Tok Kenali (2)

Also refer to Search 23 and MAIK

Tok Kenali

Real name: Muhammad Yusuf bin Ahmad (1868-1933)

Contributions to Kelantan: religious teacher, thinker, intelligent holy man, sage

Tok Kenali was born Muhammad Yusuf bin Ahmad in 1868. He grew up and married and had family in Kubang Kerian. Tok Kenali walked from Kubang Kerian to the Muhammadi Mosque in Kota Bharu where he taught the religion. He walked barefoot and walked fast; there were sightings of him in Kubang Kerian and he had arrived in Kota Bharu soon after that. These sightings were typical of people who were close to Allah SWT. After assisting with MAIK to make Islam a state religion and to focus life around its tenets, Tok Kenali finally died in 1933, aged 65. I figured he had died of diabetic complications, probably of advanced diabetic neuropathy as he didn't feel an injury on the sole of his foot. Tok Kenali was finally laid to rest at Tanah Perkuburan Tok Kenali, a Muslim graveyard in Kubang Kerian which was named in his honour. The graveyard is close to the water storage towers in Kubang Kerian and some distance from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). We visited Makam Tok Kenali on 5 December 2012.

We visited Muzium Islam Kelantan on 30 March 2013 and saw 2 posters on Tok Kenali and a big wall poster of the other religious teachers of Islam.

Tok Kenali (1)

The MAIK expo at Istana in Kubang Kerian ends on 6 December 2012. I have not been there yet. Tomorrow is the last day. What I did earlier today after work was to visit one of the founders on MAIK. I did not visit a live person but I visited his grave Kubang Kerian. This is Kubur Makam Tok Kenali, a famous Malay man who devoted his life to the cause of his religion and his people. Reputed as a kind man, and quiet in his ways, he was one of Kelantan's powerful man. Along with four others, they set up MAIK, a first government of a free state of Kelantan following its freedom after the Bangkok Treaty where the state of Kelantan became the free state of Kelantan Darul Naim, a name that has withstood peace, war, reoccupation and Merdeka. Without his support, Kubang Kerian would never be this famous nor would we have set up our university here. Thanks to him, his people and the people of Kubang Kerian, we have managed to safely set up our university here. We are indebted to this man, a great man, whom we know today as Tok Kenali. His name appears everywhere in Kubang Kerian, at little chicken slaughter huts, pondok, wakaf, roads, lanes, mosque, madrasah, etc. Almost all structures in Kubang Kerian bear his name. Why?

Real name: Muhammad Yusuf bin Ahmad (1868-1933)

Contributions to Kelantan: religious teacher, thinker, intelligent holy man, sage

Tok Kenali was born Muhammad Yusuf bin Ahmad in 1868. He grew up and married and had family in Kubang Kerian. I couldn't make out which one was his house when I visited his grave today (5 December 2012). Tok Kenali walked from Kubang Kerian to the Muhammadi Mosque in Kota Bharu where he taught the religion. He walked barefoot. From accounts I have heard and read, he walked fast and there sightings of him in Kubang Kerian and he had arrived in Kota Bharu soon after that. These sightings were typically of people close to god, the Muslim god Allah SWT.

After assisting to make Islam a state religion and to focus life around its tenets, Tok Kenali finally died in 1933 at age 65. From the accounts and descriptions I read, I figured had died of diabetic complications. There was one account which mentioned he didn't feel an injury on the sole of his foot, which points to a diabetic foot. This was probably advanced diabetic neuropathy.

Tok Kenali was finally laid to rest at the Muslim graveyard in Kubang Kerian, close to the water storage towers in Kubang Kerian. The graveyard probably occupies a corner lot of a few houses and with a perimater road on 2 sides, a forest on one side and some house on the fourth side. A bright yellow graveyard board says its name. My husband and I entered the graveyard to explore it. We went right up to Tok Kenali's shed/makam and saw two graves and a whiteboard that explains his grave. We then explored the east, west and behind his shed. We then left as dusk approached.

