Tuanku Tambusai

Tuanku Tambusai (born in Tambusai, Rokan Hulu, Riau, November 5, 1784 - died in Negeri
Sembilan, Malaya Briania, 12 November 1882 at the age of 98) was one of the leading Padri
figures.

BACKGROUND

Tuanku Tambusai was born in Dalu-dalu, Tambusai nagari, Rokan Hulu, Riau. Dalu-dalu is one
of the Minangkabau traders village founded on the banks of the Sosah river, the Rokan river.
Tuanku Tambusai has a small name Muhammad Saleh, who after the return of the pilgrimage,
was called the Tuanku Haji Muhammad Saleh.

Tuanku Tambusai is the son of a Minang migrant couple, Tuanku Imam Maulana Kali and
Munah. His father is from the village of Rambah and is an Islamic religious teacher. By King
Tambusai his father was appointed priest and later married to a local woman. His mother came
from Tambusai nagari with clawed Kandang Kopuh. In accordance with Minang tradition which
is matrilineal, this tribe descended to Tuanku Tambusai.

As a child Muhammad Saleh had taught his father the martial arts, including the dexterity of
horseback riding, and the stateless manner.

PADERI MOVEMENT

To deepen the science of religion, Tuanku Tambusai went to Bonjol and Rao in West Sumatra.
There he learned a lot with the clerics of Islam who understood Paderi, until he got the title fakih.
The teachings of the Padri so enthralled him, that this doctrine was spreading also in his native
land. Here his teachings were quickly accepted widely by the people, so he gained a great
following. His passion for spreading and purifying Islam, led him to fight Islamization of the
people in the land of Batak who still adheres to the PELBEGU.
FIGHT THE NETHERLANDS

The struggle began in Rokan Hulu and surrounding areas with a center in Benteng Dalu-dalu.
Then he continued his resistance to the Christmas region in 1823. In 1824, he led a joint force of
Dalu-dalu, Lubuksikaping, Padanglawas, Angkola, Mandailing, and Christmas to fight the
Dutch. He had time to perform the pilgrimage and also asked by Tuanku Imam Bonjol to study
the development of Islam in Arab Land. [5]

Within 15 years, Tuanku Tambusai is quite troublesome Dutch troops, so often ask for help
troops from Batavia. Thanks to his ingenuity, the fortress of Dutch Fort Amerongen can be
destroyed. Bonjol that have fallen into the hands of the Dutch can be recaptured, although not
last long. Tuanku Tambusai not only faced the Dutch but also the forces of King Gedombang
(regent Mandailing) and Tumenggung Kartoredjo, who sided with the Dutch. By the Dutch he
was called "De Padrische Tijger van Rokan" (Tiger Paderi of Rokan) because it was very
difficult to defeat, never surrendered, and did not want to make peace with the Dutch. The
firmness of his attitude was shown by refusing Colonel Elout's invitation to make peace. On
December 28, 1838, the fortress of Dalu-dalu fell into Dutch hands. Through a secret door, he
escaped from the siege of the Netherlands and his allies. He fled and died in Seremban, Negeri
Sembilan, Malaysia on November 12, 1882.

Because of his services against the Dutch East Indies colonization, in 1995 the government
appointed him as a national hero.