EL HAYAH: Jurnal Studi Islam.
Vol.
15 No.
1 Juni 2025
ISSN : 2086 Ae 4337
E-ISSN : 2809-7920
The Concept of God in Malay Sufi Literature:
A Study of the Sufi Poetry of Hamzah Fansuri Angga Arifka Center for Religious and Cross-Cultural Studies (CRCS).
Universitas Gadjah Mada anggaarifka@mail.
Abstract This article examines the literary footsteps of Hamzah Fansuri who is known as a famous Sufi and poet in Aceh in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
FansuriAos primary contribution to Malay literature is very significant.
As a controversial wujudi Sufi.
Fansuri utilized poetry to convey his Sufi experiences and ideas.
This article uses a qualitative method to explore and describe his rich mystical views.
By using a content analysis approach, this article presents FansuriAos poetry in order to understand the constellation of his wujudiyah This article found that Fansuri succeeded in showing his expertise in conveying his Sufi ideas using the medium of poetry.
In addition, he was a key Sufi poet who has introduced the Malay poetic image by creatively adopting Arabic-Persian vocabularies.
Keywords: Hamzah Fansuri, mystical poetry.
Sufi poet, wujudiyah Abstrak Artikel ini mengeksplorasi jejak kepenyairan Hamzah Fansuri yang dikenal sebagai tokoh sufi kondang sekaligus penyair masyhur di Aceh pada abad ke-16 Kontribusi Fansuri dalam sastra Melayu amatlah signifikan.
Sebagai seorang sufi wujudiyah yang kontroversial.
Fansuri menggunakan puisi untuk menyampaikan pengalaman dan gagasan sufistiknya.
Artikel ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif untuk menggali dan menjelaskan gagasan-gagasannya.
Dengan menggunakan pendekatan analisis isi, artikel ini menyajikan puisi-puisi Fansuri untuk dapat memahami konstelasi pemikiran pokok wujudiyah-nya.
Artikel ini menemukan bahwa Fansuri berhasil menunjukkan kepiawaiannya dalam menyampaikan ide-ide sufistiknya dengan medium puisi.
Selain itu, ia merupakan penyair sufi yang penting diperhitungkan dalam memperkenalkan imaji puitik bahasa Melayu dengan mengadopsi secara kreatif kosakata-kosakata Arab-Persia.
Kata kunci: Hamzah Fansuri, puisi mistik, penyair sufi, wujudiyah EL HAYAH: Jurnal Studi Islam.
Vol.
15 No.
1 Juni 2025
ISSN : 2086 Ae 4337
E-ISSN : 2809-7920
INTRODUCTION
Sufism as an esoteric aspect in Islam functions as a means of healing the human soul.
This is in line with AristotleAos view that art and literature act as catharsis in human life.
Both Sufism and literature are sourced from spiritual intuition that is manifested in the world of aesthetics.
Sufism is not only limited to ethics and ritual but also includes aesthetic elements.
For Sufis, poetry is a very important medium of expression to convey their experiences of transcendental love (Wachid B.
, 2005: 477-.
Seyyed Hossein Nasr states that the divine aspect in Islam is viewed as beauty or aesthetics.
This view is the unique basis of Sufism which contains the Islamic principles.
The beauty of this divine aspect is considered the esoteric and mystical dimension of Islam and is seen as the most beautiful side of the religion (Hadi W.
, 2001: .
Therefore, there exists an interweaving between literary aesthetics and Sufism.
In this respect, al-Ghazali elucidates that the beauty produced by noble works of artAilike music and poetryAiis able to awaken love hidden in the heart both worldly and sensual love as well as spiritual and divine love (Hadi W.
, 2016: .
The way the Sufis express their ecstatic mystical love through poetry means affirming that their expressions must be in figurative forms and metaphors.
Ibn AoArabi expounds, ahl al-maAorifah or Sufis cannot convey their feelings to others clearly, and they can, therefore, only express them symbolically (Wachid , 2005: .
The main basis of Sufi literature lies in the religious experience of the Sufis.
Tawhid of the Sufis, which emphasizes that God is One and the only one who truly exists, is the core of their spiritual expression.
This mystical expression is realized through the symbolism of language.
In this respect.
Sufi literature also functions as a social means to convey divine reflection and philosophy (Hadi W.
, 2001: 21-22.
Zakaria, 2016: 24-.
EL HAYAH: Jurnal Studi Islam.
Vol.
15 No.
1 Juni 2025
ISSN : 2086 Ae 4337
E-ISSN : 2809-7920
Since the beginning of the history of Sufism, literatureAiespecially poetryAihas been the main medium for conveying the spiritual experience of the Sufis (Ula, 2017: .
