘aq īdah is sometimes related to theology ( kal ām). According to the

Western worldview, the term theology itself comes from two Greek words; theos means ‘god’ and logos means word, measure and reason. Therefore, literally the term means the practice of reasoning applied to the divine; an organized thinking and speaking about God. Academically, the term theology emerged in twelfth century

A.D. with its own special tradition and disciplines when the medieval universities were developing. The term came to refer to an academic discipline. Christian theology was different from the liberal arts, such as grammar and rhetoric. However, the term theology is also used for other faiths in terms of the critical reflection on their

4 The Encyclopaedia of Islam , New Edition, “Aq īdah.”

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understanding of and claims about God. Therefore, sometimes the term theology is better understood with an adjective, for example Islamic theology. 5

Nevertheless, ibn Taymiyyah’s work is encyclopaedic in its range.

Surprisingly however, no attempts have been made so far to assess the impact of his thought on ‘aq īdah in Indonesia. Therefore, the present work concerns itself with ibn

Taymiyyah’s theological influence on Indonesian Muslim revivalists, specifically his thought on ‘aq īdah on Indonesian Muslim revivalists who were leaders of revival movements in Indonesia in the early twentieth century namely A ḥmad S ūrkatt ī,

Ahmad Dahlan and Ahmad Hassan.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The thought of a great scholar will deeply influence human mind sets and their behaviour. Such impact will continue even after the scholar’s death. One of the great figures of Islam whose thought had a major impact on Muslims in Indonesia is ibn

Taymiyyah. The influence of his ideas on prominent Muslim scholars still continues until today in Indonesia. Many have written about ibn Taymiyyah’s thought. Although there has been considerable research on ibn Taymiyyah, to the best of the researcher’s knowledge, there have been no studies yet on the impact of ibn Taymiyyah’s theological thought on Indonesian Muslim revivalists. Therefore, this study is an attempt to examine ibn Taymiyyah’s theological influence on Indonesian Muslim revivalists, specifically the three revivalists who were leaders of revival movements in

Indonesia in the early twentieth century, namely Ahmad Dahlan, A ḥmad S ūrkatt ī and

Ahmad Hassan.

5 John M. Sutcliffe, A Dictionary of Religious Education , (London: SCM Press and The Christian Education Movement, 1984), 343-344.

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1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

This research seeks to investigate and answer the following questions:

1. How did ibn Taymiyyah’s thought emerge in Indonesia?

2. What are ibn Taymiyyah’s thought on ‘aq īdah ?

3. What was the impact of ibn Taymiyyah’s theological thought on the three

Indonesian Muslim revivalists?

4. What was the nature of ibn Taymiyyah’s influence on the three Indonesian

Muslim revivalists?

1.4 OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

The purpose of this study is to investigate ibn Taymiyyah’s theological influence on

Indonesian Muslim revivalists. This study has the following main objectives:

1. To examine the early appearance of ibn Taymiyyah’s thought in

Indonesia.

2. To elaborate the thought of ibn Taymiyyah on ‘aq īdah .

3. To examine and ascertain the impact of ibn Taymiyyah’s theological

thought on the three Indonesian Muslim revivalists.

4. To evaluate the nature of the influence of ibn Taymiyyah’s thought on the

three Indonesian Muslim revivalists.

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

The main focus of the research is to explore ibn Taymiyyah’s theological influence on

Indonesian Muslim revivalists, which is a significant topic in Islamic thought. This research is vital because it will survey the rise of ibn Taymiyyah’s thought in

Indonesia, especially his theological influence on some Indonesian Muslim revivalists.

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These Indonesian Muslim revivalists were the most dynamic and seminal personalities in the history of Islam not only in Indonesia but also in the Malay world. It is hoped that this study will provide some descriptions of the nature of the influence of ibn

Taymiyyah’s theological thought on three Indonesian Muslim revivalists which have affected Muslim lives and thought, for example in areas such as education and ethics.