Books on Tok Kenali:

Amin's On9 Bookshop
http://aminon9bookshop.blogspot.com/2012/12/tok-kenali-pembangun-pemikiran-umat.html

100 Years MAIK 1334-1434 Hijri / 1915-2012

MAIK (Majlis Agama Islam dan Adat-Istiadat Melayu Kelantan)

MAIK was established in Kelantan on 24 December 1915. It was headed by 4 noble men who worked together at that time: Sultan Muhamad IV, Tok Kenali, Dato Perdana Menteri Paduka Raja and Dato' Laksamana. MAIK publishes its own magazine entitled Pengasuh, with Tok Kenali as its chief editor (ketua pengarang). The first issue of Pengasuh was on 11 July 1918 and it still continues to be published today. It is therefore the oldest and longest running Malay Islamic magazine in Kelantan (written in Jawi script). As such it is also the oldest running magazine in Malaya, Malaysia, Southeast Asia, the Malay Archipelago, and globally. MAIK will be celebrating its 100th anniversary according to the Muslim calendar (1334-1434 Hijri) on 24 December 2012.

Kebun Ketereh.com blog
KebunKeterh.com in Facebook
Sekilas Pandang Tokoh Penulis Kelantan
Portal Rasmi Kerajaan Negeri Kelantan

Road divider bunting at the junction of Pejabat Pelajaran, near Sultan Ismail School.

Founders of MAIK

Sultan Muhamad IV
(b.23 May 1870 Kota Bharu; s. 17 June 1899; r.9 February 1900-d.23 December 1920)
Contributions to Kelantan: He named Kelantan Darulnaim and established the Muhammad Order of royal awards.

From Wikipedia: Sultan Muhammad IV ibni Sultan Muhammad III ibni al-Marhum Sultan Muhammad III, Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of the State of Kelantan Da’ar ul-Na’im, KCMG (1.1.1913). b. at Kota Bharu, 23 May 1870, eldest son of H.H. Paduka Sri Sultan Muhammad III ibni al-Marhum Sultan Ahmad, Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan Besar of the State of Kelantan, by his first wife, H.H. Tengku Sofia binti al-Marhum Tengku Putih, Tengku Ampuan, eldest daughter of Tengku Puteh ibni al-Marhum al-Marhum Sultan Phaya Long Muhammad, Raja of the State of Patani, educated privately. Granted the title of Tengku Sri Indra, 23 September 1890. Appointed as Heir Presumptive with the title of Raja Muda 25 July 1898. Granted the tile of Phaya Bpakdi Sri Sultan Muhammad Ratna Nuchit Siti Santun Wiwangsa Pia Kelantan by the King of Siam. Succeeded on the death of his childless uncle, 17 June 1899. Installed as Raja Kelantan and Yang di-Pertuan, with the style of Yang Teramat Mulia, 9 February 1900. Granted the title of Phaya Deja by the King of Siam in 1897, and promoted to Phaya Bipitpakdi in 1900. Kelantan was transferred to British Protection, 19 July 1909. Crowned as Paduka Sri Baginda Sultan Muhammad IV with the style of Duli Yang Maha Mulia, and granted a permanent salute of 17-guns, 22 June 1911. Altered the name of the state to Negeri Kelantan Dar ul-Naim, July 1916. Founded the Darjah Kerabat Yang Amat di-Hormati (Royal Family Order) and the Paduka Mahkota Kelantan al-Muhammad (the Order of the Crown of Kelantan of Muhammad), 1916. Received: GC Order of the Crown of Siam (1905). m. (first) 1888, Nik Wan Zainab binti Nik Wan Muhammad Amin [H.H. Sultana Zainab] (b. 1877; d. at Kota Bharu, 23 July 1928, buried Royal Cemetery, Kampung Langgar), crowned as Sultanah at Istana Balai Besar, Kota Bharu, 15 February 1916, daughter of Nik Wan Muhammad Amin bin Wan ‘Abdu’l gelaran Ngah. m. (second) Cik Jarah binte Encik Yusuf. He died at the Istana, Kota Bharu, 23 December 1920 (buried Royal Cemetery, Kampung Langgar) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultan_of_Kelantan

