Tulak Breuh as paying fine within Muslim communities in Aceh: the practice, perspectives, and debate

• Published in: Contemporary Islam 2024-04, Vol.18 (1), p.153-177
• Main Authors: Manan, Abdul, Fadhilah, Muhammad Arif, Kamarullah, Salasiyah, Cut Intan, Saprijal
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anthropology; Modernism; Religious Studies; Social Sciences; Sociology of Religion
• ISSN: 1872-0218; 1872-0226
• DOI: 10.1007/s11562-023-00547-4

Tulak breuh , or a ritual of payment of fidyah , refers to a ritual in which the deceased’s family pays the fine for the dead by a specific procession of giving and receiving rice. It is a ritual carried out by some Acehnese with complete confidence that it is closely related to the teachings of Islam, as the primary purpose is to pay fidyah , a fine for the ṣalāt left by the deceased. This study aimed to discover the views of madhhab ‘ulamā’s (school), dayah ‘ulamā , modernists, academicians, and commoners toward the tulak breuh ritual. The study implemented ethnographic research in which observation and interviews were used in collecting the data. Qualitative data analysis was done by data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The result showed that the tulak breuh ritual was carried out upon someone’s death. The ritual constitutes a payment method of fidyah (indemnity) by distributing rice, gold, or money to pay off the ṣalāt left by the deceased. ‘Ulamās of the Shāfi’ī school do not allow the payment of fidyah for ṣalāt nor do they allow others to perform ṣalāt on behalf of the deceased. However, the ‘ulamā of the Ḥanafī School make an exception for the fidyah paid off with the agreement of the dead, while the ‘ulamā of other Schools do not agree with the ritual practice. Yet, in Aceh, there are several views in this regard. The dayah ‘ulamā endorse the practice relying upon a fiqh robust basis laid by former ‘ulamā , while the modernists choose not to side with it. Academicians believe that tulak breuh is a ritual to show respect for the deceased’s family members and enhance community development. Similarly, commoners believe that the ritual represents devotion and is a sacred habit through which Allāh will grant forgiveness to the dead.