KYAI HAJI HASWM ASY'ARI'S RELIGIOUS THOUGHT AND POLITICAL ACTMTIES (1871-1947) A t hesis submitted to the Institute of Islamic Studies Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, McGill University in partial Fulfihent of the requirement for the degree of Master of Arts Institute of Islamic Studies McGill University, Montreal Canada July 1997 Okhuluq National Library Bibliothèque nationale Ifm of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Ottawa ON KIA ON4 Canada Canada Your lUe Votre reférenca Our fi& Notre reldrence The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electrmic formats. la forme de microfiche/fïlm, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otheMrise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. Canada Author : Lathiful Khuiuq. Title of thesis : K.H. Hasyim Asy'ari's Religious Thought and Polit ical Activities (187 1- 1947). Depart ment : Institute of Islamic Studies, McGill University. Degree : Master of Arts (M.A.). This thesis surveys the religious thought and political activit ies of K.H. maiHaji) Hasyim Asy'ari (1 87 1- 19471, founder of both the Pesantren Tebuireng and the Nahdlat ul Ulama. Given the extent of his legacy, it will study his life, educational background and pesantren milieu in order to gain an understanding of his career and the events that uispired him. A prolific writer, K.H. Hasyirn Asy'ari produced works on theology, sufism, politics and Islamic law. Many of these works will be discussed. His theology was standard Sunni, while his mystical practice and thinking may best be described as sGfi orthodox. He encouraged Muslims to follow the four Sunni schools (madhahib)in the belief that they contained the most valid teachings. ?nthe political sphere, he called upon Muslims to strengthen the ties of Muslim brotherhood. And although K.H. Hasyim Asy'ari spent most of his life teaching in the pesantren, he also played an important political role, especially as leader of a Muslim unity movement during the late Dutch colonial period, as represent at ive to Muslim organizat ions active under the Japanese occupation and finally as a supporter of Indonesian independence in the late 1940s. Significantly, K.H. Hasyim Asy'ari was regarded as the preeminent leader of the traditionalist Muslims from the 1920s to the 1WOs, but enjoyed the respect of the modemist faction at a time when relations between traditionalists and modemists were strained. In effect, he served as spiritual leader to many 'ulamZ', soldiers and politicians. Auteur : Lathifd Khuluq Titre du mémoire: La pensée religieuse et les activités politiques de K.H.Hasyim Asy'ari. Département : Institut des Études Islamiques, Université McGill Diplôme : Maîtrise ès Arts (M.A.). Ce mémoire élabore la pensée religieuse et les activités politiques de Kyai Haji (K.H.) Hasyim Asy'ari (187 1-1947). Il fut le fondateur du Pesantren Tebuireng et Nahdlatul Ularna. Étant donné l'importance de son héritage, seront pris en considération sa biographie, sa formation académique ainsi que le milieu du pesantren, de façon à obtenir une meilleure compréhension de sa carrière et des évènements qui l'ont inspiré. Auteur prolifique, K.H. Hasyim Asy'ari a rédigé des ouvrages portant sur la théologie, le soufisme, la politique et la loi islamique. La plupart de ces oeuvres seront analysées ici. Sa théologie était sunnite tandis que sa pensée et sa pratique mystique pourraient être considérées comme faisant partie du soufisme orthodoxe. Ii a encouragé les musulmans à suivre les quatres écoles sunnites (madbahib),croyant que celles-ci contenaient les enseignements les plus valides. Dans la sphère politique, il a appellé les musulmans à renforcer les liens de la fraternité islamique. Malgré que K.H. Hasyim Asy'ari a passé la majeure partie de sa carrière dans le pesantren en tant que religieux enseignant, son rôle politique fut aussi important, particulièrement à titre de leader d'un mouvement d'unité musulmane durant la fin de la période coloniale néerlandaise. en tant que représentant aux organisations musulmanes à l'époque de l'occupation japonaise et enfin, à titre de partisan de l'indépendance indonésienne à la fin des années quarante. K.H. Hasyim Asy'ari fut considéré comme le principal leader des musulmans traditionalistes depuis les années vingt jusqu'aux années quarante et il s'est mérité le respect de la faction moderniste à une époque où les relations entre les