Tok Kenali

Real name: Muhammad Yusuf bin Ahmad (1868-1933)

Contributions to Kelantan: religious teacher, thinker, intelligent holy man, sage

Translated from Wikipedia: He was regarded as a foremost clergy (ulama' ulung), a great Islamic teacher (guru agama Islam yang agung), a global developer of Islamic thinking (tokoh pembangunan pemikiran umat Islam di dunia) and a trigger of Islamic learning in Malaysia and Southeast Asia specifically (pencetus ilmu pengajian Islam di Malaysia dan Asia Tenggara khususnya), in the early 20th century (di awal abad ke-20). He was a a pious clergy (alim rabbani), whose life was guided by the holy book Al-Qur'an and the Traditions (Sunnah) of Prophet Muhammad SAW. He chose to live moderately and was a sage (wali keramat) and was inspired by Allah SWT and obtained intuition from God without learning (ilmu laduni, ilmu kurniaan Illahi tanpa belajar). - http://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Yusuf_bin_Ahmad

Dato Perdana Menteri Paduka Raja 

(b. 1880 Kota Bharu)

Real name: Dato' Haji Nik Mahmud bin Haji Nik Wan Ismail

Contributions to Kelantan: served as Perdana Menteri Paduka Raja (Perdana Menteri Kelantan) 29 April 1921-1944 (23 years)

Translated from Kebun Ketereh: He was born into a nobility family (keluarga bangsawan) in Kota Bharu, Kelantan in 1880. His parents were Qadhi Haji Nik Wan Ismail bin Haji Nik Wan Mahmud and Wan Aishah. After his father passed away in 1989, his mother brought him and his 3 other siblings to Makkah. Nik Mahmud had received his early education from his own father in Kelantan. In Makkah, he was taught under the tutelage of Sheikh Ahmad al-Fathani, who was his father's friend. Both men (Qadhi Haji Nik Wan Ismail & Sheikh Ahmad al-Fathani) were great clergies (ulama besar). In Makkah, Sheikh Ahmad al-Fathani taught 4 men - 2 were from the Riau-Lingga government, Raja Ali Kelana and Raja Khalid Haitami (grandson of Raja Ali Haji), while the other 2 were from Kelantan, Nik Mahmud and Haji Muhammad bin Muhammad Sa'id (he later became Dato' Laksamana). Dato Nik Mahmud served under 3 sultans and resigned on 27 December 1945 and was succeeded by his son, Nik Ahmad Kamil till 1953. He married and had 3 sons - Tan Sri Nik Ahmad Kamil (MP Kota Bharu Hilir, ex-MB Kelantan), Dato' Nik Mustapha Fadzil (Dato Sri Amar Diraja, ex-Dato' Maharaja Lela Istana Negeri KL), and another son (unknown). Dato Nik Mahmud died in 1964 at home in Atas Banggol, Kota Bharu. He was 84. His died a mysterious death which was thought to arise from black magic (sihir) by quarters who hated him. The title Perdana Menteri was no longer used replaced with Menteri Besar when the Federated Malay States (FMS or Persekutuan Tanah Melayu) was formed. - http://kebunketereh.com/?p=1459  

Summarised from comments in Kebun Ketereh: Perdana Menteri Paduka Raja had written 4 books including Cetera Kelantan, Kitab Pati Rahsia and Tajuk Kemuliaan. Cetera Kelantan was said to be altered after his demise, and he was slandered (difitnah) which caused a clash between 2 Kelantan royal households, that between Long Ghaffar and Long Yunus etc. He is survived by his great grandchildren.  

From TEMD Research: Dato Perdana Menteri Paduka Raja was buried in Kubur Banggol, a long distance behind Sekolah Kebangsaan Kubur Banggol. 

