THE HISTORY OF
ISLAMIC CENTERS IN TERENGGANU
BY
HANAFI RAHMAN EL
FESFANJI
In general decriptive, Abdullah Munshi noted in his travelog
that the only subject provided by any Islamic center in Nusantara during the first era of Islamic dawning until
his time was limited on study of reciting Quran. This illustration was not describing
a true fact in many places especially in some Islamic centers such as
Terengganu,Kelantan,Kedah and Patani.
. Most probably, his poor descriptive of lower level of
Islamic educational environment fingered to his own seperated village.
As a prominent Malay author who received big proud from
British at that time, most of his negative color of descreptive about Malay
educational environment that had been written by him was influenced by his
British minded that proposed to an interest of importanity for Malay to seek
British guidences and advicement for ruling their states. There were a number
of other authors pictured muslims communities in any land under British colonial
as uneducated and lower educational achievement.
Despite of Abdullah Munshi, there were some other pro
British authors who defended him interpreted his citing of Malay communities studying only
on Quran to a little bit more wider contact which to diciplines related
directly to the Quran such as tajwid.
In fact, if we trace on detail about the scholars in his time
in Terengganu, Kelantan and Kedah whom
mostly familiar with titled al fatani , we can see that the educational
environment at that time crossed a
numbers of Islamic disciplines.
. Abdullah Munshi`s negative illustrations about the reality
of Islamic school in the history of malay islamic educational was one of the
factors made some traditional historians claimed Abdullah Munshi as a puppet of
British instead of he was a first Malay who interpreted Bible into Malay.
Actually, there are many proofs show that long before 17th century,
pondoks institutions played a big role in empowering the undertsanding
of Islam to Malay. Furthermore, it could be accepted if someone say that the pondok
system had already took place since the era of Pasai, and kept continuously on recently.
From history perspective,
studying Islamic sciences began from the home of preacher Instead of
that, some times , the ruler invited
scholars / preacher to come to their home palace alternately to delivering the teaching for
all his royal family.
Then the preachers established nearby their house a centre of teaching . During 19th
century, it was a common custom that
when year of a pupis / sons and daughters achieved between five to seven
years old, their parents send them to
the house of tok lebai kampung to receive the basic lesson of quran and farhu
ain also include skill of reading and writing. For student who want to advance their study into higher
level , they jointed general studies engaged by common crowd delivered in masjid, sarau, balai, langgar, or rumah
tok guru. Here they studied some specific disciplines utilizing certain
syllabus such as fiqh, usuluddin, hadis and tafsir and Arabic grammar. The knowledge gathered at this level known as
basic level(fardhu kifaya) .
For more conviniences, masters built small houses surrounding their centers named pondok of
which later had been considered as the most familiar approach in mastering the
Islamic sciences. Pondok literally means
hotel which refer to a small house where student who came from far spend some
nights to run deepen discussion with teacher about Islamic manner. After a
number of years, abroad student settled that houses for years in order to
enhancing their study of Islam.
For student who want to mastering their studies in advance level, they travel
to some certain centre to receive personal guidences from scholar –the climax
of traditional system, student travel to mecca and spent a number of years to
mastering several sciences / disciplines. Some of them , such as Sheikh Dawud
Fatani, sheikh Abdus Samad Al falembani, Sheikh Mohamad Nawawi Al bantawi Al
jawi, Sheikh Mohamad nafis Al Banjari, Sheikh Ali Kutan etc , despite of became
grand masters and prominent writers
in producing local scholars, they received
big post in mecca aimed to delivery serves to all students there.
PONDOKS IN TERENGGANU
The system of pondok
became more familiar to crowd especially in late 19 and 20 century. Terengganu, Kelantan and Kedah inherited this
practical system from Patani. The main purpose of the efforts of produce man
power by pondok system was to create a group of Ulama who can contribute for
the progressing of Islam in their
locality.
in Terengganu. They
were educated with high level of attribute , and knowledgeable on responding
any enquires that raised by their communities.
The cococulum of these centers were included the major sciences of Islam
such as Tawhid, Al Quran, Fiqh, Hadith,
Nahwu, sarf, Tasawwuf and akhlaq.
During second half of 18 centuty until late 19 century, the
increasing numbers of pondok can be witnessed
in Terengganu, This help for
producing the increased number of
scholar the important factors caused to
the number of pondok and scholars became increased in Terengganu was the
migration of mujahidin of Fatani after they been defeated by Sakhothai in 1840.
In Terengganu, the established pondok in 19 was in Pulau
Manis , Paloh, Kampung Tok ku , Bukit Bayas and Pasir Panjang. Most of pioneers
were those who migrated from Patani and other by sayids.
