Page 132 - INDONESIA ISLAMIC CULTURE

competition in the waters of western “He is (Sultan Iskandar Muda) the one sphere and that many royal symbols said, a woman may be chosen as
Indonesia, religious scholars who who built the mosque Baitur Rahman and clearly reveal the cultural influences of queen, because “God does not want a
probably came from other regions in the several mosques in each manzil (region). the Mughal palace, as Brakel showed, false ruler for His servants”.
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Islamic world, not only acted as advisers He hardened Islam, ordered his people but in Aceh’s historical awareness, Nevertheless, in a system that required
or functioned to legitimize those in to pray five times a day, to fast during Iskandar Muda’s era was the period an authoritarian but just king, a period
power, but also acted as mediators with Ramadan, also to fast on preferable when Aceh’s position as the “Veranda of relatively weak rulers started anyway.
the outside world. Under the spiritual days, and to get rid of all those who of Mecca” was consolidated. Also at From 1641 to 1699, Aceh was ruled by
guidance of these religious scholars, drank wine and gambled.” 6 this time, the powerful dictum “laws four queens in a row. It was a situation
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the rulers of the maritime trade centers That was the “golden age of Aceh” as and customs are like nails and flesh” when not only Aceh’s territory had been
saw themselves as parts of the described by Nuruddin al-Raniri, the was coined and Aceh’s cultural position returned to its original borders, when
cosmopolitan world of Islam. Political most influential scholar at the court of defined. This cultural definition saw Sultan Iskandar Muda ascended the
competition would probably never end, Sultan Iskandar Thani (1636-1641) the Islam as the basis of the cultural and throne, Aceh’s politics were determined
but culture was something they could son in law and the successor of Sultan political structure that positioned the to a large extent by the Orang Kaya
share. Therefore, it is understandable Iskandar Muda. Snouck Hurgronje may sultan in the center of power and balancing of power. The clergy’s position
that the Sejarah Melayu asserts that have been correct when he stated that state symbols. In this constellation, as the king’s certifiers and supervisors
for their worldly connections, Aceh, Aceh’s so-called “golden age” is merely a religious scholars were the certifiers of survived and had even been endorsed
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Malacca, Minangkabau and others fairy tale. Nevertheless, in addition to its power and the formulators of reality. by the Adat Aceh, which may be seen as
turned to Alexander the Great, the political and economic successes, the However, after his death, Iskandar a treatise about 18th century Acehnese
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Macedonian King and the historical quote above clearly refers to a particular Thani left no male heir which offered ideology. 11
figure who had become a mythical aspect of Aceh’s political tradition: the the Orang Kaya (The Rich People),
figure in the East. It was also not king has the monopoly over initiatives. the competing political and economic Clerics are religious scholars. No
surprising that the Sultanate of Sulu Nuruddin al-Raniri, the trusted cleric of elites, the opportunity to elect a queen matter how great their impact, efforts
traced its origins to the Minangkabau Iskandar Muda’s successor, never failed as their new ruler ---something that was to turn religious scholars into parts of
and Palembang. Or that the Sultan of to offer all honors to the sultan, although discussed hypothetically in the Tajus- the power structure would only have
Banten asked Mecca to confirm his others may have contributed as well. Salatin now had become a reality. If 10. For a brief biography of these queens see,
title ---a move the King of Mataram on there was no acceptable male heir, the Ismail Sofyan, M. Hasan Basry, and T. Ibrahira
Java followed --- although the ruler of Historians can probably tell of Aceh’s manuscript from the early 17th century Alfian (eds.), Wanita Utama Nusantara dalam
Lintasan Sejarah, Jakarta, 1994 (sponsor Bank
the Holy Land might not have had the inclusion in the Indian Islamic cultural 8. L.F. Brakel, “State and Statecraft in the I7tb Exim). For a more complete picture see Iljas
religious authority to do so. 6. T. Iskandar (ed.) Nuruddin ar-Raniri: Bustanus century Aceh”, in Anthony Reid & Lance Catles Sutan Pamenan, Rentjong Atjeh Ditangan Wanita,
Salatin (Bab II, Pasal 15), Kuala Lumpur, Dewan (eds.), Pre-colonial State Systems in Southeast Djakarta (n.p), 1959 (stencilled).
After narrating Iskandar Muda’s various Bahasa dan Pustaka, 1866, p. 36. Asia, Kuala Lumpur: MBRAS, 1975, 56-66. 11. On the relationship between kings and
triumphs, the Bustanus Salatin (The 7. Denys Lombard, Kerajaan Aceh: Jaman Sultan 9. See for example H.M. Zainuddin, Tarich Atjeh religious scholars, see G.W.J. Drewes & P.
Voorhoeve (eds.), Customary Atjeh, Leiden:
dan Nusantara, Medan, Pustaka Iskandar Muda,
Iskandar Muda 1607-1636 (translation), Jakarta:
Sultans’ Garden), states that: Balai Pustaka, 1986. 1961. VKITLV. Vol. 24, 1958.

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