Senin 11 May 2015 15:11 WIB

The end of Javanese caliphate

The Suttan of Yogyakarta, Sri Sultan HB X previously held title 'Khalifatullah' or caliph
Foto: Antara/Regina Safri
The Suttan of Yogyakarta, Sri Sultan HB X previously held title 'Khalifatullah' or caliph

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, YOGYAKARTA -- The Sultan of Ngayogyakarta X officially remove the word khalifatullah (caliph) from his tittle on 30 April 2015. The abolition led to pro and con’s among Yogyakarta's citizen.

On Friday (8/5), Sultan explained the change of the title in front of people from various regions in Dalem Wironegaran, the residence of his first daughter, GKR Mangkubumi.

Sultan said that, since the decree (sabda) announced, his title would be changed to "Ngarsa Dalem Sampeyan Dalem Ingkang Sinuwun Sri Sultan Hamengku Bawono Ingkang Jumeneng Kasepuluh Suryaning Mataram Senapati Ing Ngalaga Langgeng Ing Bawono Langgeng, Langgeng Ing Toto Panoto Gomo".

The title will replace previous title "Ngarsa Dalem Sampeyan Dalem Ingkang Sinuwun Kanjeng Sultan Hamengku Buwono Senapati Ing Ngalaga Ngabdurrakhman Sayidin Panatagama Khalifatullah Ingkang Jumeneng Kaping Sedasa Ing Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat".

According to Sultan, the change is based on "dawuh" or the command of Allah through his ancestor. Thus the decree should be applied and cannot be denied.

"It’s a sudden dawuh. The authority of the Almighty Allah should not be debated," he said as quaoted from Antara.

As for the word change of “Buwono” to "Bawono", he explained, “Buwono” means a small universe while "Bawono" means a large universe.

"If Buwono assumed as region, so Bawono mean national. If Buwono is national, then Bawono mean international," he said.

Furthermore, he said, the word change of "kaping sedoso" to "kasepuluh" is to show the sequence. Because "kaping" means an additional count, not the "lir Gumanti" (sequences). "Like" kapisan "(first)," kapindo "(second)," katelu "(third) and so on. So it cannot be "kaping sedoso" because the title is essentially "lir Gumanti", he said.

Meanwhile, the additional word "Suryaning Mataram" indicating the end of the agreement of Ki Ageng Pemanahan with Ki Ageng Giring from the period of old Javanese kingdom of Mataram from Singasari until the kingdom of Pajang. While Mataram kingdom in King Panembahan Senapati era until the current Ngayogyakarta is called new Mataram.

He added the abolition of "Kalifatullah Sayidin" word with "Langgeng Ing Toto Panoto Gomo" is to show the continuation of the religious order of God in the universe.

Opposition emerged due the change of the title, especially from Sultan younger brothers, the royal family itself. Other said that to erase 'khalifatullah' word from Sultan title would mean to distance Islam and Muslim from the palace.

In Indonesia, the title of Khalifatullah was not only used by Islamic kingdoms before Indonesian independence, but also by some group of tarekat or sufism.

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