Their various experiences related to mystical knowledge and unity are expressed in the form of anecdotal stories, metaphors, or poetic Although poetry and literature have a great influence on the intellectual activities of the Sufis, most of them did not write with the aim of becoming writers or poets.
Their writings emerged from religious and spiritual motivations, namely, to convey wisdom and obtain blessings .
One example of such a figure included in this Sufi poetry tradition is Hamzah Fansuri.
Discussing and understanding Hamzah FansuriAos Sufi poetry has profound significance because his poems not only represent the spiritual dimension of Islamic mysticism but also present a unique blend of Sufi thought and the aesthetics of classical Malay literature.
The uniqueness of FansuriAos poems lies in his ability to articulate the metaphysical concepts of Sufism in the form of poetic verses full of symbolism, making him one of the pioneers of Sufi literature in the Indonesian archipelago.
Nevertheless, despite his very important contribution, certain parts of Hamzah FansuriAos Sufi poetry, related to its philosophical meaning and cross-cultural influences, have not been elaborated or discussed in depth in academic studies.
This opens up a great opportunity to fill the research gap and to further explore his intellectual and spiritual heritage which can enrich the understanding of the relationship between religion, culture, and literature in the Malay world.
EL HAYAH: Jurnal Studi Islam.
Vol.
15 No.
1 Juni 2025
ISSN : 2086 Ae 4337
E-ISSN : 2809-7920
RESEARCH METHOD
The research method used in this study is a qualitative method.
As library research, this study collects relevant literature ranging from books, journals, to encyclopedias and others as textual sources.
A historical approach is applied to examine the context of Hamzah FansuriAos life and thoughts as the main figure, including his social, cultural, and religious background.
In addition, the content analysis method is used to describe and interpret Hamzah FansuriAos poems.
Through this analysis, the symbolic meaning.
Sufi values, and spiritual messages in FansuriAos works are identified and interpreted in depth.
Research data were obtained from various primary sources, such as FansuriAos poetry collections, and secondary sources in the form of literature relevant to the research theme.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Hamzah FansuriAos Life The life history of Hamzah Fansuri is not very clear and is a complicated problem for researchers.
The year of his birth and death, even the location of his burial, are not clearly known by researchers.
Until now, there has been no definite and clear discovery regarding his life journey, his works, and which original poems he wrote as a poet (Hadi W.
, 2016: 115.
Shihab, 2001: 124-.
Two books which are believed to be the most complete in recording the history of the Aceh sultanate in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, namely Hikayat Aceh and Bustan al-Salatin, do not mention the name Hamzah Fansuri.
According to Kreamer, the reason why Hamzah FansuriAos name is not included in Hikayat Aceh is that this figure often wandered and was rarely in Aceh.
If this reason is true, it means that Hamzah Fansuri was hardly involved in various religious activities organized by the Aceh royal palace (Hadi W.
, 2001: .
EL HAYAH: Jurnal Studi Islam.
Vol.
15 No.
1 Juni 2025
ISSN : 2086 Ae 4337
E-ISSN : 2809-7920
In Azyumardi AzraAos notes, it is said that Hamzah Fansuri was the chief bishop during the reign of Sultan AoAla al-Din RiAoayat Shah.
However, this opinion is refuted by other scholars, that what is actually meant as the bishop was Shams al-Din al-Sumatrani, not Hamzah Fansuri.
Nonetheless, the first opinion is more reasonable, because at that time Shams al-Din was still in the middle of his career.
It was only after under the rule of the next sultan, namely Iskandar Muda, that Shams al-Din became the chief bishop (Azra, 2005: 199-.
Fansuri is also not mentioned in Bustan al-Salatin, but to investigate the reason, it is certainly easier.
Since the book is the work of Nur al-Din al-Raniri who was sentimental about Hamzah FansuriAos wujudiyah teachings, al-Raniri did not mention FansuriAos name, because for al-Raniri it meant the same as tarnishing the good name of the kingdom.
In fact, in the paragraph relating to the development of religious knowledge and Sufism, al-Raniri only mentions the names of three foreign scholars who came to Aceh to teach religious knowledge and debate with wujudiyah leaders at the end of the sixteenth century (Riyadi, 2016: .
Meanwhile, the names of several local scholars who played significant roles were never mentioned.
Of course, this is a product of hostile sentiment, resulting in the underestimation of Hamzah Fansuri and Shams al-Din in their competent authority (Hadi W.
, 2001: .
Hamzah Fansuri was established as a very strong figure in Sufism and Malay literature at the end of the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries.