Dato' Laksamana

Real name: Haji Muhammad bin Muhammad Sa'id
(b.1889 Kota Bharu, d.20 March 1939)

Contributions: intellectual, literary figure, journalist and prolific writer, writer for Pengasuh magazine and other, famed as Father of Malay Journalism in Kelantan
Sources:
http://tiapdetik.blogspot.com/2009/06/tokoh-penulis-kelantan-dato-laksamana.html

From TiapDetik blogspot: He was the eldest son of Dato' Haji Muhammad Said, Dato' Sri Diraja and Khatib Masjid Besar Kota Bharu or Masjid Muhammadi in Kota Bharu. The mosque is adjacent to a big green mansion (now disused). It is across the road from 2 palaces, Istana Balai Besar and Istana Jahar. He received his early education in Kota Bharu before he went overseas in 1902 to study in Makkah and Egypt for a total of 12 years (8 years in Makkah and 4 years in Cairo). He studied under the tutelage of 3 brilliant religious masters such as Tok Wan Ali Kutan, Sheikh Wan Ahmad bin Wan Muhammad Zain al-Fatani and Sheikh Nik Mat Kechik al-Fatani. When in Cairo, he was influenced by the reformation (tajdid) movement there which was led by famous Egyptian reformists such as Muhammad Abdul and his student, Rashid Ridha. He returned to Kelantan in 1914 at the height of the First World War (WWI). Along with 3 others, they set up MAIK on 23 December 1915. He was the first MAIK Secretary till 1919 (ie till after WWI). He was the Assistant Secretary of Kelantan State (Penolong Setiausaha Negeri Kelantan) on 1 January 1917, and subsequently was the Deputy Chief of MAIK (Naib Yang Dipertua MAIK) on 13 August 1919. He was made Dato' Laksamana in July 1921. On 12 September 1925, he was appointed as State Secretary of the Kelantan Government (Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri Kelantan). He was actively involved with writing and journalism. He was not only a writer for Pengasuh (October 1919-December 1933), he was also a co-writer of al-Kitab (1920) monthly magazine. He was also the writer of books such as Rampai-Rampaian (2 terms), a translated novel entitled Kecurian 5 Million Ringgit (January 1922), and 5 titles in Arabic which were not published before his demise. He wrote numerous articles in Pengasuh using the penname Pengarang Pengasuh, Hashim bin Muhammad and Patriot. He passed away on 20 March 1939 at age 50. - http://tiapdetik.blogspot.com/2009/06/tokoh-penulis-kelantan-dato-laksamana.html

Search 6

SEARCH 6

26 January 2005

The sixth search is to scrutinize a second e-mail sent to me on 20 January 2005 by En. Mohd. Fadli Ghani from Kuala Lumpur. The subject read "Doktor Melayu Pertama". This time the e-mail went into my Inbox and I replied to thank him for his e-mail. I printed his e-mail and only have time to scrutinize it tonight (26 January 2005) while a charity concert "KONSERT KASIH" is playing on TV3 for the recent tsunami victims - it is now 11.40 pm. This is also a 1.5 A4 page e-mail with a whole lot of information to digest!

En. Fadli has alerted me to a few important queries if I were to carry on studying about the Malay doctors:

