The Aceh War was one of the greatest wars in the archipelago against the Dutch colonialists. The war that erupted in 1873-1904 is a war that claimed most Dutch soldiers. The Dutch themselves acknowledged that the war of Atjeh was the most bitter war, surpassing the bitter experience of the Napoleonic Wars. This can be proven by the silent witness of history, the grave of Kerkhof.
The Kerkhoff Grave Banda Aceh is a Dutch military tomb located outside the Netherlands. This army grave is one of the largest in the world. About 2,200 troops including four generals are buried here. The Dutch soldiers witnessed the persistence of the struggle of the Acehnese people who never tired of waging jihad against the Dutch "kaphee" (the Gentile).
Even the Dutch had despaired in facing the resistance of the people of Aceh, do not know how else to extinguish it. Top services Dr. Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje was the Dutch can carry the Sultanate of Aceh. Snouck Hurgronje pretends to convert to Islam to seek as much information as to the weakness of the Acehnese people. For two years he mingled with the people of Aceh. From the results of his research recorded in a book called De Acehers (People of Aceh) He gave the view that the war leader is actually not the sultan of Aceh but the scholars. He suggested that the Dutch troops concentrate on crushing and muzzling the clergy. After the scholars are captured and exiled or even killed then the struggle of the people of Aceh can be extinguished. Snouck Hurgronje's suggestion was run by the Dutch, and it worked well. The Aceh war could be put out bit by bit.
No one denies the ferocity of the Acehnese people in their struggle. Even when the Sultan of Aceh, the Sultan Muhammad Daud Syah surrendered in 1904, the people of Aceh continued to wage a guerrilla war. They fought not for the sultan, but because the call of holy jihad defended the homeland. Guerilla warfare continued until 1942, the end of Dutch colonial rule due to the arrival of Japanese troops.
The Aceh War has given birth to so many heroes, not only men but also women heroes. One such hero is Teungku Fakinah, a female cleric who is a warlord in his area.
Teungku is the title for the Acehnese ulema. While Teuku is a noble title. Teungku Fakinah is one of the female clerics who are contemporary with Cut Nyak Dien. He is Cut Nyak Dien's best friend in the fight. He is also often a spiritual advocate of Cut Nyak Dien.
Teungku Fakinah was born in 1856 in Lam Krak village. His father was named Datuk Mahmud, a government official of the Aceh Sultanate. While his mother named Teungku Muhammad Sa'at founder of Lam Pucok pesantren. His mother is a scholar. Pesantren Lam Pucok produces many persistent fighters in Aceh, one of them is Teungku Chik Ditiro.
Teungku Fakinah never took formal education. He took a religious education in pesantren owned by his parents. He studied religion with diligence such as the science of Tawheed, tafseer, hadith, Arabic. While the science keputrian he got from his mother.
Teungku Fakinah was raised in a state of war in Aceh. All Acehnese people unite to unleash the spirit of jihad. Old, young, male, female all hate Dutch kaphee. Moreover, when the great mosque of Baiturrahman was controlled by the Dutch, all the people of Aceh swore to take it back. Recorded four great battles in the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque.
Although women, but Teungku Fakinah have courage that is not inferior to men. He was blessed with a beautiful face. The beauty of his face does not make him forget himself. It does not make it self-exploit for worldly interests. The beauty of his face he is complete with the beauty of his heart. Teungku Fakinah upholds the principles of Islam in his life. He would only accept the proposal of religious youth.
When he was 16, in 1872, Teungku Fakinah fulfilled half his religion. He married Teungku Ahmad, a good man from the village of Lam Beunot. This husband and wife have forgiven themselves to fight together in the way of Allah. They set up a boarding school at Lam Beunot. Besides actively teaching at the pesantren, Teungku Ahmad also persistently struggling to drive the Dutch.He swore to fight in the way of Allah until the martyr before.