The opinion that he lived in the second half of the sixteenth century is based on the fact that he was a Sufism expert who lived one generation before Shams al-Din al-Sumtrani .
, and even Hamzah Fansuri was Shams al-DinAos master.
Several scholars agree with this opinion, an opinion expressed by Snouck Hurgronje.
However, quite a few scholars reject it.
Kreamer states that Hamzah Fansuri lived until 1636, six years after al-SumatraniAos death.
Doorenbos.
EL HAYAH: Jurnal Studi Islam.
Vol.
15 No.
1 Juni 2025
ISSN : 2086 Ae 4337
E-ISSN : 2809-7920
Winstedt.
Harun Hadiwijono, and Ali Hasjmi agree with this latter opinion (Hadi , 2001: .
While BraginskyAibased on FansuriAos poems and European notes about himAiassumes that Fansuri lived until 1621.
Drewes and Brekel argue that Fansuri lived only until the end of the sixteenth century.
This is based on the fact that in the early seventeenth century the influential Sufism teaching in Aceh was the teaching of seven planes of being .
aratib al-sabAoa.
, which was spread by Shams al-Din.
HamzahAos disciple.
Al-Attas suggests that Fansuri lived at least until the early seventeenth century (Arifin, 2013: .
It is indeed complicated to find information about the biographies of the early Islamic intellectuals of the Indonesian archipelago as there are not many written sources, either in the form of manuscripts or others, that talk about their Moreover, they themselves also do not talk much about themselves in their various works, including in this context Hamzah Fansuri.
Although he left quite a lot of writings that can still be seen and read to this day, his personal life is not widely known (Arifin, 2013: .
Based on his works.
Hamzah Fansuri appears to have mastered two foreign languages, namely Arabic and Persian, in addition to his native Malay (Shihab, 2001: .
There is not much prose and poetry written by Hamzah Fansuri, only three Sufi treatises and at least thirty-two collections of poetry which are considered genuine.
However, it is not impossible that some of his works were destroyed in the burning of wujudiyah literature in Aceh in 1637.
Be that as it may, three of his works that have been discovered and translated are Syarab alAoAshiqin.
Asrar al-AoArifin, and al-Muntahi (Hadi W.
, 2001: 146-158.
Mulyati, 2006: .
All of these works talk about tawhid, maAorifat, and spiritual journey in Ibn AoArabian worldview (Shihab, 2001: .
EL HAYAH: Jurnal Studi Islam.
Vol.
15 No.
1 Juni 2025
ISSN : 2086 Ae 4337
E-ISSN : 2809-7920
The last name AuFansuriAy is takhallus that shows he was a poet who came from Fansur that people call AuBarus,Ay which is now a small town on the west coast of Sumatra located between the cities of Sibolga and Singkel.
Sufi poets often use takhallus to mean freeing themselves from their previous life, that is, after experiencing a transformation in the spiritual life.
Apart from that, the takhallus also describes the poetAos hometown or country of origin (Hadi W.
1995: 9.
Magdalena, 2015: .
However, there is another opinion which states that Fansuri was conceived by his mother in Barus and born in Shahr Nawi based on his poetry as follows:
Hamzah nin asalnya Fansuri Mendapat wujud di tanah Shahr Nawi Beroleh khilafat ilmu yang Aoali Daripada AoAbd al-Qa dir al-Jilani (Djamaris & Prijanto, 1995: .
(Hamzah comes from the land of Fansuri Finding existence in the land of Syahr Nawi Obtaining a legacy of high knowledge From Shaikh Abdul Qadir al-Jilan.
Hamzah Fansuri is thought to have been orphaned when he was young and came from an ordinary family, so he had a strong determination to travel in search of knowledge and wealth.
His life was full of wanderings from one place to another, especially to places of Islamic study, such as Mecca.
Medina, and Baghdad.
It was in the latter place that he joined the Qadiriyah Order as made explicit in his poem above.
Meanwhile, in the field of fiqh, he follows the ShafiAoiyah school of thought.
After he traveled, it was reported that he returned to Aceh.
Initially he taught in Barus and then in Banda Aceh (NiAoam, 2017: 268.
Hamzah FansuriAos pioneering works are highly recognized in the development of the Malay language through his Sufi poems on the one hand, and his contribution in enriching spiritual life, especially the philosophical Sufism of EL HAYAH: Jurnal Studi Islam.
Vol.
15 No.
1 Juni 2025
ISSN : 2086 Ae 4337
E-ISSN : 2809-7920
Ibn AoArabi on the other.
There was not a single Sufi philosopher who emerged after him but definitely recognized the significance of Hamzah Fansuri.
