One hundred and fourteen years after the death of Syaikh Yusuf al-Maqassari, Syaikh Nawawi al-Bantani was born in Tanara, Serang. In this period the Kingdom of Banten has disappeared. The kingdom, as other kingdoms in the archipelago, was occupied by the Dutch. As Azyumardi Azra states that in the time when Syaikh Yusuf al-Maqassari arrived in, Banten was the centre for Islamic studies. Achmad Djajadiningrat through his memoir affirms that from what he experienced, Banten was still Islamic, even the most religious among other regions in the archipelago. From the autobiography of Achmad Djajadiningrat and the biography of Syaikh Nawawi al-Bantani we know that both lived in the same period, although the last man was much older than the first at the time.
Syaikh Nawawi is the popular name of Abu ‘Abd al-Mu’ti Muhammad B. Umar B. ‘Arabi al-Tanari al-Bantani Al-Jawi al-Nawawi, henceforth Syaikh Nawawi or Nawawi. He was born in 1813 in the village of Tanara, Tirtayasa, Serang, Banten and died in Mecca, Saudi Arabia in 1897. He is the first of six children of the penghulu Umar and the native villager Jubaidah. Ahmad Syihabuddin, Sa’id, Tamin, Abdullah, Syakilah, and Syahriah are his brothers and sister. Umar died when Syaikh Nawawi was 13 years old.
Pertaining to his education, he got his first education from his father and further education from Hajji Sahalin in Banten and Raden Hajji Yusuf in Karawang. Like other children in Banten, he also entered a pesantren. In this case he entered a pesantren in Cikampek, West Java. Afterwards, he and his brothers travelled to Mecca for a pilgrimage. After he finished his hajj, he remained there for approximately three years.
In Mecca he studied under the ulamas Sayid Ahmad Nahrawi, Sayid Ahmad Dimyati, Sayid Ahmad Zain Dahlan, Khatib Sambas, ‘Abd al-Ghani Bima, and Yusuf Saumbulawini, Ahmad Nahrawi, and Yusuf al-Daghistani. He also studied in Madina under Syaikh Mohammad Khotib Alhambali. Moreover, he continued his education to Syiria and Egypt. In 1833 he returned to Banten, but he then decided to revert to Mecca. There is no an exact reason why he did not live in Banten but chose Mecca as the place where he spent his life. One opinion states that he could not bear under the Dutch’s pressure and another affirms that he felt comfortable to the educational system there.
Later Syaikh Nawawi was known as Fuqaha and the last Hukamaa, Ulama from Hijaz, Imamul Ulama al-Haramain, and a professor at Nasyrul Ma’arif Diniyah in Mecca. From 1860 to 1870, “Every morning, between 07.30 and 12.00 noon, he gave about three lectures…” and they were always attended by numerous students. Some of his students from the region which is now known as Indonesia are KH Khalil Madura (East Java), KH Hasyim As’ari Jombang (East Java), KH Raden Asnawi Kudus (Central Jawa Tengah), KH Asy’ari of Bawean, KH Nahjun of Tangerang, KH Tubagus Mohammad Asnawi of Caringin (Banten), KH Ilyas of Serang, and KH ‘Abd al-Ghaffar of Serang. His devotion to authorship is desceibed by Snouck Hurgronje in his Mecca in the Latter Part of the 19 Century.
His Works and Books on Him
It is said that Syaikh Nawawi had wide knowledge, not only in the field of religion but also in that of war and governmental science. Chaidar on his book affirms that he wrote hundreds of books. However, it is difficult to prove because, like other writers, he just mentions some titles. Nonetheless, his books became important references in educational institutions, either in Asia, especially in Indonesia, or in the Middle East. To get a more obvious description about his knowledge, the following are his works as Brockelman classifies into tafsir, fiqh, dogmatics, mysticism, stories of the prophet, Arabic grammar, and rethoric.
