Penang Story Lecture and Conference:
Penang and the Hajj
17 & 18 August 2013 (Saturday & Sunday), 09.00am - 17.30pm
Eastern & Oriental Hotel, Penang
PAPER TITLES AND ABSTRACTS
CONFERENCE: PENANG AND THE HAJJ
1. Abdul-Razzaq Lubis, “The Mandailing on Hajj”
The Mandailing were latecomers to Islam, being converted at the point of the sword during
the Padri War (1803-45), forcing some to migrate to the west coast of the peninsular
(Malaysia) in the first quarter of the nineteenth century. Dutch colonialism sustained this
chain of migration until the early twentieth century. On both sides of the Straits of Malacca,
the Mandailing found themselves lagging behind fellow Muslims in Islamic instruction and
other respects of their new found faith. Performing the hajj was, for them, a way out of
obscurity and marginality towards centrality and cosmopolitanism within the Islamic ecumene
centred in the Haramyn (Makka and Madina). The hajj also served to quench their thirst for
knowledge, shared praxis and values of the ummah, and to accumulate merit and salvation in
this life and the hereafter as new Muslims and new brethren in an ancient communion from
the dark ages. And thus they embarked on this sacred journey, traversing land and water
across the enveloping Indian Ocean, from the remote tropical interior of the peninsular to the
equally remote but dry climes of the Arabian desert. The cost of passage was drawn from the
wealth of tin mining, trade and agriculture. This paper focuses on the journal of Raja Haji
Shahabuddin, the youngest son of Raja Bilah and the doyen of the Perak Mandailings. The
former authored Peringatan Tarikh Raja Shahabuddin dan Rahmah ke Makkah, a unique
account of a husband and wife who went on the hajj at the onset of the Second World War,
when U-boats lurked dangerously beneath the waves. The journal described the mundane
day-to-day aspects of the journey: their mode of transport, the Sheikh Hajis (pilgrim brokers),
the changing weather, the ports of call, the ethnicities, attires and languages of the people
they met on board and on land and the medical and quarantine procedures, as well as
entertainment for pilgrims. The disagreeable aspects of the voyage – the begging, the squalor,
corruption, intimidation, continued destruction of tombs by the fundamentalist Wahhabis –
were not spared. Raja Shahabuddin’s account of the hajj is also the only record we know of
from this part of the world that is gender sensitive. It offers some insights into the activities of
the woman, in this case the wife, in the performance of the hajj rites, as well as shopping to
visiting relatives. All of these they co-jointly performed.
2. Dr. Aiza binti Maslan @ Baharuddin, “Hajj: Activities and the Development of
Administration in Penang”
An analysis of the working history of Malay pilgrims discloses indirectly the involvement and
the role of Penang and its people in the Hajj business. Before the opening of Penang’s
seaways, the Malays travelled via Aceh to the Holy Land on private merchant vessels
originating from various countries. Things changed in 1786, when Penang took over Aceh in
the role of transporting pilgrims, and inter alia, made itself the central point of departure
during the Hajj season. In addition to the services provided by the Malayan Railway and the
Penang Ferry, the pilgrim’s journey was also facilitated by the establishment of the local
branch of Mansfield and Company, acting as agent of the shipping company responsible for
Hajj travel; pilgrims could now depart from the mainland, Kedah, North Perak and Kelantan.
The involvement of Sheikh Omar Basheer’s family in the administration of the affairs of the
pilgrimage has also intensified Hajj activities in Penang, as can be traced through the former’s
personal notes. The management of Hajj affairs also created its own history with the
establishment of the Penang Hajj Control Office under the supervision of Mohamed Ali Rouse,
who held the honour of being the Office’s pioneer controller.
3. Dr. Christopher M. Joll, “The haj, salvation and social change in cosmopolitan Southeast
Asian port city-states”
As is well known, historians and religious studies have studied the haj, an element of Islam’s
globally normative ritual repertoire widely dismissed by anthropologist as ethnographically
insignificant. Anthropologists in Southeast Asia, particularly influenced by the anthropology of
Islam, have complimented traditional interest in local ritual performances with how haj has
impacted Southeast Asian Muslims and Muslim societies. This paper describes the effects of
the haj and umrah on individual salvation and social change. While the empirical data
introduced in this paper is based on extensive ethnographic fieldwork undertaken in the
overwhelmingly Muslim context of Patani/Pattani town (amphur muang Pattani), this paper
suggests areas of continuity and disjuncture with other cosmopolitan Southeast Asian port
city-states such as Penang. I argue that despite their geographical proximity, significant
differences in the economic, ethnic, linguistic, and religious dynamics of these cosmopolitan
centres should not be overlooked. Penang might have been the closest port of departure to
Mecca for Muslims resided in the western coast of Thailand’s upper south that before the
Anglo-Siamese treaty of 1909 was part of the Kedah Kerajaan but many Malays from Pattani,
Yala, and Narathiwat left for Mecca from ports on the east coast. This paper argues that a
significant similarity between Pattani and Penang the absence that has been inadequately
dealt with my scholars who shares the author’s interest in the Thai/Malay Peninsula is the
marginalization of Malay rajas by Siamese and British colonial expansion. Given the
importance of these institutions in the patronage and administering of Islam, pilgrims
returning to Penang and Pattani faced different obstacles to disseminating reformist agendas
encountered in the Haramyn to than those returning to contexts still within the control of the
palace. Whether from Penang and Pattani, pilgrims enjoyed the personal benefits of fulfilling
the fifth and final pillar of Islam and the merit received from pious performances in Mecca’s
potent centre, the details of which I delineate and discuss.
4. Prof. E. Ulrich Kratz, “Islam on Pulau Pinang, Some early evidence”
The paper will have a systematic look at any evidence offered by the so-called Light Letters
which originate from the early days of George Town. Other than making the sporadic and
circumstantial evidence available in a more accessible format, it will attempt a preliminary
analysis of the textual material. Particular emphasis will be given to the place of differing
religious and secular institutions on the island and in especially, the set-up which is commonly
found in the Malay Sultanates to meet the requirements of Muslims and which, on Pulau
Pinang, was provided by Francis Light. The pilgrimage plays here an important part.