It is not known for certain when he died, except for various differences of opinion among scholars as has been mentioned earlier (Shihab, 2001: .
Hamzah FansuriAos Wujudiyah Sufism In the Indonesian archipelago.
Hamzah Fansuri is more identified as a follower of wujudiyah Sufism.
He adopted many of the classical wujudiyah teachings as initiated by Ibn AoArabi.
Like Hamzah Fansuri.
Shams al-Din alSumatrani is also categorized in the same Sufi school of thought.
Both are the main figures in the interpretation of philosophical Sufism, namely wahdat alwujud, which is particularly influenced by Ibn AoArabi and al-Jili.
They strictly follow the complex wahdat al-wujud system.
For example, they explain nature in relation to a series of Neoplatonic emanations and try to explain each process and stage of GodAos emanation (Azra, 2002: .
However, between the two there is a difference regarding the concept of the planes of being .
aratib al-wuju.
Hamzah Fansyri himself is an adherent of the five planes of being, while alSumtrani adheres to the seven planes of being which he adopted from the book al-Tuhfah al-Mursalah ila al-Ruh al-Nabi by Muhammad Fadlullah alBurhanpuri (Arifin, 2013: 42-43.
Hadi W.
, 2001: 118-.
The wujudiyah thought is closely related to the affirmation that there is only one being, although it appears plural.
From this one being, some are outward appearances, and some are inner realities.
Everything in the cosmos is a manifestation of al-Haqq.
Hamzah Fansuri likens it in a very literary way, that is.
GodAos being is like a deep ocean that does not move.
This cosmos is the ocean waves of GodAos being.
The flow of the Absolute Essence is likened to the movement of waves that blend together with the ocean, creating steam, smoke.
EL HAYAH: Jurnal Studi Islam.
Vol.
15 No.
1 Juni 2025
ISSN : 2086 Ae 4337
E-ISSN : 2809-7920
and clouds, which then become the world of phenomena.
That is what is called taAoayyun from the Essence that is la taAoayyun.
It can also be called tanazzul .
Everything returns to God .
, which is described as steam, smoke, clouds, rain, water into rivers, and back to the ocean (NiAoam, 2017: 274.
It was Hamzah FansuriAos teachings that would later gain polemical momentum from Nur al-Din al-Raniri.
Furthermore.
Hamzah Fansuri depicts the relationship between God and everything other than Him as the relationship between the one in front of a mirror and what is in the mirror.
Even though the cosmos is outwardly tangible, in fact it is not a real form.
The ultimate being is God.
Moreover.
Fansuri maintains that servants are not separated from God, and neither is God.
This kind of expression is an indication of the teachings of wahdat al-wujud (Arifin, 2013: 40-.
, for this expression seems to show that there is no distance between God and creatures (NiAoam, 2017: .
It is quite clear about Hamzah FansuriAos views that emphasize more on the immanence of God, rather than His transcendence.
Such a concept is what makes Hamzah Fansuri considered by scholars who oppose him as a pantheist Sufi who is different from orthodox Sufis and the practices of Muslims in general.
The impact is that orthodox Sufis do not hesitate to consider Hamzah FansuriAos teachings as heterodox (Fauziah, 2013: 292-.
Of course, such accusations need objective clarification to examine them comprehensively.
Seen briefly above, thus.
Hamzah FansuriAos views emphasize the immanence of God alone.
Nevertheless, since he was quite strict in following the concept of wujudiyah of Ibn Arabi, it cannot be denied that Hamzah Fansuri also elaborates on the transcendence of God.
Hamzah Fansuri views that God is the One with His solitude.
In this regard.
God is believed to be unreachable by humans, but because humans need knowledge about Him, different expressions EL HAYAH: Jurnal Studi Islam.
Vol.
15 No.
1 Juni 2025
ISSN : 2086 Ae 4337
E-ISSN : 2809-7920
emerge according to their respective ways of perceiving.
Therefore.
Hamzah FansuriAos views about God can be understood as an expression that is merely iAotibar, not touching the Essence of God (Kurdi, 2013: .
Tuhan kita tidak ber-mitsal Bukannya bintang dan Shamsu hilal Di antara kening di manakan wisal Jangan kaupandang pada cahaya dan zilal (Hadi W.
, 2016: .
(Our God is without equal or likeness Not like a beautiful star, sun, or crescent moon If you look between the foreheads, where is the real encounter? DonAot look at ephemeral light or shado.
In the concept of the hierarchy of being of Hamzah Fansuri, like Ibn Arabi (Kartanegara, 2002: .
, there is the first plane of being called la taAoayyun, which is a term that the nature of GodAos Essence (Dha.
is free from anything.