In the field of tafsir he wrote Marah Labid li Kashf Ma’na al-Qur’an al-Majid or it is also called called Al-Tasfir al-Munir li Ma’alim al-Tanzil al-Musfir ‘an Wujuh Mahasin al-Ta’wil which was published in Cairo in 1205 A.H. This book can be said as his original work, while others are only his commentaries on other writers’ books. Tawshih or Qut al-Habib, Maraqi al-Ubudiyya, Al-Fathul Mujib, Al-Iqd al-Thamin, and Kashifat al-Saja are his books on fiqh. In the field of dogmatics he wrote Dhari’at al-Yaqin, Nur al-Zalam, Tijan al-Darari, Qatr al-Ghayth Sharh Masa’il Abi al-Layth, Hilyat al-Sibyan, Fath al-Majid, and Timar al-Yani’a. In the field of mysticism he wrote Salim Fudhala, Qomi’ al-Tughyan, and Misbah al-Zulam. His books which are included into the category of stories of the prophet are Fath al-Samad al-Alim ‘ala Mawlid al-Shaykh Ahmad ibn al-Qasim wa al-Bulugh al-Fawzi lil Bayan Alfaz mawlid ibn al-Jawzi, Targhib al-Mustaqin li Bayan Manzumat Zayn al-‘Abidin al-Barzanji, Al-Durar al-Bahiyya, and Al-Ibriz al-Dani fi Mawlid Sayyidina Muhammad al-Sayyid al-‘Adnani. Moreover, in Arabic grammar he wrote Kashf al-Murutiya ‘an Sitar al-Jurumiyya and Al-Fusus al-Yaqutiyya. Eventually, in the last category, rhetoric, he wrote Lubab al-Bayan fi ‘ilm al-Bayan, Tanqih al-Qawl al-Hathith, Nihayat al-Zayn, Nasaih al-Ibad, and Al-Futuhat al-Madaniyya.
Furthermore, as a prominent author many works on him have been published. Some of them are Chaidar’s investigation which was written under the title Sejarah Pujangga Islam Syech Nawawi Albanteni, Indonesia, published by Sarana Utama in 1978. To get the data he visited the descendants of Nawawi in Surabaya, Banten, and Mecca. He even went to the last city for interviewing twice. However, since this book refers only to one book, it is less complete. In 1992 Sri Mulyati submitted his MA thesis about sufism teachings of Nawawi in his book Salalim al-Fudhala to McGill University, titled Sufism in Indonesia: An Analysis of Nawawi Al-Banteni’s “Salalim Al-Fudhala’”.
In addition, as we see in the list of Nawawi’s works, most of them are his commentaries on others’ books. Only Marah Labid which can be said as his original work. It seemingly attracts Alex Soesilo Wijoyo to make it as the topic of his dissertation Shaykh Nawawi of Banten: Texts, Authority, and the Gloss Tradition which he submitted to Culumbia University in 1997.
In 2003 at least there were two researchers who wrote about Syaikh Nawawi al-Bantani. Hermeneutika Al-Qur’an Di Indonesia: Suatu Kajian Terhadap Kitab al-Tafsir al-Munir Karya KH. Nawawi Banten is Mamat S. Burhanuddin’s dissertation which he submitted to Universitas Islam Negeri Jakarta. It was then published as a book by UII Press Yogyakarta in 2006 entitled Hermeneutika al-Qur’an ala Pesantren (Analisis Terhadap Tafsir Marah Labid karya K.H. Nawawi Banten). Asep Muhamad Iqbal a student at Leiden University wrote Understanding Jews and Christians in The Qur’anic Commentary Syekh Nawawi Banten (1813-1897) as his MA thesis. The thesis was published by Teraju in 2004 under the title Yahudi & Nasrani dalam Al-Qur’an: Hubungan Antaragama Menurut Syaikh Nawawi Banten.
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Sabtu, 31 Mei 2008
SYAIKH YUSUF AL-MAQASSARI
Syaikh Yusuf al-Maqassari
The first Bantenese man which can be proven as an author is Muhammad Yusuf b. ‘Ab Allah ‘Abu al-Mahasiin al-Taj al-Khalwati al-Maqassari, henceforth Syaikh Yusuf al-Maqassari or al-Maqassari. He was a unique figure. As a man who was born in Makassar he is a Makassarese. Bantenese people claim he is a Bantenese since he became a son in law of Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa. He even lived in Banten for 18 years before he was exiled by the Dutch to Ceylon. The next claim comes from Ceylonese people. The reason which is proposed is similar to that of Bantenese, that he lived in Ceylon for a certain time. In South Africa, where he spent the rest of his life, he is stated as an African. In this country we even find a region called Maccasar, a name from which Al-Maqassari came from. The former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela affirmed that he is one of the best sons of the Africans. The writer Farid Esack in his Qur'an, Liberation and Pluralism: An Islamic Perspective of Interreligious Solidarity Against Oppression and Suleman Essop Dangor in his thesis A Critical Biography of Shaykh Yusuf declare that he was an important Muslim in the history of Islam in South Africa. Based on such a claim, I include him into the category of Bantenese authors.
