Author: Isel Mawati
Student of the Islamic History and Civilization Study Program, UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta

How should a leader exercise power? This question frequently arises in modern society. Yet, its answer was articulated more than three centuries ago by a distinguished Muslim scholar in Aceh. Through Bustan al-Salatin, Nuruddin al-Raniri presents an ideal model of leadership—one that is not merely powerful but also just, accountable, and deeply committed to the welfare of the people.

These ideas emerged during the golden age of the Aceh Sultanate, when Aceh stood as one of the greatest Islamic kingdoms in Southeast Asia. Consequently, Bustan al-Salatin is not only a literary and historical masterpiece but also a reflection of how Acehnese society envisioned the qualities of an ideal ruler.

Understanding Bustan al-Salatin

Bustan al-Salatin was written by Nuruddin al-Raniri, a Muslim scholar of Gujarati origin who arrived in Aceh during the reign of Sultan Iskandar Thani. In the intellectual history of the Malay-Indonesian world, al-Raniri is recognized as one of the most influential scholars in shaping the development of Malay Islamic thought.

The work contains numerous accounts of prophets, kings, systems of governance, and moral guidance for rulers. Rather than merely recounting historical events, al-Raniri uses these narratives to convey his vision of how a leader ought to govern and exercise authority.

For the Acehnese people of that era, a king was not simply a political ruler. He was regarded as the guardian of public order, the protector of the people, and the upholder of Islamic values within the kingdom.

Furthermore, Bustan al-Salatin is organized into seven books (major sections), each addressing a distinct theme, ranging from the creation of the universe, the stories of the prophets, and the history of kings to the ethics of governance and moral counsel for rulers. This structure demonstrates al-Raniri's conviction that governance cannot be separated from religious teachings and historical experience. For a leader, understanding the lives of earlier prophets and rulers serves as a valuable means of learning from both their achievements and their failures in fulfilling the trust of leadership.

Through this approach, al-Raniri presents history not merely as a record of the past but as a medium for political and moral education. The experiences of previous rulers become a mirror through which a king may establish a just government, avoid tyranny, and remain constantly aware that every exercise of power will ultimately be held accountable before Allah, the Almighty.

Justice as the Foundation of Leadership

One of the central messages conveyed in Bustan al-Salatin is the importance of justice. According to al-Raniri, a just ruler brings prosperity and peace to the people, whereas injustice marks the beginning of a kingdom's decline.

This perspective is consistent with the Islamic political tradition, which regards justice as the fundamental cornerstone of governance. In this context, political authority is not a means of personal enrichment but a trust (amanah) that must be exercised for the benefit of society.

This principle also appears to have been reflected in the governance of the Aceh Sultanate. During the reign of Sultan Iskandar Muda (1607–1636), Aceh flourished as one of the leading centers of trade and political power in Southeast Asia. According to Denys Lombard, Aceh's success under Sultan Iskandar Muda was supported by the kingdom's ability to maintain political stability and administer its territories effectively.

From al-Raniri's perspective, justice extends beyond the mere enforcement of law. It entails placing every individual in accordance with his or her rightful rights and responsibilities. A ruler must be capable of protecting the vulnerable, preventing abuses of authority, and ensuring that every policy enacted serves the common good. Consequently, a leader's legitimacy is derived not solely from royal lineage or political power but also from the ability to uphold justice for the people.

This viewpoint demonstrates the close relationship between the concept of justice presented in Bustan al-Salatin and the principle of al-'adl in the Islamic political tradition. Justice is positioned as the primary foundation upon which the continuity of government depends. When justice prevails, the state earns the trust of its people. Conversely, when oppression is allowed to flourish, the collapse of the state becomes increasingly inevitable.

A King Must Not Distance Himself from the People

In addition to emphasizing justice, al-Raniri argues that a ruler must be concerned with the welfare of the people. In his view, the success of a king should not be measured by the size of his territory or the wealth of his kingdom, but rather by the well-being of the society under his leadership.

This idea is particularly significant because it demonstrates that the relationship between rulers and their subjects has long been recognized as a vital concern. The ideal king is not one who remains confined within the palace walls but one who understands the needs of the people and strives to improve their quality of life.

A portrayal of a ruler closely connected to both the interests of the kingdom and the welfare of the people can also be found in Hikayat Aceh. In this literary work, Sultan Iskandar Muda is depicted as a highly respected sovereign who possessed remarkable authority and exceptional administrative ability. His success in expanding the kingdom's territory and maintaining the stability of Aceh is one of the principal reasons why he is remembered as the greatest ruler in the history of the Aceh Darussalam Sultanate. Through this portrayal, it becomes evident that Acehnese society regarded effective leadership and the ability to preserve the prosperity of the state as essential qualities of an ideal ruler.

During its golden age, Aceh developed into a thriving international trading center visited by merchants from various regions. This prosperity generated substantial economic benefits for the kingdom while strengthening Aceh's position within global commercial networks.

