Old book, modern theme

First published as a newspaper feuilleton in 1893, Aboe Bakar chronicles how a young Indonesian man receives a Western education but ends as a Muslim radical when he cannot live up to modern standards. As such, Aboe Bakar experiences the same kind of alienation from Western modernity as can be found in many Western suburbs and among the middle classes in the Islamic world.

On the other hand, Aboe Bakar is also a book from the long gone world of colonialism. Adam Silver, as Aboe Bakar's real name is, is the stepson of a colonial planter. Adam is the son of the planter's concubine , who has cheated on him with an Arab trader in "preciosa". The mixed-race planter is depicted as a country bumpkin who only worries about money and that others perceive him as a Westerner.

After failing in his studies in Holland, Adam returns to the Indies when his stepfather is on his deathbed. The inheritance is much smaller than he expected and he has to give up on his Dutch girlfriend. Luckily there is soon a pretty native replacement. As his stepfather had not officially recognised him as his child, Adam gets the status of a "native". His mother adds that as a native he would better become a Muslim.

The Islamic preacher explains Adam you should not want too much from life, but share peace, kindness, quiet and calmness, instead of the ever busy life of the Westerners. His conversion increases his status among his native family. The clerics convince him that he should move into the house of in-laws and should dress as a Muslim, i.e. as a native. Towards his half brothers Adam claims to identify himself with the oppressed. After a painful circumcision he becomes Aboe Bakar, and he appreciates the increased respect after completing the haj.

As a successful cattle trader in Batavia, Aboe Bakar invests in real estate and takes a lighter-skinned second wife from a higher class family, further increasing his status. His new in-laws bring him into contact with more radical Islamic priests. They convince him to give up business and join them in in the countryside. It will ruin him in multiple ways.

The book is only partly fictitious: the author based his story upon numerous interviews with an existing person. This does not mean that the image Mr. Daum paints of Islam is always very correct. There is nothing new under the sun here either.

The book has the clarity of a film script, although the feuilleton format does not benefit the development of the novel. Every chapter is about six pages long and is a small story in itself, which hinders elaboration. Some parts seem clearly written to create an effect with a newspaper audience. On the other hand, it did not stop Mr. Daum from showing the Europeans among his readers the stupidity of their patronising attitude towards the natives and disdain towards Muslims.

There is a discussion of the book and a translation of one chapter here. ( )