When the Aceh war broke out for the first time in 1873, Teungku Ahmad unhesitatingly fought to fulfill the call of holy jihad. He strengthened the army of Police Commander (Panglima Kesultanan Aceh). Although still a newlywed and have a beautiful wife, but it does not dampen his steps to jihad. He fought bravely on the front line. The battles were fierce. Many mujahidin are martyrs, including Teungku Ahmad.
Teungku Fakinah mourned and proud to have a martyred husband in the way of Allah. She became a widow at a very young age of 17 years. Teungku Fakinah is a true type of believer who devotes his entire life to struggling in the way of Allah. Even though her husband is gone, it does not mean she has to dissolve in grief. He even rose to continue her husband's struggle.
His first gait is to establish a Charity for the mujahidin. He coordinated the women, especially widows, to rise up to fight. He traveled around Aceh to collect donations to support the Aceh war. Various donations he earned in the form of money, food, weapons, or clothing were left entirely for the mujahidin. He also set up a communal kitchen and makeshift tent for the wounded mujahideen.
When Kutaraja (Banda Aceh) was occupied by the Dutch, the fighters moved their defenses in Lam Bhouk. But the defense can not last long, Lam Bhouk successfully mastered the Dutch in 1883. The fighters then guerrilla and move the center of defense in Aneuk Galung. With the lead by Teungku Cik Di Tiro, the fighters fought desperately to defend the Aneuk Galung region. Formerly, the area of Aneuk Galung is the headquarters of the Police Commander. But the Police Commander succeeded
Was captured by the Dutch in 1878.
In addition to strengthening the Aneuk Galung regional defense, fighters also build defense bases in other areas. Among them are Lam Sa Yeun area led by Tengku Mat Saleh, Cut Weue area led by Tengku Fakinah, Bak Balee area led by Habib Lhong, and Bak Garot area led by Tengku Amat. Tengku Amat is Uncle Teungku Fakinah, the younger brother of Teungku Muhammad Sa'at.
Tengku Fakinah is the only female warlord. He directs the construction of the castle in the Cut Weue area. He mobilized his men to install fences, dig trenches and install mines. He has a great army of women, women's troops dare to die. Noted great names like Cutpo Fatimah Blang Preh, Nyak Raniah, Cutpo Habi, Cutpo Nyak Cut, and Cut Puteh became members of his troops.
All fighters respect Teungku Fakinah. All Acehnese people love Teungku Fakinah. He often attends coordination meetings with other regional warlords. At that time Teungku Fakinah was a widow. The customs and traditions of the people of Aceh see it poorly when a woman attends a meeting with the male commander alone. At the urging of his men, Teungku Fakinah finally got married for the second time with Teungku Nyak Hurricane, a fighter from Pidie.
Their marriage is the result of the matchmaking of the mujahidin. Hopefully, this pair of mujahideen increasingly stubbornly fighting in the way of Allah. But their marriage did not last long. Teungku Nyak Storm was martyred in a battle in 1896. At that time the Dutch under Colonel J. W Stempoort stormed the Teungku Fakinah headquarters. Teungku Nyak Hurricane and his wife fought desperately to defend the fortress. Finally Teungku Nyak Hurricane fulfilled his sacred promise to be a martyr.
After the death of her husband, Teungku Fakinah did not retreat from the path of struggle. One of the greatest services recorded by history is when Teungku Fakinah succeeded in restoring Teuku Umar (husband of Cut Nyak Dien) to insyaf fight back against the Dutch caphee.
At that time Teuku Umar had defected, side with the Dutch. He was even awarded the title Johan Pahlawan by the Dutch for his services to crush the rebellion of the people of Aceh. Whereas previously Teuku Umar was a fierce warrior against the Dutch. Whether for tactical reasons or not, Teuku Umar had a chance to defect. The people of Aceh are very sad about this situation, they lost the figure of Teuku Umar who had been leading the struggle.
