Aceh, What's With You

Aceh is a province located on the western tip of the island of Sumatra, and Aceh's position is very strategic, which is bordered by the Malacca Strait, which was once the center of international trade.

Historically, Aceh was a sovereign kingdom, with the name of the kingdom of Aceh Darussalam, when its glory was under the leadership of Raja Iskandar Muda, and Aceh was also a kingdom that implemented Islamic law, so that customs and religion were held by people who understood their fields, namely by the slogan "Adat like Poe Meuruhom, law like Syiah Kuala".

In addition to Aceh's strategic location, Aceh also has extraordinary natural wealth, vast forests, oil, gas, gold, agriculture, marine and other natural resources that cannot be managed, even the land is very well-fed, if a stick can grow , then a stick that is planted on the ground can grow, so likened to the fertility of the land of Aceh. Not only that, Aceh is also one of the provinces that received the title of special autonomy.

From various extraordinary income of Aceh, APBN, special autonomy funds, social assistance, etc., it can be said that Aceh is a granary of money, if likened, let alone workers who work, unemployment can get a salary.

Why Poverty Is So Sacred In Aceh

Seeing the phenomenon and reality of Aceh's income which is so large compared to a population of only five million people, then this is truly a very sad phenomenon, a former sovereign kingdom that was very sovereign and its people were very prosperous, now as if neglected, the social nature that used to be so high, now breathe breath. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer.

Not only that, but the market life also seems so wild, no one controls it, food prices are arbitrary and the purchase price of community harvests is so low, but this is very sad when approaching meugang, meat prices in Aceh vary and get the second most expensive ranking in the Indonesia after Papua, which is 160,000 per kilogram, even though the quality of meat in Aceh is not the best.

"The situation has prompted several traders to slaughter buffalo cattle which had been postponed. The price of released meat surged to Rp 160,000 per kilogram. The price level is higher than the price of meat on the day of Eid al-Fitr 1434 Hijri then Rp 150,000 per kilogram ", (Serambi Indonesia, October 3, 2014).

"Not only buffalo meat and cows are bounced, cut chicken meat is sold for an average of Rp. 65,000 / medium size, native chicken ranges from Rp. 70,000 to 110,000 per head. Wet tuna types are sold between Rp. 30,000 to Rp. 60,000 per fish ”, (Serambi Indonesia, October 3, 2014).

With market conditions like this, it really does not benefit people who have many children who have middle to lower economic income. Because they are not able to meet the needs of meugang for his family.

From the reality that we see, we sometimes think that poverty is a legacy that we need to guard and maintain, so that poverty appears as if it is so sacred that it is not easy or impossible to let go of in the culture of modern Acehnese society.

What is the Future of the People of Aceh?

From the APBA, which has 12 trillion annually, the special autonomy fund is 3.5 to 9 trillion annually, and the social assistance is quite large, but there are still Acehnese people who are below the poverty line.

The special autonomy fund is only for a period of 20 years, from 2008 to 2027, and this is also in two different phases with the bonus amount.

"The special autonomy fund was chosen in two phases; the first phase of 2008-2022 (15 years) was 2 percent of the National General Allocation Fund (DAU). The second phase of 2023-2227 was reduced to 1 percent of the National DAU. The reduction of Aceh's revenue in the last 5 years is assumed that at that time Aceh's development conditions have begun to improve, and have been able to catch up with other regions in Indonesia ", (Jamaluddin M. Jamil, Serambi Indonesia).

With so much money going to Aceh today but there are still Acehnese who are destitute and below the poverty line, even unemployment is currently reaching 147 thousand people or around 6.75 percent.

"The Open Unemployment Rate (TPT) in Aceh in February 2014 reached 6.75 percent, 3.37 percent lower than the August 2013 TPT which reached 10.12 percent, and 1.47 percent lower than the February 2013 TPT which reached 8.22 percent ". "According to BPS analysis, it is greatly influenced by the influence of the season, where in February the activity of the agricultural sector is much greater than in August in each year". "In the period February 2013 to February 2014 an increase in the number of the workforce

and the number of working people is also offset by a decrease in the number of residents who work

unemployed. Based on these three time periods, unemployment in February 2014 was the lowest unemployment with an unemployed population of 147 thousand people and TPT of 6.75 percent ”, (Nazar, Ajnn. Net, 06 Mai 2014).

"The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) reports that the number of unemployed residents in Aceh Province in February 2014 was 147,000. This figure has decreased by around 60,000 people compared to August 2013 which was 207,000 people, and about 30,000 people smaller than February 2013 which reached 177,000 people ”, (Analysis, May 6, 2014).

By comparing the poverty rate and unemployment rate in Aceh which is actually Aceh is a granary of money, it becomes a big question about how the fate of the people of Aceh in the future after the special autonomy fund ends? And this is our common question and we need to answer together, so that all the people of Aceh are able to interpret this peace as full grace.

Aceh Identity Crisis

16th Century Aceh

During the Iskandar Muda Kingdom in Aceh, which began in 1607 AD until 1636 AD, was a very glorious period, Aceh was a country that was very rich and prosperous. At that time it had established cooperation with western kingdoms, including the kingdoms of England, Ottoman and Holland.