Al-Maqassari was born on 3 July 1626 in Makassar, Sulawesi. Since he was young he has learnt religion from Daeng ri Tasammang. More specifically he learnt Arabic, fiqh, Islamic doctrine, and Sufism from Sayyid Ba ‘Alwi b. ‘Abd Allah Al-‘Allamah Al-Thahir, an Arabian who lived in Bontoala. When 15 years old, he continued his study in Cikoang. There he learnt from Jalal Al-Din Al-Aydid, a religious teacher from Aceh who finally lived there. After leaving Cikoang, al-Maqassari married a daughter of Sultan Gowa, ‘Ala’ ‘Al-din, who is also known in Makassar as Mangarangi Daeng Maurabiya. In Arabia he married twice. The first time was with a daughter of an imam of syafi’I school of thought and the second was with a Sulawesinese woman in Madina. Afterwards, on September 1644 he sailed to Arabia getting on a Malay ship, but before reaching the destination he dropped in Banten. At the time Banten was was ruled by ‘Abu al-Mafakhir ‘Abdul-Qadir (1626-1651). Besides being a centre of business, it was also that of Islamic studies. In Banten Yusuf al-Maqassari was close to the son of the sultan Pangeran Surya or ‘Abd al-Fatah or he was later known as Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa.
From Banten he continued his travel to Arabia through Aceh. Azyumardi Azra assumes, Yusuf al-Maqassari followed his teacher al-Raniri going to India and learnt to the teacher of al-Raniri, ‘Umar b. ‘Abd Allah Ba Syayban. From the Gujarat seashore he resumed to Yemen. Here he studied to Muhammad b. ‘Abd al-Baqi al-Naqsyabandi, Sayyid ‘Ali al-Zabidi, and Muhammad b. al-Wajih al-Sa’di al-Yamani. From Yemen he travelled to Haramayn. There he had teachers such as Ahmad Al-Qusyasyi, ‘Ibrahim al-Kurani, and Hasan al-‘Ajami. His other teachers were Muhammad al-Mazru (al-Madani), ‘Abd al-Karim al-Lahuri, and Muhammad Muraz al-Syami. The search of him for knowledge did not stop there. From Haramyn he went to Damascus to study under ‘Ayub b. Ahmad b. ‘Ayyub al-Dimasyqi (1586-1661). Afterwards, he studied in Istanbul.
In his works, Syaikh Yusuf al-Maqassari does not mention what kind of knowledge he learnt from his teachers. Nevertheless, Azyumardi Azra is sure that besides studying Sufism he also learnt hadits, tafsir, fiqh, and other religious lessons. Moreover, it is not known how long he spent his time for studying in these countries. Hami and van Bruinessen as quoted by Azyumardi Azra affirm that he returned to the archipelago in 1664 or 1672. However, he states that he has not any data which can support one of the opinions. The different opinions also occur in the coming back of Yusuf al-Maqassari, whether from his studies he returned to Makassar or not. The first states that from Arabia he reverted to Gowa. Since he found the society was un-Islamic he left Gowa and came back to Banten. However, there he had students like Nur al-Din b. ‘Abd al-Fattah, ‘Abd al-Basyir al-Darir, and ‘Abd al-Qadir Karaeng Jeno.
Azyumardi Azra does not support this opinion. He is surer that Syaikh Yusuf al-Maqassari left Arabia to Banten and eventually decided to live here. As it has written earlier, before travelling to Arabia he dropped in Banten. In this kingdom he made a friendship with Pangeran Surya who became the sultan of Banten when Syaikh Yusuf al-Maqassari was there for the second time. After returning from the Middle East, by marrying Syarifah, he became the son in law of Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa. He also became the member of the advisory board of Sultan. Knowing that Al-Maqassari was in Banten, Sultan Gowa requested him to return to Gowa, but he rejected. As a solution, he sent his student al-Dharir. In the royal family his brother in law ‘Abd Qohhar can be said as his most prominent student. Azra even assumes strongly that the departure of ‘Abd Qohhar to Mecca and Istambul was based on his encouragement. It is also said that either when Al-Maqassari visited Banten before going to Arabia or after he returned, Banten was still the centre of Islamic studies.
The presence of Syaikh Yusuf al-Maqassari in Banten was not only involved in religious matters, but also in politics. He together with Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa fought against the Dutch. After his father in law was caught by the Dutch and sent to Batavia, he was caught and exiled to Ceylon. He spent more or less one decade in this region. When he was here he wrote books based on the request of his friends, students, and Muslim in general. Sylaniyyah and Safinat al-Najah are some examples. Moreover, it is known that in Ceylon he got married and had descendants, from them people know the works of Al-Maqassari which were written there.
