Sufi Warriorism in Muslim Southeast Asia

Abstract

Sufism (tasawwuf) has been characterized in the extant literature as a pacifist strand in Islam that has shaped the landscapes of Muslim Southeast Asia (also known as the Malay World) since the last five hundred years. This article challenges such historiographical interpretation by examining the multifarious circumstances that motivated Sufis to invoke jihad (struggle) and perang sabil (holy war) in many junctures of the region's past in pursuit of imperial, ideological, material, and communal interests. Using a set of illustrative vignettes spanning a few centuries, this article positions “Sufi warriorism” as a useful concept for scholars to make sense of a variety of aggressive actions carried out by Sufis. It further proposes a typology that demonstrates how the three main expressions of Sufi warriorism—protagonist, protectionist, and purist—were instrumental in shaping the careers of states and societies in Muslim Southeast Asia.