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| Kyai Haji Ajengan Ahmad Sanusi, A Traditional Kyai Figure from West Java, Indonesia (Special Document sukabumiNews) |
The Furu Problem and Nationalism: The Birth of Al-Ittihadiyatul Islamiyyah (AII)
If the main purpose of KHA Ahmad Sanusi's exile was to
distance him from his followers, then such an effort could be said to have been
unsuccessful. His followers still managed to keep in touch with the cleric.
There are several factors that encourage his followers
to always contact him at his place of exile. First, the development of
conditions of religious life at that time. At the end of the 1920s, the
mujadids were very aggressive in spreading their beliefs verbally and in
writing.
The opinions of the mujadids that most disturbed the
public at that time included the issues of talafudbiniat, talqin, and the use
of yellow books (the work of muta'akkhirin ulama), as well as whether or not
there was a Khasanah heresy. (34) They call people who are devoted to ulama,
like to read talafud biniat, talqin are polytheists, scattered and not the
people of Muhammad. (35)
This public unrest arose primarily because none of the
prominent traditional ajengan (Islamic leaders) in Priangan at the time
responded to the criticisms of the mujadids. Therefore, Haji Ahmad Sanusi's
followers then approached him.
At the urging of his followers, he wrote several books
in response to the fatwas issued by the reformers. He not only answered the
questions posed to him, but also challenged the mujadids to prove their
accusations in writing in separate books. (36)
With the exception of the reformist kyai of Garut, it
can be said that no other reformer responded to KHA Ahmad Sanusi's challenge.
A. Hassan, who was then known as the most outspoken reformer in criticizing the
traditionalists, also did not respond. In his book "Soal Jawab," he
mentions Ahmad Sanusi's name, solely to criticize or even insult him
personally, calling him "bad bamboo." (37)
KHA Ahmad Sanusi's contact with his followers became
more frequent, as the spirit of independence grew within the Indonesian nation.
(38) Like religious issues, especially the furu issue (a branch of religious
issues), the struggle for independence also caused a bit of debate among
Muslims.
On the one hand, it is considered forbidden for
Muslims to fight on the basis of nationalism or nationality. Meanwhile, on the
other hand, including KHA Ahmad Sanusi, they believe that the struggle for
independence based on nationality does not conflict with Islamic teachings.
(39)
These issues then prompted KHA Ahmad Sanusi and his
followers to form a socio-religious organization, Al-Ittihadiyatul Islamiyyah
(All). The organization was founded in November 1931 in Batavia Centrum.
Several former West Java SI figures joined this organization, including
Wignyadisastra.
Although All officially declared itself a
non-political organization, it developed into one of the most militant social
organizations in the Priangan and Bogor Residency. Their activities were
prominent not only in the social and educational fields but also in the
national movement. All's militancy gradually worried local officials, as
reflected in a letter from the Regent of Sukabumi dated August 28, 1933. In his
letter, he reported that All had made contact with "Pasundan," PI
(Partij Indonesia Partindo), and PNI. Many of All's mua'lim, who were community
leaders in the villages, acted as Pl and PNI leaders. Conversely, quite a few
members of the New PNI and Partindo acted as teachers in All's schools. (40) [Continued
to Part 7]
Also Read Part (5) “Sent to Prison”
*Ibid
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