Raja Haji Ali (1808-1873)

Ali Haji bin Raja Haji Ahmad also known as Raja Haji Ali was a greatest Malay writers of the 19th century. He was the grandson of Raja Haji, Marhum Teluk Ketapang, whose demise occurred in battle during the attack on the Dutch in Malacca.

He belonged to the Malay-Bugis royal house of Riau and underwent a broad education, which was to equip him to make a significant contribution to various areas of learning.

Raja Haji Ali is best known for his writing:
*Tuhfat al-Nafis (1865) – The Precious Gift
*Salasilah Melayu dan Bugis 1890

The Tuhfat is a history of the Johor-Riau-Lingga area from the late seventeenth to the mid-seventeenth century. Parts of the book contain long sections of genealogies of the royal families, including the major achievement of each reign.

Raja Haji Ali completed Tuhfat al-Nafis during a period when the Malay world was in great flux. Rivalry and conflicts were evident between the Bugis, their Malay hosts and the Dutch colonial authorities.

The diverse skills of Raj Ali Haji were displayed his expertise in various field, which cover Malay language, theology, law, history, grammar, poetry, custom and traditions, and statecraft.

The principal works of grammar by Raj Ali Haji are composed in:
*The Bustan al-Katibin 1857
*The uncompleted Kitab Pengetahuan Bahasa

Two works on statecraft:
*Intizam Waza’if al-Malik 1857
*Thamarat al-Mahammah 1857

Among the elements of reform that are found in the works of Raja Ali Haji are the disclosure of dates, acknowledgment for using other sources as reference and validation and the author’s own statement that any errors found in his writings would be corrected by his descendents on the future.
Raja Haji Ali (1808-1873)

Raja Haji Riau

Raja Haji Fisabilillah was born at Ulu Sungai, Riau in 1725. He was a fearless warrior and a pious Muslim of Bugis origin.

He led a mercenary force against the Minangkabau invasion in the Johor-Riau-Lingga Kingdom and thus played a crucial role in resorting the Malay sultanate in the eighteenth century.

Malay sultan granted him the office of Yang Dipertuan Muda Riau Malay Empire in 1777. According to Tufhat an-Nafis, the empire was at the peak of power. Under his influence Johor-Buginese authority was imposed on the principal Malay States flanking the Straits of Malacca. These included Jambi and Indragiri on Sumatera.

Riau’s harbor was regularly frequented by hundreds of Buginese, Javanese, Siamese and Chinese vessels, trading in fine goods and staples ranging from European chintz, Javanese batik and silk-weave from nearby island to Siantan to the best shellac and top quality Siam rice.

It was the time when many junks form China and many ‘khatibs’ from Java came to Riau to teach religion. 

In January 1784, Raj Haji began massing troops from Selangor, Riau and Rembau. Two weeks afterwards, he and his allies attacked Malacca. Their effort were thwarted by the arrival of Netherlands government fleet commanded by Admiral Peter van Braam in May 1784 with orders to impress local lords with the power of the Netherlands.

Van Braam attacked Riau in June 1874. Raja Haji later was killed by the Dutch at in Teluk Ketapang Melaka on 18 Jun 1784.
Raja Haji Riau