Mandailing Ulama in the Early 20th Century: The Meaning and Typology

Abstract

Abstract: This article examines the meaning and typology of Mandailing ulama. This study follows a literature study with a historical approach. The Kuntowijoyo historical research model will be utilized to discover the meaning and typology of the Mandailing ulama. The research data were obtained from written sources, especially the works of the Mandailing ulama in the era discussed. This study shows that the Mandailing ulama are interpreted as people from the Mandailing ethnic group who have learned religious knowledge in depth. During the early 20th century, the Mandailing ulama were classified into lineage (nasab) ulama and non-lineage (non-nasab) ulama; tarekat ulama and non-tarekat ulama; madrasah ulama and ulama from Islamic boarding school; political ulama and non-political ulama. This study enriches the study of Islam and Mandailing which so far has received little attention from both national and international researchers.

Abstrak: Artikel ini mengkaji makna dan tipologi ulama Mandailing. Studi ini merupakan studi kepustakaan dengan pendekatan sejarah. Model penelitian sejarah ala Kuntowijoyo akan dimanfaatkan sedemikian rupa dalam menemukan makna dan tipologi ulama Mandailing. Data penelitian, dengan demikian, berasal dari sumber-sumber tertulis terutama karya para ulama Mandailing pada era yang dibahas. Studi ini menunjukkan bahwa ulama Mandailing dimaknai sebagai orang-orang dari kalangan etnis Mandailing yang menguasai ilmu-ilmu agama secara mendalam. Ulama-ulama Mandailing sepanjang awal abad ke-20 bisa dibagi menjadi: ulama nasab dan ulama non-nasab; ulama tarekat dan ulama non-tarekat; ulama madrasah dan ulama pesantren; ulama politik dan ulama non-politik. Studi ini memperkaya kajian tentang Islam dan Mandailing yang sejauh ini kurang mendapat perhatian dari para peneliti baik dari dalam negeri maupun dari luar negeri.