1.6 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This research will apply the qualitative method of study which depends on textual analysis. Henceforth, this investigation will mostly be analytical in nature. This study is conducted based on library research and hence, materials will be obtained from both primary and secondary sources. Data and information will be collected from books, articles, conference and seminar papers, journals, theses and dissertations as well as reliable internet websites. The researcher will refer to the primary sources of ibn

Taymiyyah such as his writings and other sources that are related to him with particular reference to his works that emphasize the areas related to the proposed study. The secondary sources are not less important to this study. They include several works of early and contemporary scholars which discoursed on his thought and ideas especially on the reformation of religious thought.

To analyse the data and information obtained, the researcher will use the following methods:

1. Descriptive method: This method is used to describe the historical

background of ibn Taymiyyah’s life and thought.

2. Analytical method: This method is applied in investigating the emergence

of ibn Taymiyyah’s thought in Indonesia and examining his thought on

creed ( ‘aq Êdah ).

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3. Deductive method: This method is used to investigate and assess the

acquired information regarding ibn Taymiyyah’s theological influence on

three Indonesian Muslim revivalists in order to draw conclusions for this

research.

1.7 LITERATURE REVIEW

The literature review is selected from relevant works on ibn Taymiyyah’s life and his thought that are related to the theme under discussion. It seems to the researcher that, although there is a large number of books and works on ibn Taymiyyah available, the influence of his thought on Indonesian Muslim revivalists has not been adequately studied and fully researched until now. The researcher reviews some significant works on this subject that I have so far. The pioneering one is written by Amal Fathullah

Zarkasyi, Al-Ittij āh al-Salaf ī fī al-Fikr al-Isl āmī al-Ḥad īth bi Ind ūnīsiy ā (The stream of salaf on contemporary Islamic thought in Indonesia). For comprehensive elaboration, the author begins his study with definition of the term salaf and salafiyyah and continues with the explanation on the concept of salafiyyah according to A ḥmad ibn Ḥanbal and ibn Taymiyyah. The author also highlights the contemporary thought of salafiyyah by quoting thinkers like Mu ḥammad ibn ‘Abd al-

Wahh āb, Jam āl al-Dīn al-Afgh ānī and Mu ḥammad ‘Abduh. The author examines the emergence of salafiyyah thought in Indonesia with long elaborations on Islamic thought before the emergence of salafiyyah thought, the beginning of salafiyyah thought in Indonesia, the stream of salafiyyah thought and its period in Indonesia. 6

The author in his explanation mentions some of the Indonesian Muslim scholars such

6 This work is Amal Fathullah Zarkasyi’s thesis on al-Ittij āh al-Salaf ī fī al-Fikr al-Isl āmī al-Ḥad īth bi Ind ūnīsiy ā which earned him a Master Degree from Cairo University in 1987. His work was published by IIUM press in 2010. See, Amal Fathullah Zarkasyi, Al-Ittij āh al-Salaf ī f ī al-Fikr al-Isl āmī al-Ḥad īth bi Ind ūnīsiy ā, (Kuala Lumpur: IIUM Press, 2010).

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as Tahir Jalaluddin, Jamil Jambek, , Abdul Karim

Amrullah and Ahmad Dahlan who promoted the thought of ibn Taymiyyah in the

West Sumatra and Central Java after performing pilgrimage in the last part of the eighteenth century. They stayed in for some years to seek knowledge.

However, Amal’s study did not explain in detail on the process of early emergence of ibn Taymiyyah’s thought in Indonesia.

Another similar research is also carried out by Amal Fathullah Zarkasyi entitled The Impact of ibn Taymiyyah’s concept of Taw ḥīd in Indonesia .7 In this book, the writer explores the methodology of ibn Taymiyyah in the discourse of creed

(‘aq īdah ). In ibn Taymiyyah’s methodology in the concept of theology, Amal explains that ibn Taymiyyah has four basic principles in constructing the concept of theology.

