Jakarta, NU Online
In his Jakarta home, Tahir Harahap has a most precious possession: a collection of ancient Islamic manuscripts found in a cave in the remote region of Central Java, illuminating hidden pages of the history of Islam in Indonesia.
"The manuscripts used to belong to a religious guru of an Islamic boarding school in Central Java," Tahir, a 71-year-old retired government official, told IslamOnline.<>
"I got them from someone in 1985 through bartering."
The treasure is comprised of enormous manuscripts, books and copies of the Noble Qur'an dating back to hundreds of years ago.
Islamic Manuscripts (Watch) This includes eighty books and manuscripts on Islamic fiqh, tasfir (explanation of Qur'an meaning), Islamic history, literature and Arabic linguistics. Other documents contain written Friday prayer sermons and lectures.
The manuscripts are written in various local languages such as Malay, Madurese, Sundanese and Javanese.
Some are even written in Arabic including one of the 22 copies of the Muslim holy book, which was made in the sixteenth century.
"I believe this Qur'an is originally Arab," said Tahir, carefully showing a very old brown-dusted hard-covered Qur'an.
The second page of the holy book copy states its writing date as the year 895 Hijri. The Southeast Asian nation of Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim nation with a population of 220 million.
Around 85 percent of the Indonesians follow Islam.
National Treasure
Recognizing the importance of his possession, Tahir felt obliged to hand the collection over to Indonesia's Islamic manuscripts museum Beit al-Qur'an.
"Before I die, I would like to donate those documents to the museum for the sake of Islam and knowledge."
He contacted the Ministry of Religious Affairs which sent a team of researchers to his house to examine the manuscripts.
But after copying and digitizing the documents, the researchers decided to leave them in Tahir's possession.
"For the time being, we are only documenting the manuscripts until we have proper space to place them," Alfan Firmanto, the leader of the researchers' team, told IOL.
"We will let the collector keep maintaining the document."
Alfan insists that Tahir's case is not unique, as many others all across Indonesia have similar priceless manuscripts that tell hidden pages of the country's Islamic heritage and history.
"For example, the history tells us that the arrival of Islam was in 13th century. But we have found that Muslim traders had been in Barus and North Sumatra since seventh century."
The ministry conducted a research from 2003 until 2005 that found about 300 Islamic manuscripts scattered with collectors in Indonesia.
"It's a proof that Islam was mushrooming widely across Nusantara," Alfan said, referring to the Indonesian archipelago.
For Tahir, nothing would make him happier than having his treasure for some more time.
"As a Muslim, I have an obligation to do so," he said.
"To be honest, I feel getting a blessing from Allah by taking care of these manuscripts." (dar)
In his Jakarta home, Tahir Harahap has a most precious possession: a collection of ancient Islamic manuscripts found in a cave in the remote region of Central Java, illuminating hidden pages of the history of Islam in Indonesia.
"The manuscripts used to belong to a religious guru of an Islamic boarding school in Central Java," Tahir, a 71-year-old retired government official, told IslamOnline.<>
"I got them from someone in 1985 through bartering."
The treasure is comprised of enormous manuscripts, books and copies of the Noble Qur'an dating back to hundreds of years ago.
Islamic Manuscripts (Watch) This includes eighty books and manuscripts on Islamic fiqh, tasfir (explanation of Qur'an meaning), Islamic history, literature and Arabic linguistics. Other documents contain written Friday prayer sermons and lectures.
The manuscripts are written in various local languages such as Malay, Madurese, Sundanese and Javanese.
Some are even written in Arabic including one of the 22 copies of the Muslim holy book, which was made in the sixteenth century.
"I believe this Qur'an is originally Arab," said Tahir, carefully showing a very old brown-dusted hard-covered Qur'an.
The second page of the holy book copy states its writing date as the year 895 Hijri. The Southeast Asian nation of Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim nation with a population of 220 million.
Around 85 percent of the Indonesians follow Islam.
National Treasure
Recognizing the importance of his possession, Tahir felt obliged to hand the collection over to Indonesia's Islamic manuscripts museum Beit al-Qur'an.
"Before I die, I would like to donate those documents to the museum for the sake of Islam and knowledge."
He contacted the Ministry of Religious Affairs which sent a team of researchers to his house to examine the manuscripts.
But after copying and digitizing the documents, the researchers decided to leave them in Tahir's possession.
"For the time being, we are only documenting the manuscripts until we have proper space to place them," Alfan Firmanto, the leader of the researchers' team, told IOL.
"We will let the collector keep maintaining the document."
Alfan insists that Tahir's case is not unique, as many others all across Indonesia have similar priceless manuscripts that tell hidden pages of the country's Islamic heritage and history.
"For example, the history tells us that the arrival of Islam was in 13th century. But we have found that Muslim traders had been in Barus and North Sumatra since seventh century."
The ministry conducted a research from 2003 until 2005 that found about 300 Islamic manuscripts scattered with collectors in Indonesia.
"It's a proof that Islam was mushrooming widely across Nusantara," Alfan said, referring to the Indonesian archipelago.
For Tahir, nothing would make him happier than having his treasure for some more time.
"As a Muslim, I have an obligation to do so," he said.
"To be honest, I feel getting a blessing from Allah by taking care of these manuscripts." (dar)
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