A Note on the Role of Traditionalists (ASWAJA) in the Education System in FaTani [II]

1. The golden age of FaTani’s madrasah system is between 1850-1950, witnessing a high number of
scholars of high calibre, each with their own madrasah. Most of them were graduate of Bendang Daya,
who went on to complete their studies in Makkah. (The influence of Meccan schools on Malaysian
scholars of the same period has been explored by Prof. Redzuan Othman of UM (ex-Cliffordian, Kuala
Kangsar) - see relevant papers).

2. Among the madrasah/pondok of this period are:

a. Pondok Bendang Guchil, by Haji Muhammad Salih

b. Pondok Bendang Badang, by Tuan Minal

c. Pondok Titi, by Tok Titi

d. Pondok Chauk, by Tok Chauk (Haji Abdullah bin Muhammad ‘Aqib)

e. Pondok Tok Raja Haji, by Pak Chu Yeh (Haji Idris Abdul Karim)

f. Pondok Jakar, by Tok Jakar (Haji Abdus Samad)

g. Pondok Bandar, by Haji Abdul Rashid Bandar

h. Pondok Semela, by Tok Semela Tua (Haji Wan Ahmad)

i. Pondok Seridik, by Tok Seridik, etc.

3. During this period, smaller, local madaris exist throughout FaTani. Graduates of these smaller
madaris went on to study at the main madaris listed above, and further on, to Makkah and other
places.

4. By the end of 1930s, after the first phase in which the graduates of Bendang Daya flourished, a new
generation of scholars emerged. They were the generation who studied at the madaris of ex-Bendang
Daya scholars. We could simply call them as representatives of the second phase of the Golden Age.

5. Madaris opened between 1930-1950s, even into 1970s actually, were mostly opened by scholars of
this second phase. Examples are:

a. Tok Bermin, student of Tok Semela Tua

b. Haji Ahmad Paluan, student of Pak Chu Yeh Tok Raja Haji
c. Tok Chember, student of Haji Abdul Rashid Bandar

d. Haji Hasan Mak Anggul, student of Tok Chauk

e. Tok Guru Dala, student and son-in-law to Pak Chu Yeh

f. Haji Abdul Majid Ambung, student of his father Tok Chauk

g. Haji Ahmad bin Abdul Wahab al-Fusani, student of Tok Chauk and Haji Abdul Rashid Bandar

h. Haji Idris Tok Jong, student of Haji Abdullah Bendang Guchil, etc.

6. As the 20th century came to end, FaTani Dar as-Salam was still churning some notable scholars in
addition to the list given above. This most recent generation of scholars includes:

a. Haji Abdullah Bendang Kebun, student of Tok Bermin

b. Haji Abdul Rahman Pombeng, student of Tok Bermin and Haji Hasan Mak Anggul. (Note: Anak Alam
met this scholar during an Ijtima’ in Terengganu in 2007, for the first and last time, as this scholar
recently passed away, al-Fatihah.)

c. Haji Ismail Semela, student of Tok Bermin

d. Haji Mat Dagang, student of Haji Hasan Mak Anggul

e. Haji Abdul Qadir Bendang Ramah, student of Tok Bermin

f. Haji Abdullah Jabi, student and son-in-law to Haji Ahmad al-Fusani

g. Haji Husin Keresik, student of Tok Guru Dala and Haji Ahmad al-Fusani

h. Haji Abdul Hamid Naba, student of Tok Guru Dala, etc.

7. Of course, the list of scholars mentioned so far only takes into account those who were active in
FaTani and does not include those FaTani scholars who were active in other parts of the Peninsula,
Nusantara and Makkah.

TBC.

[The note is essentially a short summary of a very informative article by al-Fadhil Ustaz Ahmad Fathi
al-FaTani, published in whole in Majalah Pengasuh, July/August 2008, a monthly publication of Majlis
Agama Islam Kelantan. The magazine is another magazine that I could recommended for subscription.
It is published in Malay, in Jawi script.]

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aswaja-in-the-education-system-in-fatani-ii/