22 Personal Character Index in the Works of Raja Ali Haji
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International Journal of Information Technology and Business Management 15th December 2017. Vol.58 No.1 © 2012-2017 JITBM & ARF. All rights reserved ISSN 2304-0777 www.jitbm.com PERSONAL CHARACTER INDEX IN THE WORKS OF RAJA ALI HAJI Abdul Malik Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Raja Ali Haji Maritime University Isnaini Leo Shanty Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Raja Ali Haji Maritime University ABSTRAK This paper is a result of the research of personal character index in the works of Raja Ali Haji. An analysis was performed on five works of Raja Ali Haji. The research results found that (1) Raja Ali Haji’s works contain nineteen personal character indexes, (2) the values of personal character index is interrelated to Islamic teachings, and (3) semiotics class of personal character index in the works of Raja Ali Haji is comprised of rheumatic iconic qualisign, rheumatic indexical sinsign, dicent indexical legisign, and argument. As a result, Raja Ali Haji’s works can be referred to as a way of life and is worthy of use as learning materials for character education sourced from the literary works. Keywords: Character, Personal Character, Character Education, Index, Raja Ali Haji Introduction Countries ever since. His literary works (poetry) Raja Ali Haji rahimahullah (1809—1873) is the with which religious values contained in it are most preeminent author among intellectuals in Syair Abdul Muluk (The Poem of Abdul Muluk) the Kingdom of Riau-Lingga during the period (1846), Syair Suluh Pegawai (The Poem of 19th century. He has written two books in the Employees Guidelines) (1866), Syair Siti field of Malay language with which the field of Shianah (The Poem Siti Shianah) (1866), Syair education merged in it. Those books are Bustan Awai (The Poem Wave), Syair Sinar Gemala al-Katibin (Grammar of Malay) (1850) and Mestika Alam (The Poem Shining Natural Gem) Kitab Pengetahuan Bahasa (Dictionary of (1895), Syair Taman Permata (The Poem Gem Malay) (1858). In the field of law and Garden), and Syair Warnasarie (Poem of government, he produced Muqaddima Fi Multicolour). He also wrote a unique type of Intizam (The Introductory of Ordinance’s poetry that is Ikat-Ikatan Dua Belas Puji (The Duties) (1887) and Thamarat Al-Muhimmah Series of Twelve Praise) (1858) in which (The Desired Fruits) (1888). Whilst in the field pantun (traditional Malay poetry) and poems are of history, he produced Tuhfat Al-Nafis (The mixed. Precious Gift) (1865), Silsilah Melayu dan In his work of Gurindam Dua Belas, in Bugis (Malay and Bugis Genealogy) (1866), article five, verse 1, Raja Ali Haji said, “If you Tawarikh al-Sughra (The Smaller Chronicle), want to know a nation, look through its people’s Tawarikh al-Wusta (The Middle Chronicle), budi (morals) and language.” This fact indicates Tawarikh al-Kubra (The Larger Chronicle), the that Raja Ali Haji, as a scholar, a culturalist, a Peringatan Sejarah Negeri Johor (Historic writer, a historian, and an Islamic expert, views Memorial of Johor State), as well as the history refined attitude is of great importance to human of Riau-Lingga and its conquered regions. beings (Malik 2012b, 559-560). However, the He also produced Malay philosophical view of refined attitude in his work has not works which are derived from Islamic attracted the attention of researchers and teachings. Those works are composed in the scholars so far. Instead, a number of studies on form of poetry viz. Gurindam Dua Belas (The his work has focused on the fields of religion, Twelve Couplets) (1846) and it has become linguistics, history, political governance, and popular in Indonesia, Malaysia and other Malay literature. 22 International Journal of Information Technology and Business Management 15th December 2017. Vol.58 No.1 © 2012-2017 JITBM & ARF. All rights reserved ISSN 2304-0777 www.jitbm.com This study is imperative as it is in reference in the concept of personal character accordance with the education policy in within Malay-Muslim culture. Indonesia. Since 2010, the Government of the Bukhari al-Jauhari elaborates on the Republic of Indonesia, under the Ministry of concept of budi in his work of Taj al-Salatin National Education, has re-implemented (Braginsky & Vladimir 1994, 206-208). His character education starting from primary elaboration can be summarized into fourteen education level to higher education level. With characteristics, among others, character is an that character education, the education program entity that is closest to God, is the origin of all is expected to be implemented comprehensively truth shown by Allah, it emits lights of truth to by integrating social skills, one’s nature, the entire human body, its presence character and love towards one’s culture and differentiates between good and bad, it brings Indonesian language which in the end allow self-perfection, human