<![CDATA[This article examines the contribution of several Muslim scholars to the growth of Islamic education in South Sulawesi, from the early spread of Islam to the era of modern educational institutions. The study is motivated by the scarcity of writings that connect the biographies of these figures with the educational patterns they built, even though the two are closely intertwined in shaping the religious character of the Bugis-Makassar community. Using a literature study approach and a descriptive-analytical historical method, this article traces the life histories and roles of five figures: Syekh Yusuf Tuanta Salamaka, Imam Lapeo (KH. Muhammad Thahir), AGH. Abdurrahman Ambo Dalle, KH. Muhammad As'ad, and Haji Muhyiddin Zain. Data were gathered from books, journal articles, and institutional documents, then analyzed through data reduction, display, and conclusion drawing. The findings indicate that these figures contributed through different pathways: strengthening creed and Sufism, cultural-based spiritual guidance, reform of the pesantren system and educational organizations, integration of classical texts with a modern classical system, and the establishment of Islamic higher education in eastern Indonesia. These contributions show that Islamic education in South Sulawesi developed gradually, from personal and cultural approaches toward structured formal institutionalization, while still preserving local values such as siri' na pacce. ]]>
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