Sultan of Aceh was held by Sultan Iskandar Muda Meukuta Perkasa Alam, the kingdom of Aceh developed as an Islamic kingdom and experienced glory during the reign of Sultan Iskandar Muda. The rapid development achieved by the Kingdom of Aceh was inseparable from its strategic location, namely on the northern part of Sumatra Island and near the international trade shipping lane at that time (http://kebultural.kemdikbud.go.id/bpcbaceh/2013/10/31/ glimpse-history-aceh-16th-century-writer-nurdin-s-sos-staff-restoration-bpcb-aceh /).

At that time Aceh played a very important role in the International kingdoms, namely as a transit area for commodity goods from East to West, and vice versa. It is through this trade route that Islam enters Aceh and thickens, so that Aceh is referred to as the Veranda of Mecca.

Islam in Aceh

Islam in Aceh is a religion that is adopted by the majority of Aceh's population. Many historians both at home and abroad are of the opinion that Islam first entered Indonesia through Aceh.

The statement of Marco Polo who stopped at Perlak in 1292 stated that the country had adopted the religion of Islam. Likewise Samudera-Pasai, based on the tombs found in the former kingdom and news sources that exist as we have already described that this kingdom had become an Islamic kingdom around 1270.

Regarding the history of the development of Islam in the Aceh region in the earliest times were manuscripts originating from within their own country such as the Book of Malay History, the Story of Raja Pasai. According to these two books, a preacher named Sheikh Ismail had come from Mecca on purpose to the Ocean to convert the people there. After spreading Islam in Aceh, Sheikh Ismail returned to Mecca, (Wikipedia).

According to A. Hasyimy, the first Islamic empire in North Sumatra was the Perlak Kingdom which emerged in the 9th century AD (Aceh Preservation Preservation Hall). The kingdom of Perlak has an Islamic influence on the surrounding areas. Many Perlak scholars have succeeded in spreading Islam outside Perlak, for example a group of Perlak Da'i can convert the Continent king. Many Perlak scholars, prominent figures, leaders and families of the Perlak king moved to Lingga after the Srivijaya invasion, so they formed a Muslim community there and thus the Islamic kingdom of Lingga was founded. Besides Perlak, the most important Islamic kingdom in North Sumatra is Samudera. Chinese sources say that in 1282 the tiny kingdom of the Ocean had sent ambassadors in Muslim names.

Islam is not something new in Aceh, but Islam has existed in Aceh since the 9th century AD, so Islamic law is not the creation of the Aceh government now that is feared by all elements of society, but Islamic law is law enforcement in the kingdoms in Aceh first .

When Islam has become flesh-blooded with an area, then that area will implement Islamic Sharia, even in Aceh it used to be a kingdom that implemented Islamic Sharia, this was proven by the slogan "Adat like Po Teumeuruhom, Hukom like Syiah Kuala, Qanun like Putroe Phang, Reusam like Admiral".

Life of the Acehnese Community Now

We see now the development of Islam in Aceh is really far from expectations, like far from the fire, this proves Islam is increasingly shallow in Aceh, even most of us are allergic to Islamic law itself.

There are very few devotees in Aceh where they have studied Islam, and even most people now assume that if our children are entrusted to a pure pesantren (Salafi Dayah) then their children have no future. Yet we already know that the ultimate future is the happiness of the world and the hereafter.

In addition, the way we live every day is far from Islamic culture itself, starting from association, clothing, speaking, and doing things. Throwing the head of Satpol PP Langsa a few days ago while commemorating that there should be no midnight keyboard (Serambi), women netted in a tight clothing raid in Meulaboh, free sex practices, and selling women out of Aceh.

We can see for myself how the development of Islam in Aceh now, in our own area how many sounds of the chanting of the Koran after the Megrib prayer, almost no houses can be heard reading the Koran, day, night, morning, and megrib just the sound of music and television that is heard a lot.

Allah never mentioned in the Quran and the Prophet never explained in a Hadith that Islam will be eternal in Aceh until the end of the world, there is no guarantee that Islam will be intact in Aceh, even though Aceh is the first area to convert to Islam in Asia and Aceh is called the Veranda of Mecca . It all depends on us, the people of Aceh, if we are allergic to Islamic Sharia and the application of Islamic Sharia is only in the mouth and as a project of officials, do not ever expect Islam to triumph in Aceh as before, even one day the people of Aceh will feel inferior and surprised by Islam alone. Remember the history of Islam in Spain first, and how Spain is now.

And (remember also), when your Lord declares. "Indeed, if you are grateful, surely We will add (ni'mat) to you, and if you deny (ni'mat My), then in fact My punishment is very painful". And Musa said: "If you and those on earth are all denying (ni'mat Allah) then surely Allah is Rich and Most Praised." (QS: Ibrahim: 7-8).

Al Makki bin Ibrahim told us and he said, Abdullah bin Sa'id told us (and he (Sa'id) was the son of Abi Hind) and he narrated from his father, his father narrated from Ibn 'Abbas ra, Ibn 'Abbas has said: The Messenger of Allah said, "There are two pleasures, many people become losers because of these two pleasures, namely; delicious health and free time. "

(H.R. Bukhari).