Here Fansuri believes that GodAos Essence cannot be said .
, because it is beyond the reach of knowledge and is dark from the sight of anyone except only Himself.
So dark is the plane of la taAoayyun that Hamzah Fansuri asserts that both the prophets and the saints, either with revelation or maAorifah, would still not be able to know His Essence (Kurdi, 2013: .
From here, it can be concluded that in relation to the concept of divinity.
Hamzah Fansuri is not trapped in pantheism which carelessly equates God with nature.
Instead, he also emphasizes the transcendental aspect of God, that is.
He is also the Most Incomparable.
From Arabic-Persian Literature to Hamzah Fansuri Malay Sufi literature grew and developed as a result of the interaction process of Malay writers with external sources over a long period of time.
Malay Sufi literature, the most dominant external sources during its formation were Arabic and Persian literature.
Persian sources played a prominent role in the building of Malay Sufi literature.
In a study, it was shown that no less than EL HAYAH: Jurnal Studi Islam.
Vol.
15 No.
1 Juni 2025
ISSN : 2086 Ae 4337
E-ISSN : 2809-7920
429 Persian words were absorbed into Malay.
In Persian Sufi literary writing, it can be seen that Farid al-Din AttarAos work entitled Mantiq al-Tayr has been adapted into Malay, and is entitled Hikayat Si Burung Pingai.
Andai-Andai Si Burung Pingai, and Hikayat Burung Berau-Berau.
This allegorical fable inspired Hamzah FansuriAos poetry, especially his poem entitled Syair Burung Pingai (Hadi W.
, 2004: 21-.
Hamzah gharib unggas quddusi Akan rumanya Bayt al-MaAomuri Kursinya sekalian kapuri Min al-ashjari di negeri Fansuri (Hadi W.
, 1995: .
(Hamzah is a traveler, a holy bird His home is in the eternal Bayt al-MaAomur His chair is made of shining white chalk Made from trees in the land of Fansur.
The poem above is an example of Hamzah Fansuri putting the name AuFansuriAy as the name of his hometown or as his nickname.
This custom originates from Persia and is called takhallus.
Persian poets commonly use takhallus at the end of a verse when writing gazal.
This is related to the function of gazal as a medium for erotic and mystical poetry.
According to Jami.
Persian poets choose takhallus by asking the opinion of the king who is the poetAos protector or asking his or her teacher for advice.
Some poets take their takhallus from the names of the towns where they were born or raised (Syarifuddin, 2013:
The Malay language that Hamzah Fansuri uses in his poetry is so charming.
Words taken from Arabic have been completely integrated into the Malay language system.
Hamzah Fansuri really mastered Malay and Arabic.
From the 32 sets of his poetry that were found .
ach set consists of 13-15 stanzas, and some have up to 17-19 stanza.
, it can be seen that the process of Islamizing the Malay language was carried out by Hamzah Fansuri.
In these 32 sets themselves, there EL HAYAH: Jurnal Studi Islam.
Vol.
15 No.
1 Juni 2025
ISSN : 2086 Ae 4337
E-ISSN : 2809-7920
are approximately 800 words taken from Arabic, not to mention the technical terms of Sufism and Quranic verses as well as Hadith or Hadith qudsi (Hadi W.
, 2001: 413-.
Nonetheless, this does not make Hamzah FansuriAos poetry lose its poetic value, because the adopted words were adapted and aestheticized in such a way as to be absorbed into the Malay linguistic system (Hadi W.
2016: .
According to A.
Teeuw, the system of poetry authorship introduced by Hamzah Fansuri was greatly influenced by Arabic and Persian poetry models.
Shams al-Din al-Sumatrani.
FansuriAos disciple, calls Hamzah FansuriAos poetry a type of rubaAoi which is known in the Arab-Persian world as rubaAoiyat in the plural However, the rubaAoi pattern is different from the poetry pattern referred to FansuriAos in terms of rhyme in one stanza.
The rhyme of rubaAoi is a-a-b-a, while the poetry developed by Hamzah Fansuri uses the rhyme a-a-a-a.
Therefore, according to al-Attas.
Arabic-Persian poetry has played an important role in influencing the creation of Malay Sufi In other words.
Hamzah Fansuri in his time introduced elements of Arabic-Persian thought, aesthetics, and poetic characteristics into Malay literature, so that he is known to have brought new innovations to Malay literature with the creation of his poetry (Syarifuddin, 2013: 109-.
As for vocabulary.
Hamzah FansuriAos poetry is a work that has a significant influence on Malay language and literature (Hadi W.
, 2002: 379-.
