Kasidat al‑Burda (Malay translation) was a 16th‑century Malay rendering of the celebrated Arabic poem Al‑Burda by the Sufi saint Imam al‑Busiri, adapted for use in Aceh’s devotional practice. The translation survives in the Dutch‑Malay manuscript DLP‑54, pages 73‑79, and exemplifies how Arabic theological terminology was incorporated into Acehnese religious literature.
Context
The original Al‑Burda (the “Poem of the Mantle”) was composed in the 13th century in Arabic and quickly became a staple of Islamic devotional poetry across the Malay world. By the early modern period, Acehnese scholars and poets had produced a Malay version to make the text accessible to the local faithful, who spoke a variant of the Malay language heavily influenced by Arabic loanwords.
Content and Structure
The manuscript presents the poem in a line‑by‑line Malay translation, preserving the original’s rhymed couplets while inserting explanatory glosses for Arabic terms such as achirat (the afterlife), rasulullah (the messenger of God), and badr (the battle of Badr). The translation also includes marginal notes in Dutch, indicating the colonial interest in Acehnese religious texts.
Language and Lexical Features
The text illustrates a rich intermingling of Malay, Arabic, and Dutch lexical items. Arabic terms appear in italics and are often followed by a Malay gloss, e.g. achirat (the other world), rasulullah (the messenger), and badr (the battle of Badr). Dutch annotations provide transliteration guidance for readers unfamiliar with Arabic script.
Significance
The Malay translation of the Burda demonstrates the depth of Islamic literary culture in Aceh and its role in shaping local religious identity. It also serves as a primary source for scholars studying the transmission of Arabic religious concepts into Southeast Asian languages.
See Also
- Al‑Burda (Arabic poem)
- Imam al‑Busiri
- Malay language
- Dutch language
- Acehnese literature
- Arabic terms in Acehnese religious poetry
Source
DLP‑54 – Een 16de‑eeuwse Maleise vertaling van de Burda van al‑Busiri, digitised manuscript, pages 73‑79, 20260707_232246_DLP-54-Een_16de_eeuwse_Maleise_vertaling_van_de_Burda_van_al_Bu_s_i_ri_OCR.txt.