5. Prof. Eric Tagliacozzo, “The Material World of the Hajj in Colonial-Era Southeast Asia”
The economic connections of the pre-colonial Hajj were very important; they brought
Southeast Asia into a wider orbit of contacts across the historical Indian Ocean. Scholars have
asked as a result of this how vital the economy of the Hajj may have been in creating an
"Indian Ocean world", with major thinkers both championing and dismissing this notion. We
know from a number of period observers in the 17th and 18th centuries that the number and
dimensions of ships engaged in Hajj were substantial, and that the Mughal Empire, Ottoman
Yemen, and Southeast Asia all become entangled in the passage of such sailing craft moving
across the ocean's rim. In my lecture, I will examine these far-fling connections, while also
concentrating on Southeast Asia and its trans-oceanic economies more locally. I will do this by
looking at the careers of eminent Hajjis such as Shaykh Yusuf of Makassar, as well through
classical texts from the region such as the Tuhfat al-Nafis. I argue that the Dutch were crucial
as facilitators of the pilgrimage, and I sketch out some of the circumstances of the Javanese
Hajj from the 17th to the early 19th centuries. Yet I also focus on the British Case, whereby
the Malay Peninsula and Penang become important as well in sending these sojourners
overseas, in larger and larger numbers as the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries wore
on. I highlight the means by which pilgrims from Southeast Asia were able to perform their
Hajj, and the very real -- and sometimes very difficult -- material circumstances of their
passage. This was a world in the making, one that connected the paths of quite ancient
travellers to the voyages of pilgrims from our own time.
6. Prof. Faridah Abdul Rashid, “The Malayan Hajj Doctors and the Malaysian Hajj Scene 19002013”
Malaysian Muslims perform hajj via Tabung Haji or travel and tours agency. Islamic banking
was introduced for the establishment of Perbadanan Wang Simpanan Bakal-Bakal Haji
(PWSBH) which impacted hajj development tremendously. Potential hajj pilgrims could
successfully save money for future expenses of their intended hajj by paying as many small
instalments. PWSBH and Pejabat Urusan Hal Ehwal Haji in Penang merged and Lembaga
Urusan dan Tabung Haji (LUTH) was established under Akta 8, Akta Lembaga Urusan dan
Tabung Haji on 30 September 1969. LUTH also used Islamic banking system. LUTH and private
agencies, along with the hajj doctors, worked to bring about better overall experiences for the
Malaysian hajj pilgrims. The pilgrims benefitted by enjoying good and safe travel, proper
accommodation and balanced meals during the hajj. Good telecommunications, rapid banking
facilities and postal services are offered at reasonable price in Makkah. Saudi sim cards were
sold freely on the pavement outside Masjidil Nabawi in Madinah. Malayan pilgrims depended
on the Indonesian authorities for their hajj sea travels before the Indonesian independence.
Before 1974, Malayan hajj trips were operated by ships or steamers from Penang to Balad city
port in Jeddah. Malayan pilgrims lived for a few days at Balad to acclimatise to the local
desert climate before travelling by bus to Makkah or Madinah. This acclimatisation was
necessary as it would reduce health problems among hajj pilgrims. Balad ceased to be used
when LUTH deployed airplanes for its hajj trips in 1974. The hajj flights were conducted
by the Malaysian Airlines System (MAS), departing initially from Malaysia’s first
international airport at Subang, and later from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA),
and eventually from Penang and Terengganu. LUTH improved ground services and
facilities for the hajj pilgrims at Kompleks Haji Kelana Jaya. International flights converged
at the King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. At the crux
of the mass air travels and gatherings is the concern for public health. Huge crowds caused
delays and can compromise on food quality, living conditions, sanitation and health. Massive
outbreaks of diseases can decimate the pilgrims en masse. Since the time of Ibn Battuta’s
Rihlah (travelogue) of the 1850s, diarrhoea is a big concern among travellers. Viruses have
followed the African travellers and pilgrims are advised to be vaccinated accordingly.
Vaccinations are provided by Malaysian major government hospitals and private
clinics. Pilgrims are known to suffer from certain conditions upon return from the
hajj. Between 1900 and 1957, there were close to 55 Malay doctors who worked in early
Malaya and Singapore. A few Penang doctors served as ‘hajj doctors’ or ‘hajj surgeons’ on the
annual hajj pilgrimage. Issues of health and sanitation were reported by the hajj doctors in
local newspapers. There is paucity of hajj data and limited personal accounts of the hajj
pilgrimage. Malaysian pilgrims do not pen their hajj travelogues for fear it will nullify the hajj.
There are few Malaysian hajj travelogues in book form while narratives have appeared in local
magazines.
7. Dr. Francis R. Bradley, “Penang, Patani Scholars, and the Hajj”
Patani/Pattani and Penang, situated on opposite sides of the Malay-Thai Peninsula have both
played important roles as centers for embarkation and influx of peoples, goods, and
knowledge. This paper will analyze the relationship between Patani and Penang through the
movement of Islamic scholars, pilgrims, and the texts they wrote. From the late eighteenth
century onwards, Penang was often the destination for Patani people, often displaced by war,
who sought a safer life abroad or sought passage to Mecca. In Mecca and Patani, scholars
from Penang and Kedah studied with esteemed Patani scholars and, in the days before print,
sometimes bore handwritten copies of manuscripts back to their homes after they returned.
In the twentieth century, as Penang emerged as an active publishing center, the writings of
the many well-known Patani scholars (and some who were less known) were eventually
published in the printing houses of post-war Penang, destined for eager readers in Malay
pondok on both sides of the Malaysian-Thai border.