The exile of Al-Maqassari from Banten to Ceylon which was intended to prevent rebellions which might happen did not mean that it cut the relation between him and people outside Ceylon. Ceylon as it is known was a transit for hajj pilgrims that enabled him to entrust his books to be brought to the archipelago. He still even had a contact with ulamas in India such as Sidi Matilaya, ‘Abu al-Ma’ani ‘Ibrahim Minhan, and ‘Abu al-Shiddiq b. Muhammad Shadiq. In fact, besides the hajj pilgrims carried the books from Ceylon to the archipelago, they carried books from the archipelago to Ceylon as well.
When he was banished to Ceylon, Sultan Gowa ‘Abd Jalil (1677-1709) requested the governor of Macassar to bring him back to Makassar, but the request was ignored. In 1693 Syaikh Yusuf a-Maqassari and 49 other people were even exiled further, namely to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, embarked on De Voetboog. They arrived there on 2 April 1694 and lived in Zandvliet. Like in Ceylon, here he also taught his students, but no information stating that he wrote a book in this region. Here they were forbidden to perform religious meetings. The Dutch even ordered the Christianisation.
On 22 May 1699 it was informed that he died in Cape Town and was buried at Faure. His followers and descendants were finally permitted to return to Makassar. Some of them decided to live in Africa and most chose to revert. Those who returned to the archipelago got on the ships De Liefe and De Spiegel in 1704. Based on the request of Sultan Gowa, the dead body of Syaikh Yusuf al-Maqassari was shipped to Makassar, arrived in 5 April 1705, and on the day after he was buried in Lakiung.
His Works and Books on Him
As an author who got education from the Middle East, it is not strange that Syaikh Yusuf a-Maqassari wrote in Bugise, Javanese, and Arabic. It was very possible since he spent his life in Makassar, Banten, and the Middle East. Although he learnt fiqh, tafsir, and islamic doctrines, most of his books are about sufism. He wrote al least 25 books.
Al-Barakat al-Sailaniyya (The Blessing of Ceylon) contains information about the way how to follow the sufistic road, such as the kinds and times of dzikir (remembering), of syahadah (confession), and the way how to approach God (muraqabah). In his opinion in this book, there are three ways to remember God: dzikr al-nafi wa’l ithbat by reciting “la illaha illa Allah”, dzikir al-mudjarrad wa’l djalala, by reciting “Allah”, and dzikir al-ishara wa’l anfas by reciting “hu”. Afterwards, he devides syahadah into two kinds: al-syahadah al-mukhtassa and al-syahadah al-mutlaqa. The first syahadah is the words of asyhadu an la illa ha illa Allah wa asyhadu anna Muhammad ar-Rasulu Allah, while the second is Asyhadu an la illaha illa Allah wahdahu la sharika lahu wa asyhadu anna muhammad ‘abduhu wa rasuluhu. He states that there are three reasons why people approach God. These three are becase they fear of God’s torture, of being a part from God, and know that God is closer than their own soul. Tahun hijriyah 1221.
Al-Fawa’ih al-Yusufiyya fi Bayan Tahqiq al-Sufiyya was written as his answer to the people who asked him a number of religious matters. He suggested the people to much read the Koran and strengthen their tawheed (the Oneness of God), besides performing the practical religious obligations. Being patient, syukur (to thank God), being faithful, and being honest are also his recommendation to them. Like Al-Fawa’ih al-Yusufiyya fi Bayan Tahqiq al-Sufiyya, in his Hashiyya he also explains the meaning of syahadah, which means that any power is from God, besides Him cannot give and take the power. It is almost the same as the previous books, Kaifiyat al-Mun-ghi wal Ithbat bil Hadit al-Qudsi which was written in Ceylon because there were some people asked him to write about dzikir, explains that the people had to remember God (dzikir) any time since the Prophet Muhammad did so. In this book he provides the information how to repent.
The content of Matalib al-Salikin is similar to his other books. In this book he explains the Oneness of God as the foundation to become a Muslim. According to him, a Muslim must believe in the concept of tawheed (the Oneness of God) and ma’rifa (the knowledge on God), and perform ibadah (worship). This order can be seen as a three: tawheed is the stem; ma’rifa is the branch and its leaves, while the ibadah is its fruits. The teaching that Allah is different from others is restated by him in the Al-Nafahat al-Saylaniyaa which he wrote in Ceylon. Through this book he suggests the reader to have a religious teacher who can advise and guide him. The teacher is like a prophet when he was still alive. After the prophet died, the teacher succeeds him to guide the followers of the prophet. Moreover, he also teaches the ways how to approach God. The same explanations about the Uniqueness of God, the ways to approach Him and to repent are also present in his other books.
