Aceh Identity Crisis

16th Century Aceh

During the Iskandar Muda Kingdom in Aceh, which began in 1607 AD until 1636 AD, was a very glorious period, Aceh was a country that was very rich and prosperous. At that time it had established cooperation with western kingdoms, including the kingdoms of England, Ottoman and Holland.

Sultan of Aceh was held by Sultan Iskandar Muda Meukuta Perkasa Alam, the kingdom of Aceh developed as an Islamic kingdom and experienced glory during the reign of Sultan Iskandar Muda. The rapid development achieved by the Kingdom of Aceh was inseparable from its strategic location, namely on the northern part of Sumatra Island and near the international trade shipping lane at that time (http://kebultural.kemdikbud.go.id/bpcbaceh/2013/10/31/ glimpse-history-aceh-16th-century-writer-nurdin-s-sos-staff-restoration-bpcb-aceh /).

At that time Aceh played a very important role in the International kingdoms, namely as a transit area for commodity goods from East to West, and vice versa. It is through this trade route that Islam enters Aceh and thickens, so that Aceh is referred to as the Veranda of Mecca.

Islam in Aceh

Islam in Aceh is a religion that is adopted by the majority of Aceh's population. Many historians both at home and abroad are of the opinion that Islam first entered Indonesia through Aceh.

The statement of Marco Polo who stopped at Perlak in 1292 stated that the country had adopted the religion of Islam. Likewise Samudera-Pasai, based on the tombs found in the former kingdom and news sources that exist as we have already described that this kingdom had become an Islamic kingdom around 1270.

Regarding the history of the development of Islam in the Aceh region in the earliest times were manuscripts originating from within their own country such as the Book of Malay History, the Story of Raja Pasai. According to these two books, a preacher named Sheikh Ismail had come from Mecca on purpose to the Ocean to convert the people there. After spreading Islam in Aceh, Sheikh Ismail returned to Mecca, (Wikipedia).

According to A. Hasyimy, the first Islamic empire in North Sumatra was the Perlak Kingdom which emerged in the 9th century AD (Aceh Preservation Preservation Hall). The kingdom of Perlak has an Islamic influence on the surrounding areas. Many Perlak scholars have succeeded in spreading Islam outside Perlak, for example a group of Perlak Da'i can convert the Continent king. Many Perlak scholars, prominent figures, leaders and families of the Perlak king moved to Lingga after the Srivijaya invasion, so they formed a Muslim community there and thus the Islamic kingdom of Lingga was founded. Besides Perlak, the most important Islamic kingdom in North Sumatra is Samudera. Chinese sources say that in 1282 the tiny kingdom of the Ocean had sent ambassadors in Muslim names.

Islam is not something new in Aceh, but Islam has existed in Aceh since the 9th century AD, so Islamic law is not the creation of the Aceh government now that is feared by all elements of society, but Islamic law is law enforcement in the kingdoms in Aceh first .

When Islam has become flesh-blooded with an area, then that area will implement Islamic Sharia, even in Aceh it used to be a kingdom that implemented Islamic Sharia, this was proven by the slogan "Adat like Po Teumeuruhom, Hukom like Syiah Kuala, Qanun like Putroe Phang, Reusam like Admiral".

Life of the Acehnese Community Now

We see now the development of Islam in Aceh is really far from expectations, like far from the fire, this proves Islam is increasingly shallow in Aceh, even most of us are allergic to Islamic law itself.

There are very few devotees in Aceh where they have studied Islam, and even most people now assume that if our children are entrusted to a pure pesantren (Salafi Dayah) then their children have no future. Yet we already know that the ultimate future is the happiness of the world and the hereafter.

In addition, the way we live every day is far from Islamic culture itself, starting from association, clothing, speaking, and doing things. Throwing the head of Satpol PP Langsa a few days ago while commemorating that there should be no midnight keyboard (Serambi), women netted in a tight clothing raid in Meulaboh, free sex practices, and selling women out of Aceh.

We can see for myself how the development of Islam in Aceh now, in our own area how many sounds of the chanting of the Koran after the Megrib prayer, almost no houses can be heard reading the Koran, day, night, morning, and megrib just the sound of music and television that is heard a lot.

Allah never mentioned in the Quran and the Prophet never explained in a Hadith that Islam will be eternal in Aceh until the end of the world, there is no guarantee that Islam will be intact in Aceh, even though Aceh is the first area to convert to Islam in Asia and Aceh is called the Veranda of Mecca . It all depends on us, the people of Aceh, if we are allergic to Islamic Sharia and the application of Islamic Sharia is only in the mouth and as a project of officials, do not ever expect Islam to triumph in Aceh as before, even one day the people of Aceh will feel inferior and surprised by Islam alone. Remember the history of Islam in Spain first, and how Spain is now.

And (remember also), when your Lord declares. "Indeed, if you are grateful, surely We will add (ni'mat) to you, and if you deny (ni'mat My), then in fact My punishment is very painful". And Musa said: "If you and those on earth are all denying (ni'mat Allah) then surely Allah is Rich and Most Praised." (QS: Ibrahim: 7-8).

Al Makki bin Ibrahim told us and he said, Abdullah bin Sa'id told us (and he (Sa'id) was the son of Abi Hind) and he narrated from his father, his father narrated from Ibn 'Abbas ra, Ibn 'Abbas has said: The Messenger of Allah said, "There are two pleasures, many people become losers because of these two pleasures, namely; delicious health and free time. "

(H.R. Bukhari).