8. Dr. Kamaruzzaman Bustaman-Ahmad, “Jak u Arab: A Study of the Hajj Pilgrimage amongst
the Acehnese”
This paper attempts to explain the concept of the hajj pilgrimage through the Jak u Arab
(Journeying to Arabia) paradigm among the Acehnese. Historically, the pilgrimage was a major
thing for the people of Aceh, aside from the satisfaction of worship, the hajj was also a means
of connecting intellectually with Middle Eastern scholars (Kaptein 1997). At the very least, the
spirit of Islamic struggle that existed in Aceh was influenced by the Middle East. Between the
16th to 17th centuries, the term Haramayn was coined to describe Arabia, from which point
the premier network of Islamic scholars propagated Islamic reformism to Nusantara (Azra
1999) (Azra 1994) (Azra 1999). Following this, the term ek haji or going on hajj to “the land
below the wind” emerged in which Penang was the major transit point. Economic records and
the history of the Acehnese struggle are inseparable in the context of relationship between
Aceh, Penang, and “the lands below the wind” in assimilating the spirit of Islamic reform,
which is subsequently reflected in the history of the struggle against colonialism (Laffan 2003)
(Azra 1999). The Jak u Arab paradigm is still relevant in Acehnese society today, especially in
the construction of the spiritual dimension and socio-religious strata. In Aceh, there are at
least two villages which attached the word Haji to their names – Krueng Haji and Labuhan Haji.
The former term is used to designate those who have performed the pilgrimage. In other
words, the concept of pilgrimage is one of the key words in understanding the dynamics of
the religious life of the people of Aceh. In this paper, the author will discuss the conflict and
impact of pilgrimage within the Jak u Arab perspective. This study will adopt the sociohistorical and socio-anthropologist methodology. Historical data will be put forth together
with social and cultural facts of the Acehnese. The structure of this exploration will first
uncover the path taken by the Jak u Arab concept, followed by a review of the polarization of
the Acehnese pilgrims.
9. Prof. Dr. Mohd Isa Othman, “History of a Journey to the Holy City of Mecca: Personal
Jottings”
There are not many who relish the thought of documenting what is for them a personal
journey, even less so when the experience is destined for the public domain. One person who
did chronicle his pilgrimage was Wan Yahya Wan Mohd Taib, a figure of repute in the Kedah
government and also a writer of renown. In 1911, he published a history of Kedah. This was
followed three years later with a personal account of his hajj experience, which he called A
History of the Journey to the Holy City of Mecca (Tarikh Al-Siyahah Ila Makatul Mukaramah).
Wan Yahya travelled to Mecca on a merchant vessel, instead of the usual travel package
reserved for pilgrims. This gave him the advantage of stopping at various ports of call and
observing the different societies. Being a chronicler of great exactitude, he took pains to make
detailed observations of what he saw. When he arrived in the holy city, he trained his keen
powers of observation on the practice of worship in both Medina and Mecca. As befitting its
uniqueness, Wan Yahya’s comprehensive account of the hajj is especially relevant, particularly
for the second decade of the 20th century.
10. Mohammed Siraaj Bin Saidumasudu, “Indian Muslim Community and Hajj: some personal
experiences of their involvement in facilitating the pilgrims in Penang
The main thrust of my abstract will focus on the experiences (via oral histories and case
studies) of the Indian Muslim community, particularly those from Penang, in relation to the
Hajj pilgrimage. To a lesser extent, I will also examine their roles. To begin with, the Indian
Muslim community have established themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the field of
trade and shipping, from the founding days of Penang. This gave them an advantage in
facilitating the logistics for pilgrims from Kedah, Penang, Perak and other parts of Malaysia
during the Hajj season in Penang. A major part of this was the provision of necessities and
materials required by the pilgrims during their stay in Penang, as it was customary for these
pilgrims, their relatives and friends to stay briefly in Georgetown while awaiting the arrival of
the scheduled ships. To recap, the contributions of the Indian Muslims from petty traders to
professionals in facilitating the Hajj pilgrimage will form the main focus of this brief discourse.
A secondary part of my presentation will centre on the role, personal experiences,
perspectives and traditions of the Indian Muslim Hajjis, the non-entrepreneurial community
and their clan associations. The timeline of this discussion covers the period between the
1950s until the 1970s.
11. Muhammad Ilyas Yahprung, “The reformist doctrine of ijtihad and its applications: A
comparative study of Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fatani's Hadiqatul Azhar and Tayyibul-ihsan fi TibbilInsan, and the Penang's reformist journal, al-Ikwan and Saudara”
Islamic reformism has been identified by scholars as a transformative force shaping Muslim
society of the Malay Archipelago, particularly, at the dawn of the 20th century. The idea aims primarily at reformulating the heritage of Islam through independence reasoning and
integrating modern thought and institutions with Islam (Hasan: 2010, 303) - first propagated
by Muhammad Abduh (1849-1905) and his disciple Rashid Rida (1865-1935). As Muslim world,
including the Malay, was encroaching by Western imperialists, the crying for reform was
echoed by the Patani Ulama of such high reputation as Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fatani (1856-1908)
who resided in Mecca, and whose Hadiqatul Azhar and Tayyibul-ihsan fi Tibbil-Insan are a
clear indication of his calls for reform of the Malay society. Azra (2010: 155) had identified the
institution of Haj as a crucial means through which the reformist idea came to the region. The
Port of Penang played an important role not only as a place of embarkation for the Haj but
also dissemination of the reformist idea. Two major reformist journals, al-Ikwan (first issue
was published in 1926) and Saudara (first issue was published in 1928), were printed in
Penang, urging the Malayan to reform their faith on several key concepts. This paper aimed at
comparing the reformism, particularly, the concept of ijtihad (personal reasoning) and its
application as proposed by Sheikh Ahmad in his two treaties - Hadiqatul Azhar and Tayyibulihsan fi Tibbil-Insan - and those of Ulama who wrote in al-Ikwan and Saudara. It argued that
Sheikh Ahmad concerned more on the Malay adat (the Malay traditions) while al-Ikwan and
Saudara emphasized on purifying Islam from latter accretion (bidah) to which adat was their
prime target.
