Antique bark Koran in Alor<\/p>\n
A small village in the western part of East Nusa Tenggara's
\nAlor island was once to be one of the centers of Islamic
\npropagation -- the Kingdom of Alor Besar. It's proven by the
\npresence of an antique Al-Qur'an which is still now well kept
\nthere.<\/p>\n
The Islamic holy book, made of bark and written in traditional
\nink, is over 800 years old.<\/p>\n
The village is just some 15 kilometers from Kalabahi, the
\ncapital of Alor regency.<\/p>\n
According to 76-year-old Saleh Panggo Gogo, the 14th
\ndescendant of local religious figure Iang Gogo, Alor Besar's Al-
\nQur'an was penned from the 12th century to the 15th century in
\nNorth Maluku, when Ternate's Sultan Baabullah reached the peak of
\nhis glory for introducing Islam to the entire sultanate.<\/p>\n
In 1522, the Sultan of Ternate, Hairun, was killed in a
\nPortuguese invasion to conquer the sultanate. Prince Baabullah,
\nHairun's son, carried on the struggle against the Portuguese. The
\nprince succeeded his father after defeating the invaders.<\/p>\n
At that time, Iang Gogo along with his four brothers, Ilyas
\nGogo, Djou Gogo, Boi Gogo and Kimales Gogo, decided to leave
\nTernate, North Maluku, and wander over Alor Island. Each of the
\nfive brothers carried an Al-Qur'an and a circumcision knife.<\/p>\n
Iang Gogo finally settled in Alor Besar and married a woman
\nnamed Bui Huki, while his siblings roamed to Tuabang, Baranusa,
\nEast Pantar, Solor, East Flores and Larabaing, Southwest Alor.
\nWith the holy book and knife, Iang Gogo propagated Islam and
\nmanaged to convert the King of Alor Besar, Baololong I, who had
\nembraced animism.<\/p>\n
The eight centuries old book is preserved intact in its ebony
\nbox. According to H. Ruslan Laba, lecturer of the Islamic
\nscience, Indonesian Islamic University, Malang, the genuineness
\nof an antique Al-Qur'an is shown by the Arabic letters it
\ncontains, which are hand written and not as neat as printed ones.<\/p>\n
At present, the old Al-Qur'an is kept in the home of Saleh
\nPanggo Gogo, who has been in charge of taking care of the
\ntreasure since 1987. The Gogo family limits the use of this book
\nto the commemoration of Nuzulul (descent of) Qur'an, the holy
\nmonth of Ramadhan, circumcision ceremonies and other religious
\nholidays.<\/p>\n
-- Yemris Fontuina<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/antique-bark-koran-in-alor-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }