Introduction of Book Scholarly Scandal of Ba’alwi History and Genealogy

5/29/2026

Book Title: Exposing the Scholarly Scandal of Ba’alwi History and Genealogy: The Finalization of the Ba‘alwi Genealogical Severance from the Prophet Muhammad PBUH
Original title in Indonesian: Membongkar Skandal Ilmiyah Sejarah dan Genealogi Ba’alwi: Finalisasi Keterputusan Genealogi Ba’alwi Kepada Nabi Muhammad Saw.
Author: KH. Imaduddin Utsman Al-Bantani, head of Pondok Pesantren Nahdlatul Ulum (Islamic Boarding School), Banten
First Edition: 1445 AH / 2024 AD
Publisher: Maktabah Nahdlatul Ulum Banten
Translated into English and Published by: Al-Khoirot Research and Publication
Previous Book: Measuring the Authenticity of the Habib Lineage in Indonesia (Menakar Kesahihan Nasab Habib di Indonesia)
Field of Study: Ba'alwi History, Genealogy (Ilmu Nasab), Islamic History

Table of Contents

Introduction

The 19th century was a period marked by a massive wave of migration of the Ba’alwi family and other Yemeni immigrants to the Indonesian archipelago (Nusantara). According to Jajat Burhanuddin, this followed a shift in Dutch Colonial policy that gradually opened Java and other islands in the archipelago to the international market. Their relocation to the archipelago was driven by factors of poverty. At the end of the 19th century, the land of Hadramaut was experiencing a civil war between the Al-Quwaiti and the Al-Khatiri as they fought for power in the region. In fact, by 1930, the wealth of Hadramaut could only fulfill the needs of a quarter of its population. Yet, it is important to note that during that year, 20% to 30% of the population of Hadramaut was living across various countries bordering the Indian Ocean.

In the archipelago, they worked in plantations, as factory workers, gardeners, couriers, and in other manual fields. Aside from that, some also worked for the Dutch colonial government, such as Utsman bin Yahya, who was appointed as the Dutch mufti (tasked with issuing religious edicts) in Batavia. It was Utsman who later clashed with the scholars of Banten, who were the disciples of Syekh Nawawi and Syekh Abdul Karim. This conflict arose due to Utsman's religious fatwa declaring that rebelling against the Dutch was forbidden (haram), and that those who did so were deemed to be under a religious delusion. The fatwa was related to the popular rebellion of the Bantenese people in the year 1888 AD. This fatwa is recorded in the book Manhaj al-Istiqamat fi al-Din bi al-Salamat, written by Utsman in 1889 AD. These various events also explain why very few members of the Ba’alwi family have lived in Banten in recent times, unlike in several other regions in Indonesia. According to Jajat Burhanuddin again, after being inaugurated as an official under Snouck Hurgronje, Utsman composed a special prayer for the Queen of the Netherlands, Wilhelmina, while praising "The Queen" by referring to her as a "good Queen". The prayer was read on September 2, 1898, at the Pekojan mosque following the Friday prayer.

Just as in Java, the situation in Aceh was not much different, involving the betrayal by certain individuals from the Ba’alwi against the Acehnese people's struggle in fighting the Dutch—and it was even more tragic. Van den Berg notes that a Ba’alwi named Abdurrahman al-Zahir, who was granted a high position within the Aceh Kingdom, instead chose to undermine the struggle of the Acehnese people from within. Having been entrusted as one of the military commanders, he instead cooperated with the Dutch by agreeing to abandon his troops in the guerrilla warfare, provided he received a lifelong pension of 30,000 Guilders. M. Adil Abdullah stated in an article:

> "As a 'reward' for Habib Abdurrahman's soft stance, on October 13, 1878, he along with his companions including Teuku Muda Baet chose to surrender to the Dutch in Kuta Raja. In return, the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia), General Van Lansberge in Batavia (Jakarta), agreed to send Habib Abdurrahman Az Zahir and his followers to Jeddah aboard the ship NV Curacao. He himself, according to historical researchers, received a pension from the Dutch government of 10,000 dollars per month for his services in 'selling out his nation' to the Dutch. …"

Following the independence of Indonesia in 1945, many members of the Ba’alwi family became active in Indonesian politics, including D.N. Aidit, who became the Chairman of the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI). The acknowledgement that Aidit belongs to a Ba’alwi clan was disclosed by Aidit's son, Ilham Aidit. Aidit was subsequently executed in Boyolali on November 23, 1965, due to his treason against the State of Indonesia. Besides Aidit, another Ba’alwi clan member who became a PKI member was Ahmad Sofyan Baroqbah. He was executed on January 19, 1974, after being hunted by the Indonesian Armed Forces for years in the jungles of West Kalimantan. A Ba’alwi clan member in East Kalimantan, Fahrul Baraqbah, was also a PKI member who was arrested after the outbreak of the 1965 incident.