Therefore, he has a huge influence on the development of Malay language and literature which was influenced by Arab and Persian Islamic culture.
In fact.
Hamzah Fansuri is often called the father of the Malay language.
This is not an exaggeration, because Hamzah Fansuri is one of the Islamic figures who took part in efforts to Islamize Malay language and literature (Hadi W.
, 2002: 377.
Nurhuda, 2016: 122-.
EL HAYAH: Jurnal Studi Islam.
Vol.
15 No.
1 Juni 2025
ISSN : 2086 Ae 4337
E-ISSN : 2809-7920
The Concept of God in Hamzah FansuriAos Poetry Poetry, for Sufis, can package spiritual experiences that are complicated to In poetic language.
Sufi experiences can be condensed with metaphors.
Poetic language is unlike language in general that operates rationally and discursively, being unfeasible to express mystical or Sufism experiences.
In this section, we discuss several excerpts from Hamzah FansuriAos poetry that are representative of his views, especially those that are loaden with the wujudiyah Hamzah nin asalnya Fansuri Mendapat wujud di tanah Syahr Nawi Beroleh khilafat ilmu yang Aoali Daripada Syaikh AoAbd al-Qadir al-Jilani (Djamaris & Prijanto, 1995: .
(Hamzah comes from the land of Fansuri Finding existence in the land of Syahr Nawi Obtaining a legacy of high knowledge From Shaikh Abdul Qadir al-Jilan.
Most scholars interpret the verse above as the identity of Hamzah Fansuri, especially with regard to the origins of his birth.
In fact, if it is read through Sufi hermeneutics, the verse above using the term AuwujudAy .
finding existence in the land of Syahr Naw.
is supposed to be understood as finding al-Wujud (Go.
or experiencing mushahadah .
ystical witnessin.
in the land of Syahr Nawi.
could be said that he reached the spiritual stage of maAorifah in the land of Syahr Nawi (Hadi W.
, 2001: 140-.
In another poem.
Hamzah Fansuri formulates a sophisticated ontological system, which can be used as a reference for the spiritual journey of humans in the concept of transcendental anthropology.
The human being in Hamzah FansuriAos view from the excerpt of the poem below indicates that one must find a home .
place to retur.
in the spiritual realm (Nasution, 2017: .
Kenali dirimu hai anak dagang EL HAYAH: Jurnal Studi Islam.
Vol.
15 No.
1 Juni 2025
ISSN : 2086 Ae 4337
E-ISSN : 2809-7920
Jadikan markab tempat berpulang Kemudi tinggal jangan kau goyang Supaya dapat dekat kau pulang (Hadi W.
, 2016: .
(Know yourself.
O wandering trader Make the ship your home Hold the helm, donAot let go So, you can return home close and saf.
As for the purpose of humans in this world.
Hamzah Fansuri reminds humankind not to be lulled by the world.
From the verse above, he wants to convey that each person must always be aware of this world, which is only a temporary stopover.
Humans must realize that they are only like traders who come for a moment to the world and will surely return to their origin soon.
With such an understanding, humans should utilize all their potential to understand their place of return.
Auso you can return home close and safe,Ay as expressed in the last line (Nasution, 2017: .
Hamzah Fansuri also uses the word Autrade,Ay which is a symbol of faqir.
Sufism, faqir is defined as a person who is no longer connected to the world but is reliant solely on God.
Humans who essentially have nothing .
l-faq.
need God.
Based on this understanding.
Hamzah Fansuri maintains that the true faqir is the Prophet Muhammad.
In all aspects of his enviable life, he truly depended only on God (Hadi W.
, 2016: 17-.
Rasulullah itulah yang tiada berlawan Meninggalkan tamak sungguh pun makan Uzlat dan tunggal di dalam kawan Olehnya duduk waktu berjalan (Hadi W.
, 2016: .
(The Messenger of Allah is the one who has no equal Avoiding greed, even in need of food Isolating himself and living simply in the midst of the crowd He was walking while sittin.
EL HAYAH: Jurnal Studi Islam.
Vol.
15 No.
1 Juni 2025
ISSN : 2086 Ae 4337
E-ISSN : 2809-7920
The third line that reads Auuzlat dan tunggal di dalam kawanAy can be interpreted to mean that the Prophet Muhammad is a man who was fond of retreat, but he did not abandon his social responsibility, since the line Auhe was walking while sittingAy means that even though his heart was only tied to God, he was also still active in carrying out world affairs with full sincerity and devotion.
If interpreted this way, the idea of faqir cannot be equated with passive asceticism and social escapism (Hadi W.
, 2016: .