As an ulama-writer who had studied overseas and had a contribution to the dissemination of Islam in the archipelago, Ceylon, and South Africa, his life and works are studied by scholars. Prof. Dr. Tudjimah, in a seminar in Yogyakarta in 1970, presented his paper Seh Yusuf Makasar 1626-1699. Afterwards, in 1987 he wrote the biographcal book of Syaikh Yusuf titled Syekh Yusuf Makasar: Riwayat Hidup, Karya dan Ajarannya, published by Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudyaaan. To complete writing this book he utilised manuscripts as the sources. Nontheless, he seemed unseriuos in writing the book. He just picked any information and put it in his book. The way how he managed the information is also confusing. The information on one page will be refound in other pages.
A Critical Biography of Shaykh Yusuf is a thesis of Suleman Essop Dangor which he submitted to University of Durban-Westville in 1982. It fully disscuss the life of Yusuf al-Maqassari from his birth and early life, resistenace againts the dutch when he was in Banten, exile to the Cape, influence in the Cape, and contributions. In 1983 Yasasan Lakipadada publsihed a book of Daeng Rapi H.A. Massiara Syekh Yusuf Tuanta Salamaka Dari Gowa. A year later, in 1984, Nabilah Lubis submitted her thesis to IAIN Jakarta entitled Zubdat al Asraar Fi Tahqiq Ba’dh Masyarib al Ahya (Study Tentang Ajaran Syekh Yusuf Attaj). In the thesis Zubdat al-Asraar of Syaikh Yusuf Al-Maqassari is analised from the persfective of philology. However, she affirms that the manuscript which she used was only one, since there was the obstacle of fund and time.
Although the dissertation of Azyumardi Azra, The Transmission of Islamic Reformism to Indonesia: Networks of Middle Eastern and Malay-Indonesian `Ulama in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries, does not spesifically deals with Syaikh Yusuf Al-Maqassari, in this dissertation he is put as one of the most important ulamas in the reform of Islam in the archipelago in the 17th century, besides Nur al-Din al-Raniri and ‘Abd al-Ra’uf al-Sinkili. His biography and teachers are also presented.
Other works concerning Syaikh Yusuf al-Maqassari keep appearing. Syekh Yusuf: "Singa dari Gowa": Ulama Berkaliber Internasional of Solichin Salam was published in Jakarta in 1994 by Yayasan Pembina Generasi Penerus Indonesia. In the same year Abu Hamid’s Syekh Yusuf Makassar: Seorang Ulama, Sufi, Dan Pejuang was published by Yayasan Obor Indonesia. Moreover, a short biography of Syaikh Yusuf Al-Maqassari is present in Jejak-jejak Pahlawan: Dari Sultan Agung Hingga Syekh Yusuf of Y.B. Sudarmanto which was published by Gramedia Widiasarana Indonesia (Grasindo) in 1996. Ten years leater, Jejak-Jejak Spiritual Syekh Yusuf Abu l-Mahasin Hadiyatu l-Lah Taju l-Khalwati: Tuanta Salamaka, Sufi dan Pahlawan Gowa of M. Sirajuddin Bantang was published by Pustaka Refleksi.
Syaikh Yusuf Al-Maqassarin who was exiled to South Africa and regarded as having important roles there, is discussed by Nabilah Lubis in The Role of Shaykh Yusuf in Establishing the Muslim Community in Cape Town (2005). The role of him also becomes the topic of Azyumardi Azra’s paper Shaykh Yûsuf: His Role In Indonesia And South Africa (2005). A year later Nabilah Lubis’ thesis at IAIN Jakarta, with some edition, was published by Mizan in cooperation with Fakultas Sastra Universitas Indonesia and Ecole Francaise d’Extreme-Orient, under the title, Syekh Yusuf Al-Taj Al-Makasari: Menyingkap Intisari Segala Rahasia.
The first Bantenese man which can be proven as an author is Muhammad Yusuf b. ‘Ab Allah ‘Abu al-Mahasiin al-Taj al-Khalwati al-Maqassari, henceforth Syaikh Yusuf al-Maqassari or al-Maqassari. He was a unique figure. As a man who was born in Makassar he is a Makassarese. Bantenese people claim he is a Bantenese since he became a son in law of Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa. He even lived in Banten for 18 years before he was exiled by the Dutch to Ceylon. The next claim comes from Ceylonese people. The reason which is proposed is similar to that of Bantenese, that he lived in Ceylon for a certain time. In South Africa, where he spent the rest of his life, he is stated as an African. In this country we even find a region called Maccasar, a name from which Al-Maqassari came from. The former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela affirmed that he is one of the best sons of the Africans. The writer Farid Esack in his Qur'an, Liberation and Pluralism: An Islamic Perspective of Interreligious Solidarity Against Oppression and Suleman Essop Dangor in his thesis A Critical Biography of Shaykh Yusuf declare that he was an important Muslim in the history of Islam in South Africa. Based on such a claim, I include him into the category of Bantenese authors.
