Muslims Specula Principum, Instructions that Transcends Geographical Borders

Abstract

The genre of specula principum or mirror for princes is an important genre that serves as a reflection on how to be an effective and virtuous ruler. These advices includes lifestyle, duties and religious affliction that is attached to their ruling institutions. The foundation of any Islamic government is Islamic teaching and Islamic teaching is considered to be complete thus it includes every aspect of life.  One of these aspects is advising the ruler, if a ruler is misguided then his rule could be oppressive. The work chosen for this research is Bustanus  Salatin by Nururrudin Al Raniri who was a Gujerati, Nasihat Al Mulk by Al Ghazzali who was a Persian and Mauizzah -I Jahangiri by Muhammad Baqir Najm-i Sani from India .  These three works were chosen because the similarity between the works despite being from different era and from different parts of the Muslim world.  The objectives of this study the impact of Arab Persian cultures on Indian Muslim civilization which transferred via India to the Malay world. Secondly to study of similarity of the virtuous qualities of ruler in both works, finally to understand how Islamic cultures that are based on the concept of universality openness and flexibility exist not in isolated chambers but rather a continuum of expanded culture.