Hoesein Djajadiningrat

Husein Jayadiningrat, or Hoesein Djajadiningrat in older spelling (8 December 1886 – 12 November 1960), was an Indonesian scholar in Indonesian studies, Islamic law, and native Indonesian literature. He distinguished himself as one of the first native Indonesian to earn a doctoral degree.NoteTag|content=In point of fact, Abdoel Rivai earned his doctoral degree in 1908 in Gent University, Belgium, but through open exam. Hoesein became the first native Indonesian to achieve a doctoral degree via full dissertation in 1913 from Leiden University.

Hoesein is born fifth in order of nine children; the eldest son Achmad (nicknamed Uyang), Mochammad (Apun), Hasan (Emong), Hoesein (Ace), Chadijah (Enjah), Loekman (Ujang), Soelasmi (Yayung), Hilman (Imang), and Rifqi (Kikok).

His brother Achmad first used the name 'Djajadiningrat' as his surname prior from taking final examination for the Hogere Burgerschool in Batavia. Soon after, his siblings, including Hoesein, adopted the surname. His family, the Djajadiningrat family would prove to be an influential family during the Indonesian National Revolution (1945–1949), where various members of the family would play parts on both side of the conflict.

Education As member of the aristocracy, Hoesein was expected to be educated in western style education after receiving early Islamic religious education, pesantren-style as was common in Banten. Soetadiningrat was particularly enthusiastic in providing education to his family members especially for his nephews and nieces. He went to learn Dutch at Leidsche Gymnasium for a year, then enrolled as a student at Leiden University, attending lectures on ethnography, cultures, and native Indonesian languages. Later in 1907 Hurgronje returned to the Netherlands and gave lecture on Arab cultures; he became Hoesein's education supervisor as well. His dissertation examination committee, which included Professor Kern, noted that it was well made and critically needed for historical studies of Banten.

Career After graduating, he first stayed in Aceh in order to study the language, as well as to wrote an Acehnese–Dutch dictionary. The research was conducted from April 1914 to May 1915, and finally published as a two-volume dictionary entitled Atjehsche Nederlandsch Woordenboek, which would be publish years later in 1934.

In 1924 he was appointed as a professor at Batavia Law School , giving lectures on Islamic law as well as native Indonesian literatures and languages. During this time as well, his older brother Achmad died after bout of illness in 1943.

Around this time, he was involved in Indonesian national movement, later became a member for the Investigating Committee for Preparatory Work for Independence or BPUPK. During the drafting of the would-be Indonesian 1945 Constitution, he served in the Vocabulary Committee , alongside Agus Salim and Soepomo.

For a while after the end of Japanese occupation he joined the Indonesian cabinet, serving as the State Secretary for Education, Culture, and Science in 1948. His younger brother Hilman, who succeeded Achmad as Regent of Serang in 1935 (later served as well as Japanese-appointed Resident of Banten from 1941 to 1945) became active in West Javan politics, as he led the pro-Dutch, federalist faction in the State of Pasundan. In 1948 Hilman was appointed governor of Djakarta Federal District, serving until 1950.

In 1950 he joined the newly created University of Indonesia as a lecturer in its Faculty of Letters. Two years later, he became a professor of Islamic Studies and Arabic Language. Later in 1957 he became the general director of – and member of the Vocabulary Commission at – the Language and Culture Office under the Faculty of Letters, serving until his death in 1960. This office would transformed into the Language Development and Fostering Agency currently subordinated under the Indonesian Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology.

Personal life

Hoesein proposed to Raden Adjeng Partini in 1920, via his elder brother Achmad.

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