Al-Maqassari was born on 3 July 1626 in Makassar, Sulawesi. Since he was young he has learnt religion from Daeng ri Tasammang. More specifically he learnt Arabic, fiqh, Islamic doctrine, and Sufism from Sayyid Ba ‘Alwi b. ‘Abd Allah Al-‘Allamah Al-Thahir, an Arabian who lived in Bontoala. When 15 years old, he continued his study in Cikoang. There he learnt from Jalal Al-Din Al-Aydid, a religious teacher from Aceh who finally lived there. After leaving Cikoang, al-Maqassari married a daughter of Sultan Gowa, ‘Ala’ ‘Al-din, who is also known in Makassar as Mangarangi Daeng Maurabiya. In Arabia he married twice. The first time was with a daughter of an imam of syafi’I school of thought and the second was with a Sulawesinese woman in Madina. Afterwards, on September 1644 he sailed to Arabia getting on a Malay ship, but before reaching the destination he dropped in Banten. At the time Banten was was ruled by ‘Abu al-Mafakhir ‘Abdul-Qadir (1626-1651). Besides being a centre of business, it was also that of Islamic studies. In Banten Yusuf al-Maqassari was close to the son of the sultan Pangeran Surya or ‘Abd al-Fatah or he was later known as Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa.
From Banten he continued his travel to Arabia through Aceh. Azyumardi Azra assumes, Yusuf al-Maqassari followed his teacher al-Raniri going to India and learnt to the teacher of al-Raniri, ‘Umar b. ‘Abd Allah Ba Syayban. From the Gujarat seashore he resumed to Yemen. Here he studied to Muhammad b. ‘Abd al-Baqi al-Naqsyabandi, Sayyid ‘Ali al-Zabidi, and Muhammad b. al-Wajih al-Sa’di al-Yamani. From Yemen he travelled to Haramayn. There he had teachers such as Ahmad Al-Qusyasyi, ‘Ibrahim al-Kurani, and Hasan al-‘Ajami. His other teachers were Muhammad al-Mazru (al-Madani), ‘Abd al-Karim al-Lahuri, and Muhammad Muraz al-Syami. The search of him for knowledge did not stop there. From Haramyn he went to Damascus to study under ‘Ayub b. Ahmad b. ‘Ayyub al-Dimasyqi (1586-1661). Afterwards, he studied in Istanbul.
In his works, Syaikh Yusuf al-Maqassari does not mention what kind of knowledge he learnt from his teachers. Nevertheless, Azyumardi Azra is sure that besides studying Sufism he also learnt hadits, tafsir, fiqh, and other religious lessons. Moreover, it is not known how long he spent his time for studying in these countries. Hami and van Bruinessen as quoted by Azyumardi Azra affirm that he returned to the archipelago in 1664 or 1672. However, he states that he has not any data which can support one of the opinions. The different opinions also occur in the coming back of Yusuf al-Maqassari, whether from his studies he returned to Makassar or not. The first states that from Arabia he reverted to Gowa. Since he found the society was un-Islamic he left Gowa and came back to Banten. However, there he had students like Nur al-Din b. ‘Abd al-Fattah, ‘Abd al-Basyir al-Darir, and ‘Abd al-Qadir Karaeng Jeno.
Azyumardi Azra does not support this opinion. He is surer that Syaikh Yusuf al-Maqassari left Arabia to Banten and eventually decided to live here. As it has written earlier, before travelling to Arabia he dropped in Banten. In this kingdom he made a friendship with Pangeran Surya who became the sultan of Banten when Syaikh Yusuf al-Maqassari was there for the second time. After returning from the Middle East, by marrying Syarifah, he became the son in law of Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa. He also became the member of the advisory board of Sultan. Knowing that Al-Maqassari was in Banten, Sultan Gowa requested him to return to Gowa, but he rejected. As a solution, he sent his student al-Dharir. In the royal family his brother in law ‘Abd Qohhar can be said as his most prominent student. Azra even assumes strongly that the departure of ‘Abd Qohhar to Mecca and Istambul was based on his encouragement. It is also said that either when Al-Maqassari visited Banten before going to Arabia or after he returned, Banten was still the centre of Islamic studies.
