Page 164 - INDONESIAN ISLAMIC CULTURE IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES

Oh ye community of the Prophet
154 Indonesian Islamic Culture in Historical Perspectives
the sphere where God’s “residence” and the But this became a problem. Does having a radical mystic. In his book, Sharab al-
world “meet” and sometimes he portrayed knowledge about Allah essentially [mean] Ashikin, he also asserted,
You should be possessed of the
knowledge of God (gnosis) himself as a bird that has liberated itself “knowing the path of unity with God”? Or, “One more thing, when he looked
from worldly ties. does having gnosis or ma’rifat actually outside of himself, all he saw was
For that knowledge is held by the means that union with the manifestation his own self. When he saw what he
saints As mentioned above, Hamzah and other of God has been achieved? In his
mystics derived their mystical ideas from looked at, he also looked at himself,
To be extremely lofty and most firm 17 the hadith which states that “knowing self poems Hamzah describes himself as because, for an expert in truth, in
is the basis of knowing God a “wanderer” who unceasingly seeks essence nature is one with him, not
What does Divine gnosis actually really God. He was poor, but his quest was two or three. If all of nature is one with
mean? Trying to find the answer to this “When one was known by him, he rich. He was endlessly restless “with his him, than naturally, all he saw was
question inevitably led to one of the most knew God, then the Divine abode was lust in opposition with waging war”, but himself as in the words of the Divine
always connected with knowledge,
famous debates in the mystical world of in the end he achieved “wealth in both Messenger, ra’itu rabbi biaini rabbi, I
Islam and this is essentially also one of the and divine knowledge was always universes and became king.” Therefore, see my God with God’s blessing.” 21
connected to Divine existence. He
esoteric aspects of Sufi thought. Sufis also surely obtained an attachment to “Do not look for Hamzah
are more inclined to use allegories and God, and knew the path to His Unity For Hamzah, the relationship between
metaphors in the way they express Divine by God as the word of God says, wafi His kind is not human God and nature was merely a metaphor,
gnosis. Describing his relationship with God, anfusikum afala tubsiruna, it means: His person, though perishable because only God really exists ---the
Hamzah used the term “sea” to describe universe is a reflection of His existence.
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In yourself, then why do you not see Is in constant union with the Real
17. Drewes & Brakel, 1986: 59. Him.” 19 Being It is like, “the sea cannot be separated
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18. The “sea” is a common parable in Southeast Asia from its waves, and waves cannot be
from as early as pre-Islamic times. The “sea” is not Finally, the boat reached the destination separated from the sea.” 22
only a geographic entitity that needs to be overcome, Wallahu alam is the name of the seacoast Although as a human being he was
but also forms a vision in understanding realities. Divine Wish is the sea’s name mortal, he had actually united with the With this poetic metaphor, Hamzah
On this matter see Lombard, 1980. This also has Divine Power is the harbor’s name true being, which is eternal. Finally compared the presence of the Divine
deeply influenced Hamzah Fansuri’s metaphores. Paradise is the country’s name
The almost constant theme in Hamzah’s writing is the For an aesthetic and literary criticism of this poem, religion, din, shows that a debt has to be essence with the boundless sea, la
endless “journey” in search of God, but it is a spiritual see Braginsky, 1975. Only seen from the point of paid during the life of a “child of trade”. If ta’ayun, because, he says “the mind
rather than a physical “journey”. The theme of the textual criticism, Braginsky could not ascertain that (budi) and speech (bichara), our
journey is beautifully illustrated in the well-known this poem was actually written by Hamzah, although this would have been settled, everything
poem, Syair Perahu. Life is like a boat sailing on the it was published in Doorenbos and later also cited would merge into oneness. Hamzah was knowledge (ilmu) and gnosis (makrifat)
sea with high waves. But, when all hardships have by Lombard. Drewes (Drewes and Brakel 1986: 18) do not pass Him.” However, the limitless
been conquered, the wind would also abate and the agreed with this assumption. However, this cannot Hamzah’s poem,
boat would sail easily, because deny the paralels of thought and the tendencies of the “Know yourself, O the child of jamu sea actualizes itself in five emanations,
Divine existence is the boat name poems that clearly were written by Hamzah (usually at Do not forget your-own self which stem from the ta’ayyun awal
Divine knowledge will the oars the end of a verse where Hamzah introduced himself). Knowledge of the essence ought to discern
Divine faith is the steering name 19. Johns, 1957: 56, a quotation of the Qur’an 51: That made you be known as your existence 21. Iskandar, 1965a.
Surely God is the name of the handler 21. This commentary was closed by a quote of 20. Drewes & Brakel, 1986: 137. 22. Al-Attas, 1966: 48.
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