12. Dato’ Dr. Mujahid Yusof Rawa, “Haji Yusof Rawa and the Hajj Bussiness”
Haji Yusof Rawa was born as Yusof Bin Abdullah Ar Rawi on the 8th Mei1922 in Penang. He
came from a family originated from North Sumatra of the Rao District. The generation of
immigrant from this place was later known as The Rawas who by the early 20th century were
scattered all over the Peninsular. In Penang the Rawas settled as merchants and traders
occupying the area around Acheh Mosque later known as Acheen Street Malay Mosque. His
father, Haji Abdullah bin Nordeen Arrawi started as a small trader selling Islamic books and
other religious needs until he managed to own a premise beside the busy Acheh Street Malay
Mosque. He was also in touch with the Haj Agents or the Syeikh Haji from Mecca and act as
local agents for them. Yusof grew up as a boy in a strict Islamic discipline and was sent to
Mecca to study at the age of 15. His father Haji Abdullah died in an aerial bomb attack during
the Japanese WWII campaign on Penang Island. The young Yusof was in Mecca fulfilling his
father wish to become a great Islamic scholar. Having to face hardship in Mecca because of
the WWII Yusof decided to return home and continue his father publication and book house
legacy. He strived hard to make ends meet for his siblings and his mother Hajjah Asmah binti
Salleh. After a colourful life of entrepreneurship, politics, social and educational contribution
he died at the age of 78, on the 28th of April 2000. He left behind a legacy of his own known
as Haji Yusof Rawa legacy. He inherited his father’s publication and books business. His
contacts with friends and family in Mecca after his long dwelling there has made him also a
local agent for the Syeikh Haji looking for potential clients. His business premise at 55 Lebuh
Acheh also acted as one stop centre for the Hajj Agents from Mecca. The house around the
Mosque were rented for the would be pilgrims before they depart from the busy port of
Penang to Jeddah as it was at an approximate distance to the port. It was an ideal centre
where his premise would also provide guide books for the pilgrimage and other guides
provided by the agents. The Agents from Mecca would bring with them Arabic Books ordered
by Haji Yusof and Haji Yusof would also act as a trustee to keep the money collected from the
potential pilgrims. Just like his father, he owned a respect as a trustee for the Syeikh Haji to
keep their money and would withdraw them upon the request of the Syeikh Haji. The two
agents from Mecca who had direct contact with him were Syeikh Amin Rawa and Syeikh
Ahmad Lampong. He was their contact in Penang and his position as an influential social and
political figure helped the Syeikh Haji a lot in dealing with the local authorities. His uncle Haji
Arifin Bin Salleh was directly a Syeikh Haji himself looking for potential pilgrims and
accommodating them around the Acheh Street Mosque. It was a unique way of doing the hajj
business where 'Mini Jeddah' (referring to Acheh Street and the surrounding) was a busy and
bustling centre for the Haj business.
13. Dr. Numan Hayimasae, “Syeikh Haji Melayu, Hajj Pilgrimage Service: Its Genesis, Role and
Change”
The Hajj pilgrimage is one of the five pillars in Islam; Muslims must do this pilgrimage once in
their lifetime in Mecca (of the recent Saudi Arabia). Compared to the other four pillars in
Islam, the process of the Hajj pilgrimage is fairly difficult and complex. Ordinary Muslims have
to be accompanied by someone who is able to teach and guide them along the Hajj correctly
and completely. Some are even responsible in taking them from their homeland to Mecca and
back again safely. Known as “Syeikh Haji Melayu” in Malay, this title was initiated by Syeikh
Daud Abdullah al-Fatani in 1820s. The function of the Syeikh Haji Melayu includes introducing
the pilgrims Hajj procedures, the important places relating to the Hajj, accommodation, food
and other services. As the number of Hajj pilgrim increases each years, mostly because of the
good economy of Muslims and better transportation due to the Suez Canal in Egypt which
was opened in 1869, so did the number of Syeikh Haji Melayu. However, the voluntary nature
of the task was replaced by a permanent vocation that promised substantial financial rewards.
It became a business undertaking to organize the pilgrimage with the increasing participation
of the Saudi Arabia government notably in the Hajj.
14. Prof. Ramli Awang, “Haji and theologian from the perspective of Tuan Guru Syeikh Abdul
Qadir Al-Mandili Al-Indonesi (1910-1965)”
Muslims who fulfil the fifth pillar of Islam, the hajj, are considered praiseworthy by the Malay
community. The hajj is regarded as the pinnacle of one’s faith and as such, returning pilgrims
are respectfully given unofficial titles such as Tuan Haji, ‘bang Haji and Hajjah. There are
those who also adopt such titles officially in their identification documents. These individuals
are so admired by the community that their views are often consulted and used as references
in communal activities. They are often called upon to perform services such as reciting the call
to prayer, acting as leaders in prayer rituals and religious feasts, rituals for newborns and so
on and so forth. In short, the Malays are of the opinion that the title of 'Haji' is closely related
to the teachings of Islam, reflecting all that is desirable viz. piety, righteousness and a belief in
the hereafter. Syeikh Abdul Qadir al-Mandili was the author of a curiously titled book called
Weapons of a Haji and Theologian (Senjata Tok Haji dan Tok Lebai). It was curious in the
sense that the title had seemingly little to do with the contents, which comprised after-prayer
recitals and devotions, recitals and prayers during religious feasts, ‘effects’ of reciting the
Yasin 41 times, instructions given at the grave of a departed Muslim, ‘effects’ of the terawih
and witir prayers, Friday sermons, wedding sermons, Eid sermons and teachings that are part
of one’s daily good deeds. This abstract attempts to analyse the views of Tuan Guru Syeikh
Abdul Qadir al-Mandili in relation to his aforementioned book. What was his concept of the
‘weapon’ so owned by the Hajis and theologians, and what were the concept and its function
among the lives within the community at the time?
