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Between Creatures and the Sufism. However a problem quickly arose only intense theological debates took this issue took place in the 16 century.
th
Creator when the concept of “knowing self” had place (that are still in progress) and many Hamzah Fansuri was the torchbearer
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It was once assumed that the mystical to be formulated. How should the Hadith types of mystical orders sprung up; the 12. Hamzah Fansuri came from Barus, on the west
tradition or more precisely, the Sufi Qudsi that says kuntu kanzan makhfiyyan penetration of mystical thought into the coast of northern Sumatra. There is no genuine
source that offers direct information about this
tradition in the Islamic world was directly an-u’rafa (I am the hidden treasure, philosophical world of other religions brilliant Sufi-poet, but experts tried to find it by
influenced by Hellenism that had been happy to be known) be interpreted? sometimes occurred as well. critically studying his writings. However, different
interpretations were inevitable, like the Prophet,
parts of ideas. The spread of Islam to Everything is perceived as a mystery. In Sufism, as the intensification of the who was not liked by Iskandar Muda, for his daring
Persia, which had embraced Hellenism what way can “the hidden” and “happy to service of God is an attempt to achieve to reprimand loudly. Could Hamzah Fansuri, who
through the conquest of Alexander the be known” be approached? Sufis were the highest level of gnosis, the most refused to go to the palace of the Shah-e-nadi?
Brakel said that the place could only have been in
Great and the Persian influence in the well aware of Allah’s warnings in the perfect mystical level, when the “self” Aceh, as it is also mentioned in the Hikayat Aceh.
history of Islamic thought seemed to Qur’an (QS. Al-Hadid/57: 16) that say: has dissolved into a feeling of unity with But Drewes was adamant that it was the capital of
justify this assumption. Moreover, the “Has the time not come for those who the Divine. But what does participation Old Siam. On one thing they all agreed and that is
that Fansuri came from Barus. “Hamzah Barus in
debate between man’s aspiration as believe that their hearts should humbly mean in this unity with the Divine? This the Malay country/precisely Kapur in timber/......”)
the “creation” or the “emanation” of the submit to be mindful of Allah and the was the starting point of a debate ---is (Quoted in Iskandar, 1965). But was he born there?
The first difference appeared in al-Attas (1969) and
Highest Essence also ravaged Sufi truth of the revelation that has been sent it unity of existence (wujud), essence (1970: 4- 8), in which he said no, he was born in
thought. In fact, some say that it is rooted down? And let them not emulate those (dhat), or vision (shuhud)? The wahdat Sharnawi, based on the poem:
in thoughts that developed in India. to whom the Scripture was delivered al-wujud (the unity of existence) negates Hamzah whose origin is Fansuri
Came into existence on the soil of Sharnawi
However, a distinction must be made earlier, whose hearts, after a long period the existence of reality, because it is “Wujud” (lit. existence), according to al-Attas, has
between a possible acculturation process had become heavy and many of them incorporated in the “unity of existence” to be interpreted as physical existence, so it means
to be born. But Brakel (1969), and Drewes and
and the origin of this trend in thinking. even became sinners.” But, how to do with God ---in which a monistic pantheist Brakel (1986) doubt this because al-Attas did not
So, in this respect, the Sufi tradition this? In QS al-Hadid/57: 3-4, God gave element was discerned. But the wahdat look at the rest of the poem,
must first be sought in the teachings of a hint, “He is the First and the Last, the al-shuhud (the unity of vision) begins “Hath khilafat original science
From Sayyid Abdul Kadir Jilani”
Islam itself ---the history of the life of External and the Internal, and He knows from recognizing that the highest level Apparently, al-Attas also did not consider the
the Prophet and his companions, and everything. He is with you wherever you is the disclosure (kasyf) or the vision verses before and after this. In conclusion,
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especially from the Quran. It is in the are. Allah is All-Seeing of what you do”. of God (shuhud), when the self has the “Fansuri’s origin” is to mean the place of birth,
while “Sharnawi” is where he found the “science
interpretation of the Quranic verses that Furthermore, QS Qaf/50: 15, “…We are feeling to be part of the Divine. If the of existence”. Brakel (1979) reinforced this point by
the main upheaval in the world of Islamic closer to him than his own arteries.” He former is monistic in nature, the latter trying to reconstruct Barus’ historical role, which
was important in international perspective.
mystical thought occurred. is close, but it seems a long road has to remained within the essential distance Al-Attas failed to determine Hamzah’s birth year,
be travelled to meet Him. In the process between the Creator (al-Khaliq) and but he was certain that he (Hamzah) did not
The expression “he, who knows himself, of becoming connected with God, not witness Iskandar Muda’s ascend to the throne in
will know his God” (man ‘arafa nafsahu those the had created (makhluq). 1607 because, among other reasons, al-Raniri did
faqad ‘arafa rabbahu) was the beginning 11. The Indonesian translation is based on Surin, Based on the texts left to us, we know not mention him in the Bustanus Salatin. However,
but the English translation of the verses is based
said al-Attas (1966: 44-5), it seems that he lived
of the intensification of worship by way of on the Sahih International. that in Southeast Asia the debate on during the reign of Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah

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