Kenali dirimu hai anak dagang Di balik papan tidur terlentang Kelam dan dingin bukan kepalang Dengan siapa lawan berbincang (Nasution, 2017: .
(Know thyself.
O wandering trader Behind the board you sleep on your back In the incomparable darkness and cold Who else are you going to talk to?) From the verse above, the term AuknowAy is meant not at the empirical or rational sensory level, but rather by mystical experience .
aAorifa.
Such a state will be achieved after experiencing self-annihilation .
Therefore, in another fragment of poetry.
Hamzah Fansuri even tries to emphasize that the wandering trader should deny himself or herself.
Indeed, in the view of the wujudiyah Sufis, the AuselfAy is only a shadow or reflection of the AuTrue SelfAy.
So, it is necessary to deny the AuselfAy or small ego in order to reveal the AuSelfAy or God.
This denial also coincides with letting go lust and desire.
Therefore.
Hamzah Fansuri also criticizes people who indulge their desires.
Aho segala kita yang menyembah hawa Kerjamu terlalu ghawa Tempat qab qawaysn aw adna Tiada antara kening tempatmu raya Qab qawsayn ini terlalu ujab Akan tamsil jua kepada ulul albab EL HAYAH: Jurnal Studi Islam.
Vol.
15 No.
1 Juni 2025
ISSN : 2086 Ae 4337
E-ISSN : 2809-7920
Barangsiapa fanaAo daripada sekalian hisab Beroleh Tuhan tiada dengan hijab (Tarigan, 2016: .
(O, all of us who are enslaved by lust Your work is full of vain illusions The holy place.
Qab Qawsayn or Adna is not between the brows, where you feel magnificent The meaning of Qab Qawsayn is very deep Only as a metaphor for wise people who understand Whoever is annihilated from all calculations He will find God without a vei.
After a seeker has made a long journey in his or her hard mujahadah, he or she will experience fanaAo .
elf-annihilatio.
This unio mystica experience is felt by the seeker in the first stage of mystical state.
As AoAttar said, this experience, namely mushahadah or wahdat al-shuhud, is the initial gate to enter the real palace of banquet.
In such a state, the seeker sees himself or herself as having sunk in the vast ocean of the Divine, so that the seeker sees the foam, the rolling waves, or the sound of the crashing on the reef as mere manifestations of God.
Hamzah miskin hina dan karam Bermain mata dengan Rabbul Alam Selamnya sangat terlalu dalam Seperti mayat sudah tertanam (Nasution, 2017: .
(Poor, lowly, and drowning Hamzah Playing love with Rabbul AoAlam The dive is very deep Like an embedded corps.
Shams al-Din al-Sumatrani, as a student of Hamzah Fansuri, interprets the above verse.
AuAthat the Sufi is known for his poor self, without nature, name, then the one who has form, the one who has nature, the one who has name, and the one who acts is only God aloneAy (Nasution, 2017: .
Therefore, in the mujahadah process of mystical seekers, they are required to negate themselves.
EL HAYAH: Jurnal Studi Islam.
Vol.
15 No.
1 Juni 2025
ISSN : 2086 Ae 4337
E-ISSN : 2809-7920
in the sense of realizing their total absence, because in principle, ontological existence is only God alone.
Humans must position themselves before God like corpses that have been embedded, unable to move, so that humans feel the continuous impact of God.
In studying Sufi knowledge.
Hamzah Fansuri spent many years traveling to distant countries such as the Malay Peninsula.
Java.
India.
Persia.
Arabia, and This gave him a broad horizon, so that he became a Sufi poet whose writing was pithy and dense with philosophical points, but still aesthetic to read and appreciate (Kurdi, 2013: .
Hamzah Fansuri di dalam Mekkah Mencari Tuhan di Bayt al-KaAobah Di Barus ke Qudus terlalu payah Akhirnya dijumpa di dalam rumah (Hadi W.
, 2001: .
(Hamzah Fansuri is in Mecca Seeking God at Bayt al-Kaaba From Barus to Quds, the journey is so difficult Finally.
God was found in the hous.
In such a verse.
Hamzah Fansuri reveals that God resides in Authe house,Ay which in the Sufi view refers to the human heart.
For Sufis, the heart is understood as the divine residence, as hinted at in the ProphetAos hadith.
Auqalb almuAominin bayt AllahAy .
he believerAos heart is the house of Go.
This understanding is not only literal but dives into an esoteric dimension, describing the heart as a sacred space where humans draw closer to the Creator.
By using the symbol Auhouse,Ay Hamzah Fansuri emphasizes the presence of God in the human heart who continually directs oneAos soul and consciousness to Him.