15. Saiful Anwar Matondang & Febry Ichwan Butsi, “The Strategic Positions of Penang and the
Revival of Shared Identity of the Ummah”
Penang was not only a port for British defensive and economics purposes in South East Asia
but also the centre of socio-cultural changes of the Ummah, the world Islamic communities,
as it became a node of cultural reformation in the Straits of Melacca. This paper traces back
the strategic position of Penang in British colonial era and Penang’s relation to the revival of
shared identity of the Ummah. That sort of revival contributes much to current global Ummah
phenomenon. As the ethno-religious sentiment was growing as a socio-political instrument
for the Ummah to take a vital position in Indian Ocean connectivity, Penang has a great
variety of functions at the time. Although many of historians and political scientists rely on
the records of Western scholarship and ignore the affecting factor of the Ummah’s
communication of Southeast Asia to Middle East, our attention pays on the impact of linkage
of Sumatra, Malay Peninsula and South Thailand to the Middle east as a core of change.
Firstly, we would argue that the anti-colonial movement, for instance, also was strongly
affected by that relationship and hardened within the Ummah sphere. Secondly, restructuring
occurred; Western education system in which natives of noble family had been prepared
eventually were reconstructed and recontextualised by the Ummah movement. It needs to
look at the position of Penang which influenced the Moslems’ perception of brotherhood,
shared identity as well as the appearance of nationalism among the people who were living
under the British and Dutch colonial. Finally, an investigation into the connectivity of the
Ummah, which has a powerful effect on the change of religiosity and pan-Malay identity in
Malay Peninsula and Dutch Indies, and position of Penang in the eyes of the Ummah need to
discover.
16. Dr. Shanti Moorty, “The Hajj as a Cosmopolitan Practice”
There has been much interest of late in cosmopolitanism as a thematic, a praxis and an
utopian ideal. It is my intention in this paper to briefly reiterate (with respect to my previous
work on this subject) the cosmopolitan nature of the Indian Ocean and its port cities, of which
Penang is one. As the historian Michael Pearson proposes, the hajj was crucial in the
development of early modern cosmopolitanism across the Indian Ocean, the ramifications of
which persist to this day in a wide dissemination of shared cultural practices, linguistic and
family ties, trade networks etc. The hajj as a spatial and imaginal praxis set up arcs of mobility
with Mecca as its centre. Despite the fact that Mecca may not have been an actual or
contemporary nexus of political or imperial power through history, it remained a Centre, both
as origin and terminus of pilgrim routes and concomitant freight of ideas, goods for trade etc
but also in the sense of Mircea Eliade's ideas of the sacred Centre, to be attained by the
ummah throughout the world, both physically and imaginatively. Not only are the ummah
constituted as communities, as Victor Turner would put it, by the performing the hajj, this
sacred journey also provides the most profound opportunity for humankind to encounter
their Allah Transcendent, as ibn Arabi has described both in general accounts of the hajj, and
his own biographical writings. As such, the hajj provides a superb, and I would argue, faithful
materialisation of Ancient Greek philosophical ideas about cosmopolitanism in its original
sense, which was, more than anything, a state of mind.
17. Prof. (retired) Suwardi bin Mohamad Samin, “Pilgrimage to Mecca: The Journey from
Sumatra-Riau to Penang”
The journeys of several noted figures to Penang from their countries of origin, viz. Aceh, East
Sumatra, West Sumatra (Minangkabau) and Riau (Rokan, Siak, Kampar, Kuantan, Indragiri etc.)
began in the 18th century. These people undertook the straits crossing and engaged in trade
before they began to open up new areas on the island, developing various means of
livelihood, and the pursuit of material religious obligations, such as the construction of
mosques and musallas. Materials for discussion in this paper is adapted from written and oral
sources; from which was drawn the conclusion that during the course of the journey from
Riau to Penang, those religious figures managed to accumulate enough savings to fund the
journey as well as the pilgrimage. These people included:
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Tengku Syed Hussein Idid who came from Aceh and built the Acheen Street Mosque in
George Town, Penang.
Hj. Mohammad Saleh (formerly Nakhoda Intan, pre-pilgrimage) who arrived in 1734 from
the Buadi Payakumbuh (Minangkabau) village and built the Batu Uban mosque.
Haji Shafie (formerly Madiso), his wife Hajah Fatimah (formerly Ingah) and their
companions from the Town of Khalifah Deli-Serdang, who left Penang for Mecca by ship
and then resided for about a decade in Simpang Temelok, Perak.
Tuan Guru Sheikh Abdul Wahab Rokan, originally from Rokan, Riau, who together with 20
of his students headed for Penang and continued with their pilgrimage after being
informed that a ship was departing for Mecca on 10 Zulkaedah, 1310H.
Also of note were other religious authorities from Riau beginning with Sheikh Mustafa
Indragiri, his son Sheikh Mohammad Ali Indragiri and grandson Sheikh Ibrahim Mohd. Ali
Indragiri (born in Mecca).
Seikh Muhammad Nor Tambusai, originally from Tambusai Rokan who sailed to Mecca
from Tambusai via Penang.
And lastly, Sheikh Muhmmad Kampari, originally from Kampar.
18. Suryadi, “A Critical Voice on Hajj by a Sumatran Pilgrim ‘Perdjalanan ke-Tanah Tjoetji’ by
Dja Endar Moeda (1903)”
For centuries, Muslims from the Malay world have made the Hajj, the pilgrimage to the Holy
City of Mecca. Hundreds of accounts have been written by the Malay-Indonesian pilgrims in
all possible literary genres from the seventeenth century Hikajat Hang Tuah to recent
Roidah’s novel Cinta Bertabur di Langit Mekah (Love Scattered Across the Sky of Mecca)
(Jakarta: Erlangga, 2011). The accounts invariably stress the spiritual importance of this fifth
‘pillar’ of Islam, pervaded as they are by a sense of emotional involvement, religious
enthusiasm and saintly overtones. Mecca and the Holy Places are described as a blessed land
where one’s requests to God are most likely to be heard and answered. Although it may come
as a surprise, not all accounts of the Hajj are positive. One early twentieth-century report
written by a Sumatran pilgrim appears to be downright critical of some aspects of the practice.