SCHOOLS OF PULAU MANIS
Pondok of Pulau manis which was established by Tok Pulau
Manis(.Sheikh Abdul malik bin Abdullah) succesed his son Sheikh badruddin.He
was the syeikh of Satariyyah order.
It branched up pondok of Beladau( from 19th
century) which set up by Haji Abdul Hamid. Later ,his son Abdul Rahman Limbung
played a duty in revolutionary
confronting against British in region.
From pondok of Beladau, his students established a number of
pondoks like the pondok of Serengas, pondok of Sheikh Mat Buruk and Pondok of
Padang Midin the pondok of Kg Lampu Besut. Pondok of Ser
engas was governed by
Sheikh Abdul Malik bin Isa, one of great grand son of Tok Pulau
manis draw big support from crowd and
played good task for community. From pondok of Serengas,one of his student
established pondok of Tuan Guru Hj Mat lapok. Then the pondok of Sheikh Haji Mat Lapok branched
up the pondok of Faqih Abdullah Kuala Berang and survived until nineteen
sixties.
Pondok of Padang Midin had survived until late 1980. Another was pondok of Haji Abdul Hamid Tebauk
Nerus .
Pondok of Kg Lampu Besut established by its native, Sheikh Mohamad Hussein whon spent
13 years in Mecca.He then established another huger pondok in Kuala Besut
(1913). his major was in Arabic nahu and sarof grammatical and feqh and usul
feqh
SCHOOLS OF PALOH
Pondok of Paloh was established by the family of Tok Ku
Paloh. Among the prominent scholars was Tok Ku Tuan Dalam, his young brother
.Here the order of Naqshabandiyyah was taught for students.
Haji Ali Pulau babi
who had established masjid Kg Pulau Babi was among the committed students in
Pondok of Paloh. . Haji Abdul Hamid the headmaster of Pondok Beladau sent his
son Haji Abdul Rahman Limbung to pondok of Paloh.
One of those who graduated from pondok of Paloh was Sheikh
Abdul Kadir bin Abdullah of Pasir panjang
(d 1930). After receiving study from Tok Ku Tuan dalam, he futhered his
study in Mecca for 7 years. He established pondok in pasir Panjang and draw
students from different background . Sultan Omar, the ruler of Terengganu granted his remaining burned palace for him to install for a mosque(1886). It was the first mosque
surrounding the area of Bukit Besar .
PONDOK OF RUSILA
Haji Mohamad arrived
from Patani to recover the task of his realative, Haji Abdul Rahman who moved
up to Gong Balai. In late 19th century, Abdul Rahman, came back from
his study in Patani established a mosque namely now as masjid Rhu Sila. He was
a hard supporter to Haji Abdul Rahman Limbung. Later his son Haji Awang carried
on the task. Recently, this school named as madrasah darul Quran and principled
by Sheikh Abdul Hadi. He spent fourty years for finishing the weekly speech on commenter
of Quran.
PONDOK OF BUKIT BAYAS
Pondok of Bukit Bayas was established by Patani origin,
Sheikh Abdul Kadir Paya Bunga. He was an advisor of some rulers of Terengganu.
Among his students were Tok Ku Paloh, Sultan zainal Abidin III ect
PONDOK OF LOSONG
Tok Ku Tuan Dalam invited Haji Mohamad Shafie Kedah to
preach people in Losong. Then Haji Ahmad Tersat proceed the task of managing
pondok.
PONDOKS IN BESUT
Sheikh hassan bin Ishaq al patani (d1873=1893.) well known
through his traditional medical work Tajul Muluk opened pondok of Kg Gong Surau
. at the same time, sheikh Said opened separate institution in kampung Lama Kg
raja tahun 1873= 1893.other were like Sheikh Daud Kg Salim tahun 1873=1923.
Sheikh Hassan Alur Lintah (1909=1914),
Sheikh Abbas bin Mohamad of Bukit Puteri (193=410 and then in tOK jIRING TAHUN
1948=1961. Sheikh Wan Abdul Latif bin Wan Kadir Pondok Jertih, Pondok Alur
KEladi of Sheikh Abdul Latef Awang, 1947 1973. Pondok of Sheikh Hussein bin Ibrahim Kg Amer 1973=81, Pondok
of Sheikh Najmuddin Makki in Kerandang
Besaut late 80 to late 90.
All these centers were set up later on as mosque. Other
centers which established in second wave were set up as madrasah(Arab secondary
school)
Sekolah menengah agama Tok Jiring was a traditional Islamic center established by Tok
Guru Haji Abbas.