The Ba’alwi clan claims to be descendants of the Great Prophet Muhammad SAW, originating from their forefather named ‘Alwi bin ‘Ubaidillah. According to them, ‘Alwi's father, ‘Ubaidillah, was the son of Ahmad bin ‘Isa. The complete lineage of ‘Alwi to the Prophet Muhammad SAW, according to their version, is as follows: ‘Alwi (d. 400 AH) bin ‘Ubaidillah (d. 383 AH) bin Ahmad (d. 345 AH) bin ‘Isa al-Naqib (d. 300 AH) bin Muhammad al-Naqib (d. 250 AH) bin ‘Ali al-‘Uraidi (d. 210 AH) bin Ja’far al-Sadiq (d. 148 AH) bin Muhammad al-Baqir (d. 114 AH) bin Ali Zaenal Abidin (d. 97 AH) bin Sayidina Husain (d. 64 AH) bin Siti Fatimah al-Zahra (d. 11 AH) binti the Prophet Muhammad SAW (d. 11 AH).

Unfortunately, the lineage detailed above is unconfirmed in the primary, authoritative (mu'tabar) genealogical texts recognized by experts. Such a conclusion can be explained by the fact that the genealogical books written close to the lifetime of Ubaidillah do not record his name as a son of Ahmad bin Isa, as the author will demonstrate further ahead.

ENDNOTES

1 Jajat Burhanuddin, Diaspora Hadrami di Indonesia, (Studia Islamika, Vol. V No. 1 1999)

2 Tim Peduli Sejarah Islam Indonesia, Tubagus M. Nurfadil Satya (ed.), Sejarah Ba Alawi Indonesia: Dari Konflik Dengan Al-irsyad Hingga Dengan Keluarga Walisongo, (Tim Peduli Sejarah Indonesia, Serang) p. 29

3 Jajat, Diaspora Hadrami di Indonesia… p. 189

4 Utsman bin Yahya, Manhaj al-Istiqamat fi al-Din bi al-Salamat, (Maktabah Al-Madaniyah, Jakarta, n.d.) p. 22

5 Jajat Burhanuddin, Ulama dan Kekuasaan: Pergumulan Elit Muslim dalam Sejarah Indonesia, (Mizan, Jakarta, 2012) p. 180

6 See L.W.C. Van den Berg, Hadramaut dan Koloni Arab di Nusantara, original title: Le Hadramaut et Les Colonies Arabes Dans l’Archipel Indien (INIS, Jakarta, 1989) pp. 130-133

7 M. Adil Abdullah, Tgk Imuem Lueng Bata Ultimatum Habib Abdurrahman Az Zahir, (Catatan Aceh yang Tercecer), [http://www.serambinews.com/news/catatan-aceh-yang-tercecer](https://www.google.com/search?q=http://www.serambinews.com/news/catatan-aceh-yang-tercecer)

8 Simpang Siur Kabar DN Aidit Keturunan Rasulullah, ([https://republika.co.id/berita/selarung/breaking-history/pi8mbw282/simpang-siur-kabar-dn-aidit-keturunan-rasulullah-part1](https://republika.co.id/berita/selarung/breaking-history/pi8mbw282/simpang-siur-kabar-dn-aidit-keturunan-rasulullah-part1))

9 Jasir Hadibroto dan Eksekusi Mati D.N. Aidit, in Tirto.id. ([https://tirto.id/cPvz]())

10 Sayid Komunis yang Diburu Tentara Baret Merah, in Tirto.id. ([https://tirto.id/chz3]())

11 Sayid Komunis yang Diburu Tentara Baret Merah, in Tirto.id. ([https://tirto.id/chz3]())

12 The death years mentioned here are taken from an article titled "Inilah Silsilah Habib Rizieq Shihab. Keturunan Ke-38 Nabi Muhammad?" ([https://artikel.rumah123.com/inilah-silsilah-habib-rizieq-shihab-keturunan-ke-38-nabi-muhammad-124800]()). The year figures from the Ba'alwi version are crucial to display in order to measure the consistency and accuracy of their data when compared with data from other sources.