neo-sufism, shariatism, and ulama politics 227
Naqshabandiyah order in Aceh until his death in 2012. Led by an orthodox
Sufi, the members of muna are mostly Sharia-oriented and orthodox
Sufi Muslims.
Although there have been differences of opinion between huda and
muna, and between them and the mpu, these three ulama organisations
unite in facing the mptt and raising the issues of deviant sects (aliran
sesat). The ulama of the muna, huda and mpu of East Aceh, for instance,
joined forces against what they called groups or persons not being part of
Sunnism (Ahlu-sunnah wal-jamaʿah, People of the Sunnah of the Prophet
and the Community) or being ‘deviant and misguided’. They organised a
gathering on 26 May 2009 to launch a fatwa that the Naqshabandiyah
opinions taught by Prof Dr Kadirun Yahya were deviant and misguided.
The provincial mpu issued a similar fatwa.²⁰ Kadirun Yahya’s followers
were asked to repent and return to the correct course in accordance
with true Sunnism.²¹ One year later, on 15 May 2010, these three ulama
organisations of East Aceh issued another fatwa against wahdat al-wujud,
which was aimed at Abuya Amran Waly’s religious teachings, as we will
see below.
What is related above reflects the image of Aceh as a province of
Sharia. No terms or concepts associated with Sufism are found in any
of the qanuns. The Aceh administration no longer considers tasawuf
an important part of governance.²² Sufism is allowed as far as it is in
line with the Sharia worldview, that is, orthodox Sufism which tries to
reconcile Sufism and Sharia. Among the orthodox Sufi orders active in
Aceh are the Naqshabandiyah, Qadiriyah wa Naqshabandiyah (tqn),
Naqshabandi Haqqani, Shattariyah and Haddadiyah.
The Naqshabandiyah, a Sufi order established by Bahaʾud-Din Naqsh-
band Bukhari (1318–1389) in Central Asia, has been active in Aceh at
least since the 17th century. In the 20th century it grew in popularity
Majelis Ulama Permusyawaratan.Kumpulan Keputusan Majelis Permusyawaratan
Ulama Provinsi Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam(Banda Aceh: Sekretariat Majelis
Permusyawaratan Ulama, 2008), 123–125.
They accused Kadirun Yahya’s Naqsyabandiyah of being deviant because they
claim that it teaches, among other things, that Qurʾanic verses can make dead
people alive; that the spirits of dead people are flying between heaven and earth;
that someone who performssuluk(spiritual exercise) at a certain place is not
obliged to perform the Friday prayer; and that someone who has no money to
perform the pilgrimage to Mecca should perform suluk at a particular place
(Sufimuda, ‘Ulama yang Menyesatkan Ulama’, http://sufimuda.net/2009/05/27/
ulama-yang-menyesatkan-ulama/).
Kamaruzzaman Bustamam-Ahmad,Acehnologi(Banda Aceh: Bandar Publishing,
2012), 84.