1. Is it certain that before 1905 (opening of the medical college in Singapore) there was no Malay who had studied medicine formally at any university overseas, in England or India, such that we have to accept the graduate of the Singapore medical college as our first Malay doctor? He is still scrutinizing this matter. He wants to be certain. His argument being, there were renowned Malays who were highly educated such as Raja Chulan, Mohd Eunos and others in the early 1900s, before the Singapore medical college was opened. Were they merely MCKK (Malay College, Kuala Kangsar) or VI (Victoria Institute) graduates? Did they continue to study medicine? According to him, there were Malays who entered and studied at University al-Azhar in Cairo, Egypt since 1890. Now, there is even a medical faculty (Kuliyyah Perubatan) but he is not sure when this faculty was set up. En. Fadli suggested that I confirm this matter with Dr. Nik Mazian who had studied there. The Al-Azhar medical faculty was started in 1965.
2. Are we only accepting doctors who graduated with either LMS, MBBS or MD as 'true doctors'? What about the other Malay doctors who did not possess any degrees but were well-known experts or tabib such as Tabib Haji Said Yan in Kedah (circa 1962) who wrote the 1956 book "at-Tabib" in the Malay language, and Tabib Ahmad Mianji in Kota Bharu who was an eye expert since 1910?
3. Western medicine grew as a result of Islamic civilisation, mainly from the writings of Avecinna (Arabic, Ibnu Sina) and others. This could possibly mean that the Malays had studied about medicine in Makkah because the Malays had been to Makkah to study since the early 17th Century. What was their status?
4. Tok Guru Haji Wan Ahmad Mohd Zain (circa 1908) was a teacher to Tok Kenali. He was a clergy, a chemist, a doctor, and an inventor. He wrote chemistry and medical books. He wrote altogether 5 books concerning the goodness of plant and animal sources, including their usage for treatment. He invented surgical instruments and the like. It was said that he had learnt about medicine from a medical expert from India. Many of his students from Pulau Penyegat (Riau-Lingga) also became medical practitioners. If Tok Guru and his students are recognised as doctors, then he deserved to be known not only as an early doctor but also as the first Malay doctor since Tok Guru passed away in 1908 whereas Dr. Abdul Latiff bin Abdul Razak officially graduated in 1911. En. Fadli offered to assist in this matter.
5. Besides allopathy, the Malays also practised homeopathy, naturopathy, divinity, bomoh, massage (physiotherapy), and others. En. Fadli referred to a book written by Muhammad Salleh ibni Ahmad Penambang (circa 1870s, Kelantan) who described the various modes of practices of Malay folk medicine. This book also described recipes for making various potions. The book could serve as a medical text, a chemistry book, a biomedical reference, or even a pharmacology manual.
6. En. Fadli also mentioned an achievement of the Malays in homeopathy. According to him, Dr. Burhanuddin is said to be the first Malay to study homeopathy in India and graduated in 1936. It is not certain whether there were others who graduated earlier than this. Dr. Burhanuddin was very successful in teaching homeopathy in Malaysia and received many international recognition for his activities, including being labeled as a professor by a German institute. En. Fadli feels that Dr. Burhanuddin is the most outstanding Malay in the international arena in the medical field.
7. En. Fadli has written an article entitled "Karya-Karya Sains Ulama Melayu Sebelum 1950: Satu Tinjauan Awal" which has been submitted to Pemikir, a local journal. In this article, he touched on various medical articles written by the Malay clergy, including biology and zoology. He will append this article if he finds time. He will also try to list all the early Malay medical books(kitab-kitab perubatan Melayu) which have been written up until the time the Singapore medical college was opened. He is also reviewing a number of articles on the achievements of the Malays in science and technology, hoping this will help.

It is now 1.57 am on 27 January 2005. I certainly have a lot more search to do.

---

Acknowledgement

En. Mohd. Fadli Ghani provided plenty of useful information in his e-mail on 20 January 2005. I take this opportunity to thank him for his assistance in providing more insight into the activities of the early Malay doctors which may actually date back to the time of Avecinna!

En. Mohd. Fadli Ghani

Pengarah Akademi Kajian Kota, Kuala Lumpur

En. Fadli Ghani is in the social sciences. He has BA in Linguistics and Social Development from UPM, MA in Dialog Peradaban from UM, and MA in Political Science from UKM. He is currently preparing his PhD in Malaysian History. Akademi Kajian Kota is a socio-political research establishment.

YB Dr. Nik Mazian Nik Mohamed

University al-Azhar graduate

She is with the EXCO Kelantan State Government.

Dr. Nik Mazian was ex-USM surgeon, in the same batch as Dr. Rozemi, Dr. Mahmud, etc.

Medical Faculty, University al-Azhar, Cairo, Egypt

Need list of students from the Malay States/Malaya/Malaysia since 1890 who studied medicine at al-Azhar.