Firstly, ibn Taymiyyah holds firmly to the Holy Qur’ ān and the Sunnah . Secondly, he holds on to reason ( ‘aql ). Thirdly, he rejects the theological interpretation ( ta’w īl kal āmī). 8 Fourthly, he uses the argumentation of the Holy Qur’ ān and the Sunnah rather than reason in his explanation of taw ḥīd.9 Amal Fathullah Zarkasyi firmly argues that ibn Taymiyyah divides taw ḥīd into three parts. First, All āh is one without

7 This is the dissertation of Amal Fathullah Zarkasyi for Ph.D Degree in University of Malaya in 2006 by the title Konsep Tauhid Ibn Taymiyyah dan Pengaruhnya di Indonesia: Kajian kes terhadap penggubalan kurikulum pengajian akidah di Pondok Modern Darussalam Gontor Ponorogo Indonesia published by Darussalam University Press in 2010. 8 Ta’w īl is verbal noun of the form II verb awwala (derived either from awl “return” or iy āla signifying explanation, exposition and managing properly”), signifying explanation, exposition, or interpretation as it is literally related to the notion of “returning to its origin or source”. See, The Encyclopaedia of Islam ,… 10: 390-392. However, the meaning of ‘Ilm al-Kal ām is one of the religious sciences of Islam. The term is usually translated, as an approximate rendering “theology”. It is the discipline which brings to the service of religious beliefs ( ‘aq ā’id ) discursive arguments; which thus provides a place for reflection and meditation, and hence for reason, in the elucidation and defense of the content of the faith. See, Ibid., 3:1141-1150. 9 Taw ḥīd means in the true sense of the term, the act of believing and affirming that God is one and unique ( wāḥid ), in a word, monotheism. For the Muslim, it is believing and affirming what is stated by the first article of the Muslim profession of faith: “there is no other god but All āh” ( lā il āha ill ā All āh). For further information on Taw ḥīd, see, Ibid., 10: 38; Mu ḥammad ibn Mukarram ibn Man ẓūr, Lis ān al- ‘Arab al-Mu ḥīṭ, (Bayr ūt: D ār Lis ān al-‘Arab, 1998), 4:888; Qur’ ān, al-Ikhl āṣ: 1-4; Burhan Ahmad Faruqi, The Mujaddid’s Conceptions of Tawhid: Study of Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi’s doctrine of unity , (Lahore: Institute of Islamic Culture, 1989), 37; Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips, The Fundamentals of Tawheed , (Riyadh: International Islamic Publishing House, 1994), 17.

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partner in His dominion and in His actions ( taw ḥīd rub ūbiyyah ). Second, All āh is one without rival in His divinity and in worship (taw ḥīd ul ūhiyyah ). Third, All āh is one without similitude in His essence and attributes (taw ḥīd al-asm ā’ wa al-ṣif āt). Finally, the author shows the impact of ibn Taymiyyah’s teaching on the concept of Taw ḥīd in

Indonesia. 10 However, the author only elaborates the methodology of ibn Taymiyyah in ‘aq īdah and does not associate the fundamentals of his methodology in ‘aq īdah as the basic principle of his thought on ‘aq īdah.

Another significant work related to this research is written by Achmad Jainuri entitled The Muhammadiyah Movement in Twentieth-Century Indonesia: A Socio-

Religious Study . The author analyses and discusses the foundation of the

Muhammadiyah movement, its fundamental ideology and its implementation in the religious and social lives of the Indonesians. The author further states that Ahmad

Dahlan, with his Muhammadiyah movement tries to purify Islam from the superstitious practices, innovations in religious matters ( bida‘) and evil impact of deviant practices inherited from local traditions and beliefs. This is done by educating

Muslims about Islam in the proper manner by following the Holy Qur’ān and the

Sunnah . In pursuing this principal track of thought, the Muhammadiyah has proposed the right formation of independent views ( ijtih ād) and of making free the thought of

Muslims from the blind following in religious matters ( taql īd). 11 Furthermore,

Jainuri’s study enlightens the researcher about Muhammadiyah movement in

Indonesia, especially the type of reform movement carried out by Ahmad Dahlan and his Muhammadiyah in the early twentieth-century.

10 Amal Fathullah Zarkasyi, Konsep Tauhid Ibn Taymiyyah dan Pengaruhnya di Indonesia , (Ponorogo: Darussalam University Press, 2010). 11 Achmad Jainuri, “The Mu ḥammadiyyah Movement in Twentieth-Century Indonesia: A Socio- Religious Study,” (M.A. thesis, Institute of Islamic Studies McGill University, 1992).