It is “Perjalanan ke-‘Tanah-Tjoetji’” (A trip to the ‘Holy Land’) written by Dja Endar Moeda. The
author is a prominent businessman of vernacular press in Sumatra in the nineteenth century.
The text was published in Amsterdam’s bimonthly Bintang Hindia in 1903. In “Perjalanan ke‘Tanah-Tjoetji’” the author compares the running of the pilgrimage organized by the colonial
Dutch regime in Padang and its British counterpart in Penang. The text also makes a list of 44
chapters (44 pasal) of instructions addressed to the potential hajj pilgrims from Nusantara
archipelago. As such, the text actually serves as a ‘guidebook’ for the potential hajj pilgrims
who want to go to Mecca. As a native intellectual, the author feels responsible to explain
various things that may be experienced by the pilgrims during their trip to Mecca. This paper
looks at the religious, cultural, and economic aspects represented in the text, its authorship
and historical circumstances. Unlike Western accounts of the hajj practice, the Malay
accounts of pilgrimage to Mecca like “Perjalanan ke-‘Tanah-Tjoetji’” most often reflect their
cultural and social values. Since the text is unique among indigenous sources in its open
criticism of some of the practices surrounding the Hajj, this paper also provides a critical
edition of the text for current Malaysian and Indonesian readers.
PROFILES OF SPEAKERS, CHAIRPERSONS AND DISCUSSANTS
Abdur-Razzaq Lubis @ Namora Sende Loebis is an independent scholar, author, activist and
publisher. He is the author of several books and academic articles in learned journals published
regionally and abroad. He has worked and written for Perak State Economic Planning Unit (EPU
Tourism), Taiping Municipal Council, Perak Academy, the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO),
Asia-Pacific People’s Environmental Network (APPEN), Islamic Foundation for Ecology and
Environmental Studies (IFEES), Alliance for Religions and Conservation (ARC) and other bodies. He
was selected as an Asian Public Intellectual (API) Fellow by Nippon Foundation; a coordinator for
Water Watch Asia, a project funded by UNDP and coordinator for UNESCO’s education program
for youth as well as one of two coordinators of the UNESCO-LEAP project ‘Community
Participation in Waqf Revitalization’ which earned the UNESCO’s Special Achievement Award in
2001.
Dr. Aiza binti Maslan @ Baharudin is a senior lecturer at the Department of Philosophy and
Civilization, School of Humanities, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang. She specializes in Islamic
History and Civilization with a focus on research of the Haj pilgrimage.
Selected bibliography:
1) Aiza Maslan Baharudin & Mohammad Redzuan Othman. 2012. “Pemergian Haji dalam
Teks Hikayat Hang Tuah, Tuhfat al-Nafis dan Kisah Pelayaran Abdullah Ka-Judah”, Dastar
Pendeta, Jabatan Sejarah, Universiti Malaya.
2) Aiza Maslan Baharudin. 2011. “Sistem Kuarantin dan Pelaksanaannya di Tanah Melayu
pada abad ke-19”. Jurnal Sejarah. Bil. 19, Jld. 1, 79-103.
3) Aiza binti Maslan Baharudin & Roshimah binti Shamsudin. 2011 “Penglibatan Kaum
Wanita Dalam Institusi Haji: Satu Sorotan Sejarah”, Wanita dan Perjuangan, Universiti Tun
Hussien Onn Malaysia.
4) Aiza binti Maslan Baharudin. 2009. “Menyahut Panggilan Ka’abah: Perspektif Orang
Melayu Mengenai Ibadah Haji”. Issues and Challenges of Contemporary Islam and
Muslims. Bangi: Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
5) Aiza Maslan Baharudin & Roshimah Shamsudin. 2009. “Hubungan Antara Tanah Melayu
dan Hejaz: Peranan dan Sumbangan Jemaah Haji dan Penuntut Melayu di Hejaz”.
Proceedings of the Malaysian Conference on Arabic Studies and Islamic Civilization
(MACASIC). Bangi: Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
6) Aiza Haji Maslan Baharudin. 2005. “Pemergian Menunaikan Haji Dalam Hikayat Hang
Tuah dan Tuhfat al-Nafis”. Jurnal Sejarah. Bil. 13.
Dr Christopher M. Joll is a New Zealand anthropologist who has lived among and studied
Thailand’s southern Malays for over a decade. He is a graduate of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
whose academic interests are inter-disciplinary (anthropology, history, theology, Islamic studies),
inter-religious (Islam, Christianity, and Buddhism), and trans-national (Thailand and Malaysia, and
the Indian Ocean). He is the author of Muslim Merit-making in Thailand’s Far-south (Springer
2011). Since mid-2012, he has been based at the Centre for Ethnic Studies and Development
(CESD), Chiang Mai University (CMU) where he has researched ethno-linguistic issues of language
loss and loyalty in the Malay far-south, and begun a study of the ethno-religious diversity of Sufi
networks in Thailand. He has recently joined SEATIDE (www.seatide.eu) a three-year research
project looking at issues of integration and exclusion in Southeast Asia, funded by the European
Union, and is writing the Thailand chapter of a bibliographical history if Christian-Muslim
Relations (1500-1900) (www.birmingham.ac.uk/cmr1900). While primarily involved in research
and writing he teaches intensive courses on inter-religious understanding and cultural
anthropology in a number of Southeast Asian countries.
Prof. E. Ulrich Kratz (PhD 1971 J. W. Goethe University, Frankfurt) is Emeritus Professor in
Indonesian and Malay Studies at School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of
London and currently a Professorial Research Associate in its Centre of Southeast Asian Studies.
Previously he held academic positions at Frankfurt University, where he is now a Senior Fellow,
and at Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta. In the past, he has been a visiting professor at the University
of Hawaii at Manoa and at Hamburg University. During 1993 he was appointed Karyawan Tamu
with the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, Malaysia. His areas of interests are the literatures, cultures,
societies and religions of the Malay speaking world. He publishes on traditional Malay and
contemporary Indonesian literatures. Currently he is preparing the edition of the Light Letters on
which he has worked for many years for publication.