Teungku Fakinah is not enough just to be sad, he devised a tactic so Teuku Age can be insyaf back, fighting with the people back. He sent a message to Cut Nyak Dien who was his best friend. He said, tell Teuku Umar to bring his troops to Cut Weue, to fight widows and children. Cut Nyak Dien is silent receiving the message. His heart was stuck. He was ashamed to find her husband siding with the enemy, especially against the widow and the children of his own people. Then Cut Nyak Dien influenced her husband to return to the motherland, to fight again with the people of Aceh. Eventually Teuku Age woke up, he realized his mistake. He was very embarrassed to find a message from Teungku Fakinah to fight widows and children. Teuku Umar was again fighting with the people of Aceh. He ran 800 rifles along with sacked food. Then the guns he distributed to the mujahidin. The Dutch felt cheated, feeling tricked by Teuku Age. Since that time Teuku Umar and Cut Nyak Dien became the most wanted fugitives. Until the end of his life Teuku Umar and Cut Nyak Dien remain faithful to defend the motherland.
After the fall of his defensive headquarters, Teungku Fakinah moved around. First he lived in Lammeulo. After that he lived in Blang Peuneuleun (Pucok Peuneuleun). This area is a very beautiful area and a very fertile land, so this place is used as a village and once open agricultural land. Teungku Fakinah also opened pesantren in this area. But in 1899 invaded this place and ravaged all the buildings. Teungku Fakinah escaped the siege.
Since that time Teungku Fakinah never made headquarters again. He waged guerrilla warfare with other great women such as Pocut Awan (mother of Police Commander), Pocut Lam Gugob (relative sultan), etc. They waded through the jungle, moving to Pasai, Gayo Luas, and other places around the Freshwater. Although Teungku Fakinah no longer assumes the role of Warlord, he remains active in the field of religious education, especially teaching women in guerrilla. He rekindled the jihad spirit of the mujahidah0mujahidah.
After the Aceh Police Commander and Sultanate surrendered, Teungku Fakinah returned to his hometown on 21 May 1910. He returned to his hometown in the village of Kraak lam at the age of 54 years. Then he founded a pesantren in 1911. Teungku Fakinah is highly respected and loved by the people of Aceh.
Many community leaders donated funds for the construction of the pesantren. Teungku Fakinah also filled his old days by teaching religion in pesantren. His students came from all over Aceh.
Teungku Fakinah has the aspiration to leave for Hajj to the holy land. He is old but his intention has not been done. In 1914 he was determined to leave for Hajj. But she was a widow, and no widow was allowed to leave her own pilgrimage. Finally he decided to marry again to have a muhrim who accompanied his journey on the pilgrimage. Teungku Fakinah remarried with Ibrahim. Finally in 1915 they performed the pilgrimage to the holy land. At that time Teungku Fakinah was 58 years old.
After completing the pilgrimage, Teungku Fakinah decided to stay temporarily in Mecca to deepen the science of religion. In the fourth year in the holy land, the husband Ibrahim died. So in 1918 Teungku Fakinah decided to return to Aceh.
Arriving in Aceh, he led the pesantren back in Lam Krak. He taught the religious sciences to his disciples. He devoted himself to the pesantren until his death. Teungku Fakinah breathed his last in 1938 at the age of 75. Aceh mourns. A female cleric as well as warlord has closed the age. Teungku Fakinah has devoted his whole life to raising the banner of Islam. Although his name has never been recorded in the history books of Indonesia, but his name remains immortal on the creator's side of the universe. Greetings full of reverence for the clergy warlord .......
Salatiga, October 9, 2012
Reflecting on the historical mosaic ... We have never found Acehnese war material in history textbooks from elementary, junior high school, high school .... even though Aceh war is the greatest and longest war in the archipelago. Even the Dutch recognize it as the bitterest of wars, more than the bitter Napoleonic wars ..... Berkhoff's grave became a silent witness of the greatness of the Acehnese people .... Aceh became a nightmare for 2200 Dutch soldiers who died in this war ....
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