Malay Ulama in Deli Land: The Life, Manuscripts, and Intellectual Networks of Shaykh Hasan Ma‘sum (d. 1936)

Abstract

Abstract: This article examines the life, manuscript legacy, and intellectual network of Shaykh Hasan Ma‘sum, one of the most influential Malay scholars in the early 20th century in East Sumatra. He was one of the finest disciples of Syekh Ahmad Khatib al-Minangkabawi at Masjidil Haram and the esteemed mentor of the founders and scholars of Al Washliyah, Al Ittihadiyah, and Nahdlatul Ulama in East Sumatra. This study adopts a biographical research approach within a historical framework. The primary sources for this research are the works of Shaykh Hasan Ma‘sum, which are subsequently analyzed using content analysis methodology. The findings of the study reinforce Azra’s thesis regarding the pattern of intellectual relations among Nusantara scholars, where Shaykh Hasan Ma‘sum studied under several prominent scholars in Haramain, and later had numerous disciples in East Sumatra. Shaykh Hasan Ma‘sum also enriched the traditional Islamic literature by writing and publishing numerous manuscripts. All of his works, which were penned in Malay with Arabic script, and some in Arabic, encompass various fields including creed, jurisprudence, mysticism, and astronomy. Keywords: Malay, ulama, East Sumatra, manuscripts, intellectual networks