Regarding his wujudiyah view.
Hamzah Fansuri expresses his ideas symbolically using AuoceanAy to describe GodAos omnipotence, because ocean shows breadth and depth, while the cosmos is compared to crashing waves.
For Hamzah Fansuri, waves are a form of tajalli from the ocean and the two cannot EL HAYAH: Jurnal Studi Islam.
Vol.
15 No.
1 Juni 2025
ISSN : 2086 Ae 4337
E-ISSN : 2809-7920
be separated.
However, it can still be understood that waves and the ocean are two entities that can be identified as different.
This is often regarded as a paradoxical metaphor in Sufism (Tarigan, 2016: .
Tuhan itu misal bahr al-Aoamiq Ombaknya penuh pada sekalian tariq Laut dan ombak keduanya rafiq Akhir ke dalamnya ombaknya ghariq Bahr al-Haqq terlalu dalam Ombaknya menjadi Aoalam Asalnya tiada bersiang malam Di laut itu Aoalam nin karam (Tarigan, 2016: 91-.
(God is like a deep ocean Its waves cover every path of life The ocean and the waves both go hand in hand Finally, the waves sink into the ocean The Ocean of Truth is so deep Its waves transform into nature Originally there was no day or night In that ocean, nature sink.
Hamzah Fansuri in the verse above likens the infinite Being of God to the ocean .
l-bah.
Everything is likened to a tariq .
In the Quran, it is stated that God .
l-Muhi.
encompasses all things.
The line Aulaut dan ombak keduanya rafiqAy explains the closeness of humans to God, for He is closer to humans than their own jugular veins.
The word rafiq comes from Arabic which means AucloseAy (Hadi W.
, 2001: .
However.
Hamzah Fansuri also strictly emphasizes GodAos incomparability and transcendence.
Tuhan kita tidak ber-mitsal Bukannya bintang dan Shamsu hilal Di antara kening di manakan wisal Jangan kaupandang pada cahaya dan zilal (Hadi W.
, 2016: .
(Our God is without equal or likeness EL HAYAH: Jurnal Studi Islam.
Vol.
15 No.
1 Juni 2025
ISSN : 2086 Ae 4337
E-ISSN : 2809-7920
Not like a beautiful star, sun or crescent moon If you look between the foreheads, where is the real encounter? DonAot look at ephemeral light or shado.
In the teachings of pranayama, the forehead is seen as atman .
and is used as a point of concentration when one practices yoga.
The goal is to achieve unity with Paramestiguru.
However.
Hamzah Fansuri criticizes such practices being included in Islam.
The context of the poem is quite clear.
Religious life in Aceh at that time was still strongly influenced by non-Islamic elements.
As a Sufi, he taught that God has no place, which is different from the teachings of pranayama which view God as immanent .
According to Hamzah Fansuri, that God is immanent .
is true, but the truth is only half, because at the same time.
He is transcendent .
(Hadi W.
, 2016: 167-.
Indeed, the wujudiyah Sufis often use symbolism in delivering their experiences so that readers need deep reflection to understand them.
This is one of the benchmarks for classifying Sufis such as Hamzah Fansuri or Ibn AoArabi into philosophical Sufis .
l-tasawwuf al-falsaf.
because to be able to understand them, one needs philosophical reflection.
Nevertheless, this classification is actually for convenience only, not to classify Sufism absolutely into various CONCLUSION Islamic literature or art has a foundation of knowledge inspired by spiritual values, wisdom, and discernment.
This is indeed based on esoteric insight that reaches into the inner reality .
aqaAoi.
of all things.
Islamic art and literature do not imitate .
the external forms of nature but reflect its principles.
embodiesAiin a physical level that can be directly understood by the mindAi fundamental realities as a ladder for the soulAos ascent from the level of what can be seen and heard to the level of silence above every sound.
EL HAYAH: Jurnal Studi Islam.
Vol.
15 No.
1 Juni 2025
ISSN : 2086 Ae 4337
E-ISSN : 2809-7920
Sufism is not only limited to a religious and spiritual movement but also transformed into a rich literary movement.
Braginsky calls Sufism Aupoetic SufismAy when expressed in literary form, especially poetry, while Aubook SufismAy refers to Sufism that is codified in religious doctrine.
Poetic Sufism becomes a universal medium for expressing the spiritual experience of Sufis through language and aesthetics, transcending national boundaries as well as ArabMuslim and Persian cultural environments.
This phenomenon permeates various literary traditions of the world, such as Turkish.
Urdu.
Malay, and Javanese, showing that Sufi aesthetics has a universal dimension that transcends time and REFERENCES