Anthony Reid explains that Aceh's strategic location along the Indian Ocean trade routes enabled the kingdom to emerge as one of the most important economic and political centers in Southeast Asia during the seventeenth century.

The Importance of the Role of the Ulama in Government

In al-Raniri's political thought, the position of the ulama was not intended to replace or assume political authority but rather to serve as the moral partners of the ruler. Their role was to provide counsel, remind the ruler whenever deviations occurred, and ensure that state policies remained consistent with Islamic principles and values. A harmonious relationship between the umara (political leaders) and the ulama was regarded as one of the essential factors in maintaining political stability.

This concept demonstrates that al-Raniri envisioned an ethical mechanism within the exercise of political power. A ruler who is willing to accept criticism and advice from religious scholars displays humility and an awareness that political authority is not a personal possession but a trust (amanah) for which one is accountable before both God and society.

Another prominent theme in Bustan al-Salatin is the importance of the relationship between rulers and the ulama. Al-Raniri argues that a king requires guidance from individuals possessing religious knowledge so that the policies he adopts do not deviate from moral and ethical principles.

Historically, the relationship between the ulama and political rulers occupied a central place in the Aceh Sultanate. According to Azyumardi Azra in The Network of Middle Eastern and Nusantara Ulama, Aceh emerged as one of the principal centers of Islamic scholarship connected to the broader scholarly networks of the Middle East. These intellectual connections facilitated the transmission of religious ideas that subsequently shaped the kingdom's political and social life.

It is therefore unsurprising that Aceh became widely known as the "Veranda of Mecca," a title reflecting the profound influence of Islam on both its society and system of governance.

Symbols of Royal Authority and Legitimacy

The authority of a king was established not only through effective leadership but also through symbols that affirmed the legitimacy of his rule. One of the most significant symbols in the Aceh Sultanate was the Cap Sikureueng (Royal Seal).

According to the Aceh Museum, the Cap Sikureueng served as the official royal seal on various important state documents. Its use signified that every decree issued in the name of the Sultan possessed both legal validity and political legitimacy.

For the Acehnese people, such a symbol carried a meaning far deeper than that of a mere administrative seal. The royal seal represented political authority while simultaneously affirming the Sultan's position as the legitimate sovereign of the kingdom.

Leadership Lessons from Aceh for the Present Day

According to the author, the ideas advanced by al-Raniri demonstrate that leadership is not merely a matter of exercising political authority but also of preserving the trust of the people. These values remain relevant across various forms of leadership, whether in government, organizations, or everyday social life.

Although Bustan al-Salatin was written nearly four centuries ago, its ideas continue to resonate in the contemporary world. Justice, responsibility, concern for public welfare, and the centrality of morality in leadership remain indispensable values in modern society.

Amid the many challenges confronting today's leaders, Nuruddin al-Raniri reminds us that power is not an end in itself. Rather, it is a means of promoting justice and advancing the welfare of society.

Through Bustan al-Salatin, we can see that seventeenth-century Acehnese society had already developed a sophisticated conception of ideal leadership. A good ruler is not the one who inspires the greatest fear, but the one who most faithfully upholds justice, listens to sound advice, and places the interests of the people above personal ambition.

Ultimately, al-Raniri's message remains timeless: power without justice loses its legitimacy, whereas leadership grounded in morality and responsibility will always be remembered and respected by society.

When examined from the perspective of modern leadership, Nuruddin al-Raniri's political thought exhibits remarkable parallels with the principles of good governance. Values such as justice, accountability, responsibility, and a commitment to public welfare continue to serve as fundamental indicators of sound governance in the contemporary world.

This demonstrates that the intellectual heritage of Islam in the Malay-Indonesian world had already articulated a progressive concept of leadership long before the emergence of modern theories of public administration. Therefore, Bustan al-Salatin deserves to be regarded not only as a historical masterpiece but also as a significant reference in the study of Islamic political thought in the Malay-Indonesian archipelago.

Photo Source: Cap Sikureueng of the Aceh Darussalam Sultanate, the official royal seal symbolizing the legitimacy of the Sultan's authority and the authentication of state documents. Source: Aceh Museum (museum.acehprov.go.id).

References

Azra, Azyumardi. The Network of Middle Eastern and Nusantara Ulama. Jakarta: Kencana.

Lombard, Denys. The Kingdom of Aceh: The Reign of Sultan Iskandar Muda (1607–1636). Jakarta: Kepustakaan Populer Gramedia.

Reid, Anthony. Aceh at the Crossroads of the Waves: Geopolitical and Economic Memories of Sumatra.

Al-Raniri, Nuruddin. Bustan al-Salatin.

Aceh Museum. "Cap Sikureueng: A Symbol of the Legitimacy of Royal Authority." https://museum.acehprov.go.id

Hikayat Aceh.