Page 179 - INDONESIA ISLAMIC CULTURE

---when slander could be rampant--- is a the power that is no longer morally Problem: We should deny everything people with a miracle, by which Moses
situation that has to be avoided. legitimate? Is “losing sovereignty” the an unjust king says and does, how do could cross the sea. But God punished
But what is justice? Citing its sources, result of the people’s actions by way of we follow his words? the pharaoh. He and his army drowned in
the Tajus-Salatin confirms that “ justice is disobeying a despotic ruler or is the loss Answer: We follow what he says to the sea.
the glory of religion and that of the sultan of legitimacy in fact God’s punishment? avoid slander and the destruction of This story is derived from the Scripture.
and the goodness of all mankind as well.” We should not forget that this text the country, if it were no hardship, we But why is this story used to answer the
So, justice is not only something that is on political theory was generated or would never have to follow his words hypothetical situation of living under a
religiously required and indispensable formulated in Aceh at the time it had and his deeds, nor see his face, despotic king? By using this story as an
for humanity, but also beneficial for the not yet escaped a power crisis. Aceh because an unjust king turns away illustration to explain the ethical dilemma
affirmation of the sultan’s power. Thus, Darusalam at the time of the birth of the from Allah’s law; so one who turns between the need for justice by resorting
for power “justice is divine wisdom”. And Tajus-Salatin, as told by al-Raniri in the away from God’s law and denies His to rebellion, then the conclusion to be
a story was used to say that apart from Bustanus-Salatin, was a kingdom often Sharia is the enemy of God and His drawn is that the text states that the
the justice of a ruler --- repeating what suffering from the assassination and messenger. We have to be hostile to king’s despotic “sovereignty” cannot
had already been said by al-Ghazali--- dethroning of kings by the nobility. So Allah’s enemies.60 be taken away by the people who have
its reward equates sixty times performing the historical situation indeed showed been treated despotically, but by God.
the hajj. Or, to cite another source, that “justice” and “rebellion” were real If we have to be hostile to God’s Submitting the solution to the dilemma to
“one day is more recompensed than problems. In fact, the question often enemies, does this mean that a a transcendental decision, it is clear also
sixty years of prayers and on the Day came up, as also told in the text, whether tyrannical king must be opposed? Is it that the Tajus-Salatin is a continuation of
of Resurrection a just king will gain the an unjust king who did not follow the lawful to rebel against a legitimate but the Sunni political tradition that started its
shade of the Divine Throne.” orders of Allah and the Messenger tyrannical authority? The text does not growth in the early days of the Caliphate;
elaborate on this hypothetical problem,
For the Tajus-Salatin, the validity of would be obeyed? If yes, would this not, but it offers a historical illustration. Moses a legitimate but unjust government is
power or sovereignty (daulat) depends as this text also asks hypothetically, and his people left Egypt, which was better than a rebellion.
on the bonds between power and the mean following a “perfidious, ignorant, ruled by a despotic pharaoh. Moses did The issue of “sovereignty” and
concept of justice. Without justice validity and infidel” king? So, the Tajus-Salatin not ask his people to fight. During their “rebellion” is one of the key issues in
also vanishes. The text clearly says, “The answers the hypothetical question it asks escape to avoid tyranny, Moses and his political thinking. Moreover, the problem
loss of sovereignty was due to tyranny”. itself: people were pursued by the pharaoh relates to actual historical experience.
Later in Malay tradition the following Answer: We follow just kings who and his army. Allah saved Moses and his This is a problem various traditional
expression became known “a just king conduct two things of Divine law. 60. Jusuf’s edition, 1979: 29-30; This part is historiographies face when the texts
is a king who is worshipped, an unjust First, we follow what he says, second missing in Khalid’s edition. Perhaps it is an explain actual events that happened and
king is a king protested”. But, another we follow all he does. As for all unjust interpolation. But the ambivalent attitude the text were experienced. The Tajus-Salatin
problem emerged. Does this protest have kings we follow their words, but we do shows is supported by the ambivalences of other has the “luxury” to make hypotheses
texts when faced the last historical events, as will
to take the form of a “rebellion” against not follow their wrong deeds. be discussed later. See also Abdullah (1993). and provide rather ambivalent answers,

170 Indonesian Islamic Culture in Historical Perspectives Indonesian Islamic Culture in Historical Perspectives 171