How many Malays entered al-Azhar to study medicine since 1890?

When was the medical faculty set up?

Medical degrees conferred to the Malays

What were they? LMS, MBBS, MD

How many received each of the degrees?

How do we define a doctor?

Who are 'true doctors'?

Definition of a medical practitioner.

Definition of tabib?

How does a tabib become recognised?

How does he practise?

We still see many tabib practising today in Malaysia.

Examples of tabib:

Tabib Haji Said Yan (circa 1962, Kedah). Wrote book "at-Tabib" (1956) in Malay.

Tabib Ahmad Mianji (1910, Kota Bharu) was an eye expert.

Avecinna (Arabic, Ibnu Sina)

Who were the other Arab doctors?

Did they work with Avecinna or after his death?

When did the West learn from the Arab doctors?

Which Arab doctors were referred to?

What did the Malays study in Mekah in the early 17th Century?

Did the Malays study about medicine in Mekah?

Where did the Malays study about medicine in Mekah?

Who were their teachers in medicine in Mekah?

Tok Guru Haji Wan Ahmad Mohd Zain (circa 1908)

Was a teacher to Tok Kenali. A clergy, a chemist, a doctor, and an inventor. Wrote chemistry and medical books - altogether 5 books on plant and animal sources and their uses for treatment. Taught by a medical expert from India. Many of his students from Pulau Penyegat (Riau-Lingga) also became medical practitioners. Tok Guru passed away in 1908

When did he practise?

Where about did he practise?

Did he go to India to study medicine? No.

When did he go to India to study medicine? He never went.

Who was the medical expert from India?

Was he a Malay who studied in India? No.

Was he an Indian Muslim? Yes.

Who taught medicine to Tok Guru Haji Wan Ahmad Mohd Zain? An Indian expert.

Did the Indian expert come to Malaya? No idea.

When did the Indian expert come to Malaya?

Did he come alone or was he part of a group?

Which group?

Before or after the East India Company arrived in the Malay States?

Students from Pulau Penyegat (Riau-Lingga)

Did they continue to teach others?

Where can they be located?

Definition of allopathy.

Definition of homeopathy.

Definition of naturopathy.

Meaning of divinity in the Malay context.

Definition of bomoh in the Malay context.

What is a bomoh?

How is a bomoh different from a tabib?

How is a bomoh different from a pawang?

How is a bomoh different from a dukun?

Meaning of massage in the Malay context.

Muhammad Salleh ibni Ahmad Penambang (circa 1870s, Kelantan)

His book described the various modes of practices of Malay folk medicine. It contains recipes for making various potions. The book could serve as a medical text, a chemistry book, a biomedical reference, or even a pharmacology manual.

What is the title of his book?

Where is this book located?

Dr. Burhanuddin al-Helmy Mohd. Noor

The first Malay to study homeopathy in India and graduated in 1936.

Were there others who graduated earlier than 1936?

1936 is after WW1 and before WW2.

What was India like in 1936?

Where is homeopathy taught in India?

Dr. Burhanuddin was very successful in teaching homeopathy in Malaysia and received many international recognition for his activities, including being labeled as a professor by a German institute.

Dr. Burhanuddin is the most outstanding Malay in the international arena in the medical field.

German institute

Which German institute is noted for homeopathy?

Where is it located?

When did it operate, before 1936?

Why did it recognise Dr. Burhanuddin's capabilities to such a high status, that of a professor?

Was Dr. Burhanuddin a better doctor than the German homeopathy practitioners?

En. Mohd. Fadli Ghani

"Karya-Karya Sains Ulama Melayu Sebelum 1950: Satu Tinjauan Awal". Submitted to Pemikir, a local journal.

Kitab-kitab perubatan Melayu before 1905

List of all the early Malay medical books before the Singapore medical college was opened.

Science and technology

Achievements of the Malays in science and technology.

---

Telehealth Research Group
http://www.medic.usm.my/rnd/~telehealth
School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia