Nov 05, 2022
Celebrating Raja Haji Ahmad
This Doodle’s Key Themes
Today’s Doodle celebrates the life and legacy of Raja Ali Haji bin Raja Haji Ahmad. He was a renowned historian, scholar and writer who led a renaissance for Malay literature and culture in the 19th century. Raja Ali was posthumously honored as a National Hero of Indonesia on this day in 2004.
Raja Ali was born a Bugis-Malay prince in 1809 to a family of scholars. When he was young, his family moved to Penyengat Island. He studied with famous scholars from the Riau-Lingga Sultanate and was recognized as a gifted student. As an adolescent, Raja Ali accompanied his father on a mission to Jakarta, as well as a pilgrimage to Mecca. The two were the first Riau nobles to accomplish this feat.
When he was 32, Raja Ali became a joint regent to the young Sultan and was eventually promoted to religious advisor. In this role, he started writing about the language, culture and literature of the Malay people. His works include the Malay dictionary, educational texts on the king’s duties, the genealogy of Malay and Bugis, a poetry anthology and more.
In 2004, Raja Ali was honored as a National Hero of Indonesia for his contributions to language, literature, Malay culture and Indonesian history. His most famous work is the Tuhfat al-Nafis, or “Precious Gift”, which is considered an invaluable source regarding the history of the Malay Peninsula. It’s now carved into his tombstone for people to read when visiting.
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