Alasan Unggul

The Golden Throne is a symbol of royalty in Alasan Unggul

Alasan Unggul, also known as Sabab Mutafawiq (Qalima: سبب متفوق), or literally Superior Reason, is a philosophical tradition and religion originating in northern Jalanbunikan that instructs rulers and individuals on how to live an ordered, moral life. The earliest instance of the tradition is attributed to Idrakan, a scholar in the court of Charibael, a semi-legendary monarch in Jalanbunikan during the 1st Century CE. According to the Hiwar Sharibayiyl, the esoteric traditions of Jalanbunikan folklore were so obscure that they interfered with the functioning of the state and so the king ordered his court to produce a perfect code of laws; Idrakan's response "there are no ideal rules, only ideal rulers" forms the basic operating principle of the Superior Reason. While Idrakan is at least partially legendary, the later scribe Himar who first compiled the oral tradition of Idrakan in the 5th Century, is considered the defacto founder of the religion and carries some prophetic importance.  

There are two main components to Alasan Unggul: education, which is the cultivation of the mind and human intuition to better assess moral issues in life; and studying the classical scholars, Idrakan being the first, but there have been many additions since Himar's original compilations. A third practice, which is not universally practiced is known as "delving the mysteries" (kashf al'alghaz, Qalima: كشف الألغاز). Because Idrakan and other scholars of antiquity specifically critiqued and navigated the opaque court religions of their day, there is a great deal of documentation and discussion of The Mysteries interwoven in many commentaries. As a result, some favored rituals are still practiced by especially orthodox and literalist groups. Some ritual is also included in the Alasan Unggul when considered particularly edifying, typically as a veiled punishment for veering from Superior Reason.

The stated purpose of Alasan Unggul is produce good rulers of men, with self rule as a secondary feature, and as result is typically phrased as instructions to rulers. The most revered texts are in the tradition of letters written to kings, magistrates, and other state officials; alongside these texts are the commentaries by religious scholars who translate the ethics of statecraft into personal maxims. In Alasan Unggul, there are not good or bad decisions, but individuals who either do or do not display the Superior Reason. Those that do not display good reason are not evil, but require corrective instruction from those who do reason correctly. In states influenced by this tradition, there are often dedicated public institutions meant to educate the local adult population (in addition to full-time schools for children) and to provide the public with a group of accessible scholars and wise people. Some communities employ Alasaba, the whiplash instruction, in which public officials administer corporal punishment as a form of corrective instruction. Adults who violate the law, which can often extend to rules over social contact, in communities without the Alasaba are generally prescribed classes at their local institute. Almost everyone within a community either has achieved the Superior Reason, and is called upon to instruct, or has not yet achieved this status, and are expected to attend regular instruction.