traditionalistes et les modernistes étaient tendues. En somme, il fut le chef spirituel de plusieurs 'dama', militaires et politiciens. The system of Arabic transliteration used in this thesis is that of the hstitute of Islarnic St udies, McGill University. Indonesian terms are written according to the EjaaD BaruBahâsa hdonesia (1972), but the titles of books and articles are rendered according to the original spellings. - short vowels: I = a, fat hah - = iykasrah 1 = LI,darnmah - long vowels: I = Z, aliDalif maqslirah =i,y% = ü, waw - the tg'marbütah (i) is translated as "ah" in pause form and "at" in conjunctional form; examples: bid'ah, Nwal- 'Cnami'. In the case of tash&d, the letter is doubled; example: al-tawh7diwah. Alif or harnzah is transliterated as an elevated comma in a11 positions except when it occurs at the beginning of a word; exarnples: isti&%, sawi'ah, ifiZ'. This thesis could never have been completed without the help and contribution of many people. First and foremost my special thanks go to Dr. Howard M. Federspiel who, as my thesis supervisor, gave me continuous guidance and useful criticism throughout the writing of this work 1would also like to express my gratitude to Dr. Donald P. Little who, as my academic adviser during the 1995-1996 academic year, guided and shaped my critical thinking. Moreover, I would like to thank Dr. A. Üner Turgay, director of the Instit ute of Islamic St udies, for helping me in a number of ways during my time in Montreal. Several institutions contributed towards rnaking my course of study at McGill possible. First, 1am gratefid to Mr. Munawir Sadzaii and Mr. Tarmizi Taher, the former and current ministers of religious affairs for the Republic of Indonesia, respectively and their officiais Mr. Mumi Djamal, Mr. Atho Mudzhar and Mr. Zamakhsyari Dhofier, who appointed me to the "Pre-Departure Training Program", or "Program Pembibit an Calon Dosen IAIN se-Indonesia" which prepares students to study abroad. Second, 1 would like to thank the Institute of Islamic Studies, McGill University, for accept ing me as candidate in the master's program during the 1995-1997 academic years. My thanks go also to CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency) which provided me with a scholarship to study at the hst itute of Islamic St udies, McGill University. Let me also express here my sincere appreciation of the McGiLI-IAIN Project staff, especially Dr. Issa J. Boullata, Dr. Howard M. Federspiel, Wendy Allen, Joanna Gacek, Lon Novak and Susy Ricciardelli, al1 of whom assisted me during my years of study in Montreal. Moreover, 1am grateN to both the Rector of IAIN Sunan Kalijaga and the Dean of its Faculty of Arabic Belles-Lettres, (Adab) for giving me al1 necessary assistance in securing rny nomination. 1 would also like to acknowledge the various libraries and individuals who have assisted me in collecting sources: Corne11 University Library in Ithaca, especially Ms. Rohayati Paseng Bernard; the Islarnic Studies Library at McGill, especially Ms. Salwa Ferahian and Mr. Wayne St. Thomas; and the staff of the McLeman Library at McGill University. 1 would like to thank Retno Sayekti and Sahiron Syamsuddin who assisted me in identimg and collecting some materials used in this thesis. Thanks are also due to my brother Badrus Sholeh for helping me to obtain many of the sources in Indonesia. Last but not least, I would like to express my gratitude to Ms. Sidney Jones, who lent me her dissertation and several materials on the Nahdlatul Ulama in her possession. Several other individuals have also assisted me in the preparat ion of the t hesis. My fnend Yudian Wahyudi has given me special support throughout. The editors, especially Steve Millier, Yasmine Badr, and Reem Meshal, have helped in making this thesis easier to read. My parents, Abah M. Suwanan and Ibu Zumaroh, and my brothers and sisters, Drs. Afifuddin MSc., Badm Sholeh S Ag., Nur Izzat i S Ag., Imam Muharror, Leni Iffah, M. Arief As1adi,Ahmad Fawaliq and ImNahdhiyah, provided me with the moral support 1 needed to finish this study. My special gratitude also goes to my teachers and fkiends who have contributed to broadening rny knowledge and understanding. To my roommate, Ruswan, it has been wonderful to stay with you for the last two years. For every one who has contributed to the completion of my thesis, whether acknowledged above by name or not, may God bless and give His