actions and compulsory education institutions to boost the output of elements within human beings so as to prevent students who are capable of meeting the needs them from getting bad lucks. of qualified human resources. With regards to According to Raja Ali Haji (1986, that, education development materials need to 216), budi glorifies humans, preventing humans be drafted in accordance with the vision of from erring, and it allows humans to gain Indonesian National Education (Center of difficult knowledge in that character is like the Curriculum 2010, 1). bright light. Budi (character) is located in This study examines three main issues: human’s heart where light continues to radiate (1) the values contained in personal character to and controls the brain (mind) so that people index in the works of Raja Ali Haji, (2) the may know how to differentiate between right relationship between personal character values and wrong doings. Character is also transformed and the teachings of Islam in the works of Raja into behavior. Therefore, someone with good Ali Haji, and (3) the semiotic class of personal behavior receives God’s glory. character values in the works of Raja Ali Haji. The heart, where budi originally stems Literature Review from, is derived from an Arabic word. 1. The Concept of Budi and Budi Pekerti According to Rahman (2010, 228), there are Budi is a term derived from Sanskrit, which is some words in Arabic that refer to the definition rooted from the feminine word Budh. Therefore, of ‘heart’ in Indonesian with deep layers of the concept of budi is in line with Hindu meanings. The first layer is the word “qalb” philosophy in which budi has deep and high which means the outest dimension of heart, the mental elements in it. second layer is the word “fuad” which is The concept of budi in Hinduism is defined as the dimension of heart which refers described as follows (Osborne, Appignanesi, & to minds with intellectual intelligence Van Loon 1996, 63-64). potentials, the third layer is the word “thaqafah” “It is argued that the world is formed as which is defined as the dimension of heart that purusha (spirit or Atman) infuses prakriti with spiritual intelligence, the fourth layer is the (matter or original nature), and that is stimulates word “lubb” that contains all intellectual the three states of prakriti. These three states, intelligence and spiritual intelligence, and the satya (transparency), rajas (activity), tamas last layer or the deepest dimension of heart is (inactivity). These forces interact and play the “sirr” which entails the deepest spiritual secrets. different parts in the development of prakriti. In his will, Syaiyidina Ali bin Abi As prakriti is activated it becomes Buddhi Thalib radhiallahu ‘anhu suggests the (intellect), out of which individual egos evolve.” importance of the role or function of the heart. His testament reads as follows (Yazdi 2012, 23- Although the concept of budi is 67). derived from Sanskrit word that contains Hindu “And O my son, I hereby made my will philosophical values, in Malay culture, the for you to fear Allah and to obey His commands, concept has been modified. This is because to enlighten your heart by always remembering Malay culture is attached to the teachings of Him and to keep up with His rules (obedience Islam in which the values of Islam are the main and servitude). And what bond is more reliable 23 International Journal of Information Technology and Business Management 15th December 2017. Vol.58 No.1 © 2012-2017 JITBM & ARF. All rights reserved ISSN 2304-0777 www.jitbm.com and dependable than the bond between you and support of character, attitudes, decision, habits your Lord (Allah) Jalla Jalaluhu, as long as you and good moral values in a person which is are determined in doing it.” terminologically called as virtue (Zuhriah 2007, 18). The heart has two sides: the one which Character is associated with akhlak leads to goodness must be addressed by pieces (morals). The term akhlak is a plural form of an of advice, the one related to the worldly affairs Arabic word ‘khuluq’ which means ‘customs, must be stopped by asceticism (self- behavior, character, manners, religion, the introspection). The side of the heart (desire) that nature of origin, dignity, inner visions, and or is God-oriented in nature should be constantly morality’ (Alfan 2011, 17; Gazalba 1981, 511). enlivened whilst the side of the heart that is both According to Alfan (2011, 21), akhlak, in animal and evil in nature should be subdued. Arabic, means sajiyyah ‘behavior’, mur’uah Human desire is also divided to two parts: the ‘character’, thab’in ‘nature’, and adab desire that leads to God and heaven and the ‘manners’. desire that leads to devils and hell. The heart Although morals are part of ethics, that is vibrant, strong, and is God and heaven both are fundamentally different. Morals, based oriented is the one that must be preserved on the teachings of Islam, are formed by the (Yazdi 2012, 37-67).