The presence of Syaikh Yusuf al-Maqassari in Banten was not only involved in religious matters, but also in politics. He together with Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa fought against the Dutch. After his father in law was caught by the Dutch and sent to Batavia, he was caught and exiled to Ceylon. He spent more or less one decade in this region. When he was here he wrote books based on the request of his friends, students, and Muslim in general. Sylaniyyah and Safinat al-Najah are some examples. Moreover, it is known that in Ceylon he got married and had descendants, from them people know the works of Al-Maqassari which were written there.
The exile of Al-Maqassari from Banten to Ceylon which was intended to prevent rebellions which might happen did not mean that it cut the relation between him and people outside Ceylon. Ceylon as it is known was a transit for hajj pilgrims that enabled him to entrust his books to be brought to the archipelago. He still even had a contact with ulamas in India such as Sidi Matilaya, ‘Abu al-Ma’ani ‘Ibrahim Minhan, and ‘Abu al-Shiddiq b. Muhammad Shadiq. In fact, besides the hajj pilgrims carried the books from Ceylon to the archipelago, they carried books from the archipelago to Ceylon as well.
When he was banished to Ceylon, Sultan Gowa ‘Abd Jalil (1677-1709) requested the governor of Macassar to bring him back to Makassar, but the request was ignored. In 1693 Syaikh Yusuf a-Maqassari and 49 other people were even exiled further, namely to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, embarked on De Voetboog. They arrived there on 2 April 1694 and lived in Zandvliet. Like in Ceylon, here he also taught his students, but no information stating that he wrote a book in this region. Here they were forbidden to perform religious meetings. The Dutch even ordered the Christianisation.
On 22 May 1699 it was informed that he died in Cape Town and was buried at Faure. His followers and descendants were finally permitted to return to Makassar. Some of them decided to live in Africa and most chose to revert. Those who returned to the archipelago got on the ships De Liefe and De Spiegel in 1704. Based on the request of Sultan Gowa, the dead body of Syaikh Yusuf al-Maqassari was shipped to Makassar, arrived in 5 April 1705, and on the day after he was buried in Lakiung.
His Works and Books on Him
As an author who got education from the Middle East, it is not strange that Syaikh Yusuf a-Maqassari wrote in Bugise, Javanese, and Arabic. It was very possible since he spent his life in Makassar, Banten, and the Middle East. Although he learnt fiqh, tafsir, and islamic doctrines, most of his books are about sufism. He wrote al least 25 books.
Al-Barakat al-Sailaniyya (The Blessing of Ceylon) contains information about the way how to follow the sufistic road, such as the kinds and times of dzikir (remembering), of syahadah (confession), and the way how to approach God (muraqabah). In his opinion in this book, there are three ways to remember God: dzikr al-nafi wa’l ithbat by reciting “la illaha illa Allah”, dzikir al-mudjarrad wa’l djalala, by reciting “Allah”, and dzikir al-ishara wa’l anfas by reciting “hu”. Afterwards, he devides syahadah into two kinds: al-syahadah al-mukhtassa and al-syahadah al-mutlaqa. The first syahadah is the words of asyhadu an la illa ha illa Allah wa asyhadu anna Muhammad ar-Rasulu Allah, while the second is Asyhadu an la illaha illa Allah wahdahu la sharika lahu wa asyhadu anna muhammad ‘abduhu wa rasuluhu. He states that there are three reasons why people approach God. These three are becase they fear of God’s torture, of being a part from God, and know that God is closer than their own soul. Tahun hijriyah 1221.
Al-Fawa’ih al-Yusufiyya fi Bayan Tahqiq al-Sufiyya was written as his answer to the people who asked him a number of religious matters. He suggested the people to much read the Koran and strengthen their tawheed (the Oneness of God), besides performing the practical religious obligations. Being patient, syukur (to thank God), being faithful, and being honest are also his recommendation to them. Like Al-Fawa’ih al-Yusufiyya fi Bayan Tahqiq al-Sufiyya, in his Hashiyya he also explains the meaning of syahadah, which means that any power is from God, besides Him cannot give and take the power. It is almost the same as the previous books, Kaifiyat al-Mun-ghi wal Ithbat bil Hadit al-Qudsi which was written in Ceylon because there were some people asked him to write about dzikir, explains that the people had to remember God (dzikir) any time since the Prophet Muhammad did so. In this book he provides the information how to repent.