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An additional work which is relevant to this study is Dr. H. Abdul Karim

Amrullah: His Influence in the Islamic Reform Movement in Minangkabau in the

Early Twentieth Century by Murni Djamal. The author describes that the Islamic

Reform movement promoted by Dr. H. in Minangkabau in the early twentieth century was deeply influenced by the thought of Mu ḥammad ‘Abduh and Jam āl al-Dīn al-Afgh ānī from Egypt. The author further argues that Dr. H. Abdul

Karim Amrullah believes that to revive Muslims, they should reform the purity of religious teachings as well as the basic principles of Muslim education and the circumstances of social life of Muslims based on the guidance of the Holy Qur’ ān and

Sunnah . Therefore the author asserts that Dr. H. Abdul Karim Amrullah empowers his reform efforts by purifying religious teachings from all kinds of contaminations attached to it, reforming Islamic education, especially the Sumatra Thawalib 12 and providing a proper condition for social change by supporting the Muhammadiyah 13 organization. 14 However, this work aids the researcher in investigating the early emergence of ibn Taymiyyah’s thought in Indonesia by tracing the genealogy of thought of Indonesian Muslim scholars who have been greatly influenced by his thought in the early twentieth century.

Another important work related to this research is Akh Minhaji’s Ahmad

Hassan and Islamic Legal Reform in Indonesia (1887-1958) . This work examines the significance of Hassan’s role in the movement of Islamic legal reform and evaluates in particular his legal theory ( uṣūl al-fiqh ) and its application to problems of substantive law ( fiqh ). The author views that Islamic law in Indonesia is influenced by non-

12 This refers to the students of Sumatra. 13 It is the name of a social Muslim reformist organization founded by Ahmad Dahlan in Java in 1912. 14 Murni Djamal, “Dr. H. Abdul Karim Amrullah: His Influence in the Islamic Reform Movement in Minangkabau in the Early Twentieth Century,” (M.A. thesis, Institute of Islamic Studies McGill University, 1975).

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Islamic local customs ( ) and that Ahmad Hassan with Persatuan Islam, a reformist organization, tries to confirm that religious beliefs and practices can be realigned and be harmonized with the teachings of the Holy Qur’ān and the Sunnah . The author also explains that Ahmad Hassan was well aware of the problems faced by Indonesian

Muslim society because of their misunderstanding of the doctrine of bid‘ah

(innovation in religious matters) which reduces the competitive quality of the Muslims compared to other societies. Akh Minhaji claims that one of Hassan’s efforts in reviving Muslims from their backward condition was by applying the principles of

Islamic jurisprudence ( uṣūl al-fiqh ) as the one science vital to the understanding of

God's message. 15 However, the scope of Minhaji’s study deals with Ahmad Hassan’s project reform in the Islamic legal domain, and does not associate with the theology which the researcher will study in this research. Nevertheless, this work provides some useful information for the researcher in his study about the personality and work of Ahmad Hassan and his students.

Another article important to this study is Al-Man ār and Ahmad Soorkattie:

Links in the Chain of Transmission of Mu ḥammad ‘Abduh’s Ideas to the Malay-

Speaking World by Jutta Bluhm-Warn. The author begins his study by exploring the relationship between al-Man ār and Indonesian Muslim scholars since 1930 and its impact on their thought. He further defines that al-Man ār was circulated in Indonesia through smuggling via the port of Tuban in East Java where A ḥmad S ūrkatt ī, founder of al-Irsh ād movement received consignment of al-Man ār and other Arabic books. Al-

Man ār was also circulated in Indonesia by some hajis returning from their pilgrimage to Mecca. According to the author, the impact of al-Man ār was apparent in three reform magazines. They are: al-Im ām magazine which was published in Singapore

15 Akh Minhaji, “Ahmad Hassan and Islamic Legal Reform in Indonesia (1887-1958),” (Ph.D. thesis, Institute of Islamic Studies McGill University, 1997).

