<![CDATA[This article examines the relationship between political power and religious authority in the Bone Kingdom during the reign of Sultan Ahmad Saleh (1775–1812). The issue addressed is the scarcity of studies on eighteenth-century Islamization in South Sulawesi, which has been dominated by seventeenth-century scholarship. The research aims to analyze how the integration of political and religious domains shaped the dynamics of Islam in Bone. Using historical method with library research, this study draws on the Lontara Bilang manuscripts, VOC archives, and secondary sources. The findings show that Sultan Ahmad Saleh fused genealogical legitimacy with charismatic religious authority, appointing religious officials, enforcing sharia, supporting the Khalwatiyah Yusufiyah tarekat, and using Islamic symbols to strengthen his rule. The integration of sara’ into pangngadereng produced a durable Islamic polity. This study contributes to the historiography of Islam in South Sulawesi and offers a model for understanding religion and power in pre-modern Southeast Asian kingdoms.]]>
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