The Role of Ulama upon Islamic Education within the Area of Western and Southern Aceh

This study described the role of ulama upon the development of religious aspect within the area of western and southern Aceh, which focused on a leading figure, Teungku Chik Dirundeng. He has significant influence on the spread of Islam within the area of southern and western Aceh. Teungku Dirundeng was also known as a persistence hero who fights the colonialization of Dutch within the coastal area of western Aceh. The study applied qualitative approach by mean of ethnographic method, which employed three data collecting technics: interview, observation, and document recording. The result led to the conclusion the Teungku Dirundeng was a scholar who had great contribution upon the development of Islam in coastal area of southern and western Aceh. It made the people on this area really respected him, even people of Meulaboh, West Aceh, put his name as the name of road and as the name of tertiary Islamic education institution