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Tuanku Rao (1790-1833) was an Islamic cleric (
ulama In Islam, the ''ulama'' (; ar, علماء ', singular ', "scholar", literally "the learned ones", also spelled ''ulema''; feminine: ''alimah'' ingularand ''aalimath'' lural are the guardians, transmitters, and interpreters of religious ...
), leader and commander. He was known as a prominent ''padri'', a group of Islamic reformists who advocated for the puritanical approach in Islam inspired by
Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab ibn Sulayman al-Tamimi ( ar, محمد بن عبد الوهاب بن سليمان , translit=Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb ibn Sulaymān al-Tamīmī; 1703–1792) was an Arabian Islamic scholar, theologian, preacher, a ...
in the early 18th century
West Sumatra West Sumatra ( id, Sumatra Barat) is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the west coast of the island of Sumatra and includes the Mentawai Islands off that coast. The province has an area of , with a population of 5,534,472 at the 2020 cen ...
. He also contributed to the proselytization of Islam among
Batak people Batak is a collective term used to identify a number of closely related Austronesian peoples, Austronesian ethnic groups predominantly found in North Sumatra, Indonesia, who speak Batak languages. The term is used to include the Karo people ( ...
. He died during the
Padri War The Padri War (also called the Minangkabau War) was fought from 1803 until 1837 in West Sumatra, Indonesia between the Padri and the Adat. The Padri were Muslim clerics from Sumatra who wanted to impose Sharia in Minangkabau country in West ...
in 1833.


Biography


Early life

Rao was born to a Minangkabau family, hailed from Rao, Pasaman in West Sumatra. His father was from Tarung-Tarung, Rao, and his mother was from Padang Mantinggi, Rao. During his adolescence, Rao deepened the knowledge of Islam at the
surau A surau is an Islamic assembly building in some regions of Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula used for worship and religious instruction. Generally smaller physical structures, its ritual functions are similar to a mosque, allow men and women, and ...
of the prominent ulama
Tuanku Nan Tuo Tuanku Nan Tuo (1723–1830) or Tuan Ku Nan Tua was one of the leading Minangkabau ulamas. He was known as a '' wasatiyyah'' (moderate) cleric, who took syncretic approaches in the religious outlook, and was a Sufi and aspired for reformation and ...
in Koto Tuo, Agam, and then proceeded to the surau in Bonjol. He completed the science of
Islamic jurisprudence ''Fiqh'' (; ar, فقه ) is Islamic jurisprudence. Muhammad-> Companions-> Followers-> Fiqh. The commands and prohibitions chosen by God were revealed through the agency of the Prophet in both the Quran and the Sunnah (words, deeds, and ...
with the honorable title ''thayyib jiddan'' (very satisfying), awarded by Fakih Muhammad.


Padri movement

Rao was one of the strongest Padri warlords, vigorously fighting against the Dutch East Indies colonial government in Pasaman, Kotanopan, Padang Lawas, and Padang Sidempuan areas. After the Dutch troops conquered Matur and Lubuk Sikaping in October 1832, Rao was finally surrounded. Lieutenant Bevervoorden, a commander of the Dutch forces, met Rao and persuaded him to surrender. During the meeting, Rao argued that he would go to Hajj and hand over the leadership of his government to his father-in-law, Yang Dipertuan Rao.Muhammad Radjab, ''Perang Paderi di Sumatera Barat (1803-1838)'', Balai Pusataka, 1964. pp.164-166. After the meeting, Rao withdrew and hid in the forest. But inspired by
Tuanku Tambusai Sheikh Haji Muhammad Saleh (Tambusai, Rokan Hulu, Riau, 5 November 1784 – Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, 12 November 1882) is one of the Islamic leaders for the padri movement. Tuanku Tambusai, as he was well known in Indonesia was one of the ...
who had just returned from
Mecca Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow val ...
, he was encouraged to continue fighting against the Dutch. To initiate the propagation of padri movement in Batak land, Rao attacked the Dutch defense in Air Bangis with the help of Tuanku Imam Bonjol. On January 29, 1833, Rao was intercepted by Dutch troops. His resistance was pierced after he was severely injured by bullet wounds. He was then sent by the Dutch to exile, during which he died shortly after. His body was allegedly dumped into the sea by Dutch troops.


Posthumous controversy

The association between the history of Tuanku Rao, padri movement and the Indonesian patriotism was briefly challenged by the so-called amateur historians who criticized the ideology of padris during the
Sukarno Sukarno). (; born Koesno Sosrodihardjo, ; 6 June 1901 – 21 June 1970) was an Indonesian statesman, orator, revolutionary, and nationalist who was the first president of Indonesia, serving from 1945 to 1967. Sukarno was the leader ...
regime era. The scrutiny was held by a
Mandailing The Mandailing is an ethnic group in Sumatera, Indonesia that is commonly associated with the Batak people. They are found mainly in the northern section of the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. They came under the influence of the Kaum Padri wh ...
writer Mangaradja Onggang Parlindungan in his work ''Tuanku Rao: Hambali Islamic Terror in the Batak Lands (1816-1833)''. The revisionism was criticized by the prominent Indonesian Islamic intellectual
Hamka Abdul Malik Karim Amrullah, better known by his pen name Hamka (17 February 1908 – 24 July 1981) was an Indonesian ʿālim, philosopher, writer, lecturer, politician and journalist. First affiliated with the Masyumi Party, until it was ...
in his work ''Tuanku Rao’ Between Fact and Fantasy'', and the retired Indonesian official Rusli Amran through the vigorous references to the historical archive.Rusli Amran and the Rewriting of Minangkabau History.
''Kyoto Review''. Retrieved November 28, 2017.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rao 1790 births 1833 deaths Indonesian Muslims Indonesian imams Minangkabau people Padris