The content of Matalib al-Salikin is similar to his other books. In this book he explains the Oneness of God as the foundation to become a Muslim. According to him, a Muslim must believe in the concept of tawheed (the Oneness of God) and ma’rifa (the knowledge on God), and perform ibadah (worship). This order can be seen as a three: tawheed is the stem; ma’rifa is the branch and its leaves, while the ibadah is its fruits. The teaching that Allah is different from others is restated by him in the Al-Nafahat al-Saylaniyaa which he wrote in Ceylon. Through this book he suggests the reader to have a religious teacher who can advise and guide him. The teacher is like a prophet when he was still alive. After the prophet died, the teacher succeeds him to guide the followers of the prophet. Moreover, he also teaches the ways how to approach God. The same explanations about the Uniqueness of God, the ways to approach Him and to repent are also present in his other books.
As an ulama-writer who had studied overseas and had a contribution to the dissemination of Islam in the archipelago, Ceylon, and South Africa, his life and works are studied by scholars. Prof. Dr. Tudjimah, in a seminar in Yogyakarta in 1970, presented his paper Seh Yusuf Makasar 1626-1699. Afterwards, in 1987 he wrote the biographcal book of Syaikh Yusuf titled Syekh Yusuf Makasar: Riwayat Hidup, Karya dan Ajarannya, published by Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudyaaan. To complete writing this book he utilised manuscripts as the sources. Nontheless, he seemed unseriuos in writing the book. He just picked any information and put it in his book. The way how he managed the information is also confusing. The information on one page will be refound in other pages.
A Critical Biography of Shaykh Yusuf is a thesis of Suleman Essop Dangor which he submitted to University of Durban-Westville in 1982. It fully disscuss the life of Yusuf al-Maqassari from his birth and early life, resistenace againts the dutch when he was in Banten, exile to the Cape, influence in the Cape, and contributions. In 1983 Yasasan Lakipadada publsihed a book of Daeng Rapi H.A. Massiara Syekh Yusuf Tuanta Salamaka Dari Gowa. A year later, in 1984, Nabilah Lubis submitted her thesis to IAIN Jakarta entitled Zubdat al Asraar Fi Tahqiq Ba’dh Masyarib al Ahya (Study Tentang Ajaran Syekh Yusuf Attaj). In the thesis Zubdat al-Asraar of Syaikh Yusuf Al-Maqassari is analised from the persfective of philology. However, she affirms that the manuscript which she used was only one, since there was the obstacle of fund and time.
Although the dissertation of Azyumardi Azra, The Transmission of Islamic Reformism to Indonesia: Networks of Middle Eastern and Malay-Indonesian `Ulama in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries, does not spesifically deals with Syaikh Yusuf Al-Maqassari, in this dissertation he is put as one of the most important ulamas in the reform of Islam in the archipelago in the 17th century, besides Nur al-Din al-Raniri and ‘Abd al-Ra’uf al-Sinkili. His biography and teachers are also presented.
Other works concerning Syaikh Yusuf al-Maqassari keep appearing. Syekh Yusuf: "Singa dari Gowa": Ulama Berkaliber Internasional of Solichin Salam was published in Jakarta in 1994 by Yayasan Pembina Generasi Penerus Indonesia. In the same year Abu Hamid’s Syekh Yusuf Makassar: Seorang Ulama, Sufi, Dan Pejuang was published by Yayasan Obor Indonesia. Moreover, a short biography of Syaikh Yusuf Al-Maqassari is present in Jejak-jejak Pahlawan: Dari Sultan Agung Hingga Syekh Yusuf of Y.B. Sudarmanto which was published by Gramedia Widiasarana Indonesia (Grasindo) in 1996. Ten years leater, Jejak-Jejak Spiritual Syekh Yusuf Abu l-Mahasin Hadiyatu l-Lah Taju l-Khalwati: Tuanta Salamaka, Sufi dan Pahlawan Gowa of M. Sirajuddin Bantang was published by Pustaka Refleksi.
Syaikh Yusuf Al-Maqassarin who was exiled to South Africa and regarded as having important roles there, is discussed by Nabilah Lubis in The Role of Shaykh Yusuf in Establishing the Muslim Community in Cape Town (2005). The role of him also becomes the topic of Azyumardi Azra’s paper Shaykh Yûsuf: His Role In Indonesia And South Africa (2005). A year later Nabilah Lubis’ thesis at IAIN Jakarta, with some edition, was published by Mizan in cooperation with Fakultas Sastra Universitas Indonesia and Ecole Francaise d’Extreme-Orient, under the title, Syekh Yusuf Al-Taj Al-Makasari: Menyingkap Intisari Segala Rahasia.
Rabu, 05 September 2007
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