Prof. Eric Tagliacozzo is Professor of History at Cornell University. His first book, Secret Trades,
Porous Borders: Smuggling and States along a Southeast Asian Frontier (Yale, 2005), won the
Harry Benda Prize from the Association of Asian Studies. His second monograph, The Longest
Journey: Southeast Asians and the Pilgrimage to Mecca (Oxford, 2013) has just been published.
Tagliacozzo is also the editor or co-editor of four other books and serves as the Director of the
Comparative Muslim Societies Program at Cornell, as well as Director of the Modern Indonesia
Project and editor of the journal INDONESIA.
Prof. Faridah Abdul Rashid was born and raised in Malacca, Malaysia. She attended schools in
Kedah, Sabah, Kelantan, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan and Penang. She obtained the Malaysian
Certificate of Education (MCE) in 1975. She holds a double BA in Microbiology (with distinction)
and Chemical Sciences from California State University, Chico (1980), MSc in Biochemistry from
the University of California, Riverside (1982) and PhD from the University of Western Australia,
Perth (1990). She is a lecturer at the School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health
Campus in Kubang Kerian, Kelantan in Malaysia where she teaches medical biochemistry and
history of medicine. She researched on hyperlipidaemias. She introduced computerisation for
clinical laboratories, e-learning and taught computers. She initiated research on rural broadband
and social media. Her recent books published in 2012 are Research on the Early Malay Doctors
1900-1957 Malaya and Singapore and Biography of the Early Doctors 1900-1957 Malaya and
Singapore.
Dr. Francis R. Bradley is an assistant professor of history in the department of social sciences and
cultural studies at the Pratt Institute. He received his Ph.D. in history from the University of
Wisconsin-Madison in 2010. Bradley has previously published articles in the Journal of Southeast
Asian Studies, Journal of the Siam Society, Patrick Jory’s edited collection, Ghosts of the Past in
Southern Thailand: Essays on the History and Historiography of Patani, and has a forthcoming
article set to appear in the Journal of Asian Studies. He is presently preparing a book manuscript
that examines the fall of Patani in 1200/1786 (AH/CE), the displaced communities that formed
trans-regional information networks that stretched from Mecca back to Southeast Asia, and the
resultant rise of Islamic social and educational institutions on both sides of the Malay-Thai
borderland.
Dr. Kamaruzzaman Bustamam-Ahmad is a lecturer at the State Institute for Islamic Studies (IAIN)
Ar-Raniry, Banda Aceh, Indonesia, and was a visiting research fellow at the Academy of Islamic
Studies at the University of Malaya. He completed his PhD in anthropology at La Trobe University,
Australia. His research focuses on the anthropology of Islamic culture and the sociology of religion
in Southeast Asia, and he is engaged in an on-going project on Malay and Acehnese identity in
Southeast Asia. His latest publications include Acehnologi (2012), Islam di Asia Tenggara (2012),
Islamic Studies and Islamic Education in Contemporary Southeast Asia (co-edited with Patrick Jory,
2011), and Islamic Thought in Southeast Asia: New Intepretations and Movements (co-edited with
Patrick Jory, 2013).
Prof. Dr. Mohd. Isa Othman was born in Kodiang, Kedah. He received his early education at
Sekolah Rendah Tunku Bendahara, Kodiang and later continued his studies at Sultan Abdul Halim
Secondary School in Jenan, Jitra. He received his Degree and Diploma in Education from University
of Malaya. Later, he received his Masters and Doctorate from Universiti Sains Malaysia. He is now
Associate Professor lecturing in Malaysian History at School of Distance Learning, Universiti Sains
Malaysia.
Mohammed Siraaj bin Saidumasdu is a teacher at SMK Abdullah Munshi, Jalan P. Ramlee, Penang
and PHD candidate in Universiti Sains Malaysia, School of Distance Education Studies, specialized
in Islamic Civilization. For the time being, he is working on his research about the Tamil Muslim
Community of Kadayanallur in Penang. He is also involved in United Muslim Association, a Tamil
Muslim social association as head of education bureau and a member of Indian Muslim .com
(IM.com).
Muhammad Ilyas Yahprung is a lecturer in the Faculty of Political Science, Ramkhamhaeng
University, Bangkok. He was part of several publications: An Interpretation of Modernity: A Study
of Tuan Guru Ismail Sepanyang (1955-): The Traditionalist Ulama (Religious Scholar) of modern
Pattani. Rubaiyat: Thai Journal of Asian Studies 2(3), 111-145 (2011) and The Malaysian
Connection of the Southern Thailand. In Samrn U-ngamsin (ed.), Holding Fast to the Ideology of
Harmony among Thais (ppg.231-245). Bangkok: Maulid Klang Organising Committee of Thailand
(2006). His research currently under studied 100 most important Pattani’s historical Documents.
This project has been studied in collaboration with Faculty of Humanities, Prince of Songkhla
University. The project is funded by the Asia Foundation.
Dato’ Dr. Mujahid Yusof Rawa, a Malaysian Member of Parliament (MP) is a native of Penang. His
knowledge was shaped by his father, Tuan Haji Yusof Rawa, an expert on political and local social
matters and his educational background. Being exposed to two schools of thought – Secular
Secular Studies and Islam – gave him an edge in mastering sources of knowledge in both Arabic
and English. His doctorate in Political Science is from Universiti Malaya; Bachelor’s in Human
Resource Development from Universiti Putra Malaysia and BA in Arabic and Literature from the
Al-Zahar University in Cairo, Egypt. He is a frequent contributor to The Malaysian Insider news
portal under his regular column in the portal’s opinion section. He has written several books
which challenge the status quo in Islamic thought in party politics, namely Menuju Pas Baru
(Towards a New PAS) and Rejuvenasi PAS (The Rejuvenation of PAS) which was hotly debated. He
also wrote a brief memoir of his father entitled Permata dari Pulau Mutiara (The Diamond from
the Pearl Isle) and Kitakan Orang Malaysia, translated into English under the title Aren’t We All
Malaysians?. He is currently the Chairman of the Interfaith Dialogue for Peace in Southeast Asia.