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(1906 and 1908) under the editorship of Tahir Jalaluddin; al-Mun īr which was founded by Haji Abdullah Ahmad and published in Padang (1911-1916); and

Azzachierah al-Islamijah which was published in Jakarta in 1923 in Arabic and Malay languages under the editorship of A ḥmad S ūrkatt ī. The author also argues that A ḥmad

Sūrkatt ī was a key link in the transmission of ‘Abduh’s ideas in Indonesia to several

Indonesian Muslim scholars at that time such as Ahmad Dahlan, Oemar Said

Tjokroaminoto and Haji . They insisted that A ḥmad S ūrkatt ī remained in

Indonesia and carried on his work towards Islamic reform. Finally, he established

Jāmi‘ah al-Iṣlāḥ wa al-Irsh ād al-‘Arabiyyah , more famously known as al-Irsh ād in

1913. 16 Nevertheless, this article offers worthy information to the researcher about the role of A ḥmad S ūrkatt ī as the main connection in the spread of ‘Abduh’s thought in

Indonesia and to the best of the researcher’s knowledge, Mu ḥammad ‘Abduh’s thought on Islamic reformation was heavily influenced by ibn Taymiyyah’s thought. 17

Comparable to Amal Fathullah Zarkasyi’s study is an article by Khaliq Ahmad

Nizami entitled The Impact of ibn Taymiyyah on South Asia . In Nizami’s view, the influence of ibn Taymiyyah’s thought not only reached his contemporaries in the

Muslim heartlands, but also far beyond. For example, Mu ḥammad bin Tughluq (1325-

1351 A.D.) the Sultan of Delhi, became an enthusiastic activist of his thought and desired to rearrange political organizations in its light. Ibn Taymiyyah’s effect on

Shah W ālī All āh (1702-1763 A.D.) and many Muslim reform movements in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries represented some degree of inspiration from him, such as Sir Syed A ḥmad Kh ān (1817-1898 A.D.), Naw āb Mu ḥammad Ṣidd īq Ḥasan

16 Jutta Bluhm-Warn, “Al-Man ār and Ahmad Soorkattie” in Islam: Essays on Scripture, Thought and Society: a Festschrift in Honour of Anthony H. Johns , edited by Peter G. Riddell and Tony Street (Leiden: Brill, 1997), 295-308. 17 Mu ḥammad Khal īl Harr ās, Bā‘ith al-Nah ḍah al-Isl āmiyyah ibn Taymiyyah: Naqduhu li Mas ālik al- Mutakallim īn wa al-Fal āsifah f ī Il āhiyy āt, (Bayr ūt: D ār al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 1984), 186; H. A. R. Gibb, Modern Trends in Islam , (Chicago: The University of Chichago Press, 1974), 34.

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Kh ān (1832-1890 A.D.), Maul ānā Nādh īr Ḥusain Mu ḥaddith (d. 1902 A.D.), Maulana

Shibli (d. 1914 A.D.) and Maul ānā Ab ū al-Kal ām Az ād (1888-1958 A.D.). The author clarifies further that the impact of ibn Taymiyyah’s thought on South Asia is seen in six different domains. They serve as: (1) a typical guide for the revival of Muslim society; (2) the manager of jih ād movement against the Mongols; (3) the sponsor of fresh interpretation of Islamic law ( ijtih ād); (4) a critic of innovations in different scopes of Muslim life ( bida‘); (5) a critic of the Sufis in general, and (6) a critic of

Shaykh al-Akbar ibn al-‘Arab ī.18 Nevertheless, Nizami’s research only deals with the impact of ibn Taymiyyah’s thought on South Asia and does not cover South East

Asia, even less Indonesia.

From the researcher’s review, none of the above mentioned works focuses its concern on the influence of ibn Taymiyyah’s thought on Indonesian Muslim revivalists alone. To the best of the researcher’s knowledge, no research or study has been done and devoted specifically to ibn Taymiyyah’s thought and its impact on

Indonesian Muslim revivalists and the present undertaking would fill up this gap.

1.8 JUSTIFICATION OF STUDY

To the best of this researcher’s knowledge, the influence of ibn Taymiyyah’s thought on Indonesian Muslim revivalists particularly on revivalism of religious thought and the influence of his views in Indonesia has not been studied. Accordingly, this research is done to show and highlight the issue which is of great importance in the discourse of Islamic thought and religious practice in Indonesia. The understanding of revivalism of religious thought and its impact is an essential matter in the life of

Muslims, which must be established on the basis of the Holy Qur’ ān and the Sunnah .

18 Khaliq Ahmad Nizami, “The Impact of ibn Taymiyyah on South Asia”, Journal of Islamic Studies , no.1 (1990): 120-149.

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