THE LEADERSHIP OF RAJA ALI HAJ FISABILILLAH IN THE CONTEXT OF ISLAMIC POLITICAL THOUGHT

Abstract

Leadership in Islamic political thought is not solely associated with authority and governance structures, but is fundamentally rooted in moral responsibility, ethical conduct, and accountability before God and society. Raja Ali Haji Fisabilillah was a prominent nineteenth-century Malay intellectual whose intellectual legacy reflects a deep integration of Islamic values with local Malay wisdom. This study aims to analyze the concept of leadership articulated by Raja Ali Haji within the framework of Islamic political thought and to examine its relevance to contemporary leadership challenges. Employing a qualitative library research method, this study analyzes Raja Ali Haji's major works, particularly Gurindam Dua Belas and Tuhfat al-Nafis , alongside classical and contemporary scholarly literature on Islamic political theory. The findings demonstrate that leadership, according to Raja Ali Haji, is conceived as a moral trust ( amanah ) that requires justice, integrity, self-restraint, and accountability. Leadership legitimacy is not derived solely from formal authority or lineage, but from ethical behavior and public trust. The novelty of this research lies in positioning Raja Ali Haji as an Islamic political thinker from the Malay world who offers a contextual model of Islamic leadership rooted in local wisdom, thereby enriching Islamic political thought in Southeast Asia and providing ethical guidance for contemporary governance