Konsep keadilan dan pengamalannya di kerajaan Riau-Lingga abd ke-19 menurut Raja Ali Haji

Abstract

This thesis intends to discuss and evaluate Raja ‘Ali Haji’s conception of justice by using content analysis approach. This approach is carried out with special focus on Raja ‘Ali Haji’s works that elaborate the meaning of justice. The study began with questions pertaining to Raja ‘Ali Haji’s conception of justice and how it was applied in the Riau-Lingga Kingdom during his time in the 19th century. In order to find the answer, we have read and analyzed three of his writings entitled: Gurindam Dua Belas, Muqaddimah fi Intizam al-Waza’if al-Malik and Thamarat al-Muhimmah Diyafat li’l Umara’ wa’l Kubara’ li Ahli al-Mahkamah. On top of that, we also read Raja‘Ali Haji’s book on Malay historiography entitled Tuhfat al-Nafis. In operationalizing the content analysis approach we have collected and identified some key terms which are related to the meaning of justice or bear a contrary meaning to it. We also compare these works with one another to make apparent their strong connection with one another in the sense of its contents. First chapter of this thesis contents such as background of the study, problem statement, scope of study and methodology, while second chapter contents short biography and milieu of Raja‘Ali Haji. The core of the study will be displayed in the third and fourth chapters. In this study, we found that we could identify some key terms from the Gurindam Dua Belas which could be regarded as preconditions for justice within the self, i.e. religion, self, this worldly life (al-dunya) and hereafter (al-akhirah). The word religion itself contains some aspects that can be regarded as the stages towards attaining ma‘rifatullah, the true knowledge of God. Furthermore, from the Muqaddimah fi Intizam various features can be identified as the characteristic of a just person. Those features were formulated by Raja`‘Ali Haji using key terms that have been highlighted in Gurindam Dua Belas. Furthermore from Thamarat al-Muhimmah, Raja‘Ali Haji’s definition of justice can be identified as a practical concept. Finally, from Tuhfat al-Nafis many cases of the practical concept of justice according to Raja‘Ali Haji can be found. Due to this, a connection emerges between the texts of Gurindam Dua Belas which functions as the core (of his discourse on justice) and Muqaddimah fi Intizam al-Waza’if al-Malik, Thamarat al-Muhimmah and Tuhfat al-Nafis the practical aspect of it. In conclusion, this study reveals that the concept of justice according to Raja‘Ali Haji is indeed a holistic one. It is not categorized and limited into particular types of justice, for it is grounded in the knowledge of Allah. This research defines the ideal concept of justice as one that is initiated from the individual contract known as al-mithaq, a contract that indicates covenant between man and God and not merely the concept of justice that arises based on social contract.