islam, politics and change

238 islam, politics and change

al-Jabarti (d. 1403–1404), from Zabid, Yemen, whose name is included in
the chain of transmission (sanad) of the Qadiriyya in Indonesia.⁵⁸ About
the influence of al-Jili’s al-Insan al-Kamil, Nicholson wrote that ‘the

Insānuʾl-Kāmil exerted a powerful influence upon Indonesian Sufism’.⁵⁹

Al-Attas, Osman bin Bakar, and Van Bruinessen agree with this.⁶⁰ Osman
bin Bakar points out that although Al-Fansuri found his Sufi inspiration
in IbnʿArabi’s Wahdat al-Wujud, his writings also reflect familiarity
with the works of Al-Jili, with particular reference to his teaching on the

al-Insan al-Kamil.⁶¹ Thus, Amran Waly’s adoption of al-Insan al-Kamil

indicates a continuing influence of al-Jili, and through him of IbnʿArabi’s

wahdat al-wujud, in Aceh to this day.

In theSekelumit Penjelasan tentang Ajaran Tauhid-Tasawuf, Amran

Waly does not explain all aspects of al-Jili’s teachings. Instead, he
concentrates on four statements which deal with Sharia, tariqa, haqiqa

and maʿrifa:⁶²

.Allah rabbun Muhammadʿabdun fi al-sharia(Allah is Master, Muham-

mad is servant in the Sharia).

.Allah dhatun Muhammad sifatun fi al-tariqa(Allah is Essence,

Muhammad is attribute in the tariqa).

.Allahu ruhun Muhammad jasadun fi al-haqiqa(Allah is Spirit,

Muhammad is body in the haqiqa).

.Allah Muhammad fi al-maʿrifa(Allah is Muhammad in the maʿrifa).

Amran Waly carefully comments on these statements, trying to get rid of

Wahdat al-wujud connotations.

On the first statement he says, ‘We are advised to be obedient to
Allah by paying attention to the boundaries of law, because Sharia is
law containing commands and prohibitions which are an obligation and

must be followed.’

On the second statement he says, ‘Muhammad is presented here as

attribute, because an attribute (sifat) always needs an essence (dhat), to

which an attribute belongs’. He rejects the interpretation that Muhammad

Martin van Bruinessen, ‘ShaykhʿAbd al-Qadir al-Jilani and the Qadiriyya in
Indonesia’,Journal of the History of Sufism, 1–2 (2000), 361–395.
 Nicholson,Studies in Islamic Mysticism, vii.
Martin van Bruinessen,Tarekat Naqsyabandiyah di Indonesia: Survei Historis,
Geografis, dan Sosiologis(Bandung: Mizan, 1992).
 Osman bin Bakar, ‘Sufism in the Malay-Indonesian World’, 283–285.
The author follows here the classical phases of gaining mystical knowledge
by following the Sharia, followed by the path (tariqa), leading to the Essence
(haqiqa), ending in deeper knowledge or gnosis (maʿrifa).