The role of The Rushdiah Club in the cultural transformation of Malay societies during the late 19th to early 20th century

Abstract

This study traces the enigmatic literati-publisher of Riau-Lingga Sultanate, Rushdiah Club, and their roles in cultural transformation of Malay Societies. Starting with a discussion on the socio-political background, the rapid growth of Islam and writing culture in the end of 19th century Riau Lingga, this study also follows the developments of Rushdiah Club’s writing and printing activities in the ensuing century, the expansion of their printing practices to Singapore and Penang. The presses under their concern were Maṭbaᶜat al-Aḥmadiyyah and Maṭbaᶜat al-Riyawwiyah in Riau-Lingga and Maṭbaᶜat al- Aḥmadiyyah (well known as Ahmadiah Press) and al-Imam Printing Company Ltd in Singapore and Jelutong Press in Penang. A total of 198 titles printed materials on various subjects were obtained from those presses. By evaluating the categories, content, and characteristics of the works, we find that the printed works from those presses relatively conservative in nature. The majority of printed material came under Islamic topics, in particular propagating Islamic reformism. It is difficult to tell if this was a great number or not, but it is obvious that these printed literatures, fostered literacy and education, created silent reading habit, and generated new writing forms. Indeed, Rushdiah Club’s printing activities of course were not the only one avenue towards the modernization of Malay societies. However, in retrospect, Rushdiah Club absolutely implicitly challenged the colonial authority; made vocal appeals for national revival, better development and unity among Malays and Muslims; advocated social reform; and captured the Malay language in their linguistic flow, increasingly turning it out to be standardized as a new language i.e., the Indonesian language; and hence transformed the cultural life of the Malay societies.