Dr. Numan Hayimasae is a lecturer at the Malay Studies Section, Department of Oriental
Languages, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Prince of Songkla University in Pattani. He
has held the post since November 2011. He graduated with a Master’s Degree in Islamic
Civilisation from Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang on 2002. From 2004 to 2010, he studied
Southeast Asian history for his doctoral research at the same university. His work experience can
best be described as diverse, having held a variety of positions including lecturer, municipality
advisor and lecturer in both Pattani and Penang. His areas of research are on the History of
Madrasah in Thailand, the Haramayn and Pattani Network and History of Islam in Nusantara. No
stranger to the world of intelligentsia, Dr. Hayimasae has written and tabled papers within his
field of expertise. His presentation will be on Syeikh Haji Melayu, Hajj Pilgrimage Service: Its
Genesis, Role and Change.
Prof. Ramli Awang is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Islamic Civilisation, Universiti
Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) in Johor Bahru. He holds various degrees viz. a doctorate in the field of
Theology and Philosophy; Master’s and a Bachelor’s in Islamic Studies from the National
University of Malaysia in Bangi and a Diploma in Philosophy of Science in Islam from the Islamic
College of Science & Technology (IPI) in Bangi. A prolific writer, he has authored and published
several works. They include:
• Islam: Nationalistic Thought and Governance (2012)
• Islamic Thought: Flow and Ideas (2012)
• Islamic Civilizational Science (2012)
• Islamic and Asian Civilizations (joint authorship, 2011)
• Biography & Moral Studies: Syeikh Abdul Qadir Al–Mandili (1910–1965) (2008)
• Philosophy of Science & Development: Towards a New Dimension (2003)
One of his works, Interfaith Dialogue from the Quranic Perspective, was accorded the National
Islamic Media Award (AMIN) under the Best Writer–General Books category in October 2009.
Saiful Anwar Matondang is a doctorate student of Anthropological Linguistic, Department of
Social Anthrophology, Faculty of Arts, Universite de Fribourg Switzerland and obtained M.A Arts &
Culture, Asian Studies the University of Hawai’i., USA. He conducted an ethnographic field work
which explores Interethnic Perceptions of Ethnic Boundaries in Penang. He has been teaching
Method of Research in Language and Culture in several university in Medan North Sumatra
Indonesia. He is now the Head of language Center University of Muslim Nusantara Al Washliyah,
Medan.
Febry Ichwan Butsi graduated from M.A in Communication Science, Faculty of Communication,
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Penang in 2011. His M.A research focused on Media Studies;
News construction into discourses in Malaysia and Indonesia mass media. He uncovered Nirmala
Bonat’s case, an Indonesian house maid who had been tortured by her Malaysian employer, Yim
Pek Ha. Now he is a lecturer in University of Muslim Nusantara in Medan and North Sumatera
University as teaching assistant since 2008
Dr. Shanti Moorthy holds a medical degree from Melbourne University and is a Fellow of the
Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh and a member of the Anatomical society of Australia New
Zealand. She has previously been a professional dancer, teacher and nattuvanar with the
Melbourne based Bharatam Dance Company and the Sangeetha Abivirthi Sabha in Malaysia, and
also a freelance scriptwriter for the Bombay based Antah UTV in Malaysia. Shanti is now a
consultant otolaryngologist and Senior Lecturer in Anatomy at Monash University School of
Medicine, in Malaysia. She co-edited 'Indian Ocean Studies: Cultural, Social, and Political
Perspectives' (Routledge Indian Ocean Series) and also the final volume of Silverfish New Writing
with Ashraf Jamal. She holds an MA in English Literature from University Malaya, situating the
works of Abdul Razak Gurnah in the Indian Ocean World and is currently working on a PhD on
spatial practices on the littoral with the Department of Philosophy at the University of Tasmania.
Prof. (retired) Suwardi bin Mohammad Samin was born in Sentajo, Kuantan, Regency of Riau in
Indonesia on 23 July 1939. He is variously regarded as a teacher, educator and historian. He
graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Educational History in 1963 and was an Undergraduate
Major in Cultural History in 1966. In 1976, he entered the field of Educational Planning at
Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. From 1966 to 2009 he served as lecturer at Riau
University (UNRI) in Pekanbaru, Indonesia. In 1987, he was made a professor at the Faculty of
Teaching at the same university. Since 2010, has held the distinction of Extraordinary Lecturer at
Riau University and also at STIPAR/APEPH in Pekanbaru. Aside from pedagogics, he has also held
other positions including Deputy Rector of UNRI. He was invited to Universiti Sains Malaysia’s
CenPris, the oldest policy research centre in Malaysia as Visiting Researcher, from March to
October 2012. Prof. Suwardi has also written several books on Malay culture and history.
Suryadi is a lecturer in Indonesian studies at the Department of South and Southeast Asian
Languages and Cultures, Faculty of Humanities, Leiden University, and researcher in cluster Arts
and Media at Leiden University Institute for Area Studies (LIAS), Leiden. His research interests are
oral tradition and verbal arts, classical Malay and modern Indonesian literature, and media
culture in Indonesia. He is doing PhD research on cultural significance of regional recording
industry in West Sumatra at Leiden University. Suryadi’s recent publications are “The image of
radio technology in modern Indonesian literature”, in Rainbow of Malay Literature and Beyond:
Festschrift in Honour of Professor Dato’ Dr. Md. Salleh Yaapar, Lalita Sinha (Penang: USM Press,
2011) “A tale of Lampung Submerged: A native’s reflection of the cataclysmic eruption of Mount
Krakatau in 1883”, The Newsletter. International Institute of Asian Studies 61 (Autumn, 2012) and
“A critical voice on Muslim pilgrims on Java: Reflection on UBL manuscript Or. 5567”, Omslag.
Bulletin van Universiteitsbibliotheek Leiden en het Scaliger Institute 10(2) 2012. Suryadi can be
reached at [email protected].