OPINI: Journal of Communication and Social Science
Vol. 2 No. 3 (2025): OPINI: Journal of Communication and Social Science

Sufistic Values in Political Leadership: A Social-Political Analysis of Syech Mustofa Husein Nasution in North Sumatra

Bahri, Saipul (Unknown)
Rosdi, Mohd Syakir Bin Mohd (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
30 Nov 2025

Abstract

This article examines the role of Sufistic values in shaping models of political leadership through a socio-political analysis of Syech Mustofa Husein Nasution, a prominent Mandailing ulama whose influence extends from spiritual domains to political and social arenas in North Sumatra. While studies on Islamic leadership in Indonesia have predominantly focused on institutional politics, party dynamics, and electoral behavior, relatively few have explored how Sufistic ethics operate as a source of political legitimacy and developmental paradigms. Addressing this gap, the study elucidates how Syech Mustofa Husein Nasution synthesized spirituality, ethics, education, and communal engagement to produce a model of political leadership rooted in tawhid, amanah, shura, and wasatiyyah. Methodologically, this work adopts a qualitative descriptive approach, relying on primary documents, historical accounts, interviews, and pesantren-based observations. The findings demonstrate that Sufistic values not only functioned as moral resources but also as socio-political capital enabling community mobilization, conflict mediation, cadre formation, and institutional activism. These insights reveal that Sufism in the Indonesian context is neither apolitical nor purely devotional, but can serve as an ethical-political framework for social development. The study contributes to broader discussions on Islamic political thought by highlighting how spiritual authority intersects with governance and public leadership, offering implications for contemporary Islamic leadership, community-based development, and the revitalization of ethical politics in Muslim societies.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

opini

Publisher

Subject

Arts Humanities Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media Social Sciences

Description

OPINI: Jurnal of Communication and Social Science is an international journal that focuses on the scholarly study of communication and social science. The journal is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge in the field by promoting the publication of innovative research and theoretical ...