Indian Muslim Scholar: Nuruddin Al-Raniri

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

 Introduction

This is a little bit history especially in the South East Asia because my father has a copy of his book and manuscript known as Bustan al-Salatin apart of his rivals poems and works in form of parchments. He is known as Nuruddin Muhammad Jailani bin 'Ali bin Hassan Ji bin Muhammad Hamid al-Qurashi. He is from the al-Rifa'i circle while his school of jurisprudence is of the Shafi'ie. He was born in Ranir port, Gujarat of a Yemeni-Hadrami father while his mother is a native Acheen lady. 

Education

He was believed to begin his early education in Ranir port in Gujarat. In 1030 H (1621), he went for Mecca and Medina to further his studies. In Mecca, he met teachers such as Sheikh Abu Hafs Umar Abdallah Bashayban al-Tarimi al-Hadrami who was also known as Sayyid Umar al-Aydrus. He studied under the supervision of this teacher and hold his loyalty with the Rifa'ie order. Other than that, he also had practiced the practices of the Qadiri order and learned other orders' such as Shadzili, Suhrwardi and Aydrusi. Though he learned many practices of the orders but he was only appointed with the leadership of the Rifa'ie by his teacher, Bashayban.  

Teachers

It is not known on how many teachers he has. He only mentions about his order teacher known as Sheikh Abu Hafs 'Umar who passed away in Gujarat around 1066 H (1656). His also had studied under the supervision of his uncle who had also once lived in Acheh before the arrival of Sheikh Muhammad Jailani bin Hassan bin Hamid who had passed him the usage of the title sheikh. Other than that, he also mentions that he studied under the guidance of Sheikh Muhammad Yamin of Mecca who were the adherents of orthodox teachings of Ahl al-Sunna. He taught the doctrine of wahdat al-shuhud which is the anti-thesis of wahdat al-wujud.   

Arrival in Acheh Sultanate

He arrived in the Acheh Sultanate of northern Sumatera in nowadays Indonesian territory in 6th Muharram 1047 H (31 May 1637) after a year of the reign of Sultan Iskandar Tani. He finished his studies in the holy Mecca and before sailing for the Sultanate of Acheh, he first went to Pahang which is now in the central of Malaysian Peninsula. Pahang at that time was a vassal state of Acheh Dar al-Salam. There were many scholars residing in Acheh such as Shamsuddin the Sumateranese, Abdul Ra'of al-Fansuri of Singkil and Hamza al-Fansur. They were prominent Muslim scholars in Acheh before the arrival of al-Raniri. Besides of academicians, Acheh of 17th century was also a popular center for trade, politics, Muslim culture and Islamic studies. 

Debates with Ismai'li Shi'a Teachers

Those scholars of Islam before the arrival of al-Raniri were the teachers of Ismai'li order of Shi'a Muslim lineage. They propagated the teachings of wahdat al-wujud but the teaching is not suitable and dangerous for mere lay men creed since it is confusing and controversial. The arrival of al-Raniri to Acheh with new opinions and ideas was not easy to be accepted by locals because they were long being taught with the belief which was more to philosophical rather than orthodox standard ones. Since al-Raniri was of a salaf jurisprudence school and a practitioner of the Abdul Qadir Jailani lineage teachings, he feels responsible to reject the doctrine taught by those existed teachers. The Sultan of Acheh agreed to organize an open debate in the court for al-Raniri to contest the teachers who taught the wahdat al-wujud teachings. Those teacher were not so concrete when they face al-Raniri thus they lost the words.

The result of their lost is quite extreme, many of those Isma'ili order teachers were sentenced to death as according to medieval period court rulings and he received the court patronage to propagate teachings. Many of the works by Hamza Fansuri and other teachers were also burn to ashes and it was also recorded in the literature of Nuruddin al-Raniri himself known as Fath al-Mubin.

Students

While in Pahang, he has many students from South East Asian islands but not all of them are known to people around since the system of education at that time has no complete record or proper classes. They just studied and propagated their lessons. One who was widely known, Yusuf Taj al-Khalwati (1629-1699) came from Makassar in Sulawesi island. Some people mentioned that Yusuf studied under al-Raniri in Acheh while other mentioned that he went to India for the teacher.    

The other is the royal member of Acheh court which was the queen herself, Taj al-'Alam Safiat al-Din who assumed the throne after the death of her husband. She assumed the throne from 1641-1679. She studied under al-Raniri supervision since she was seven years old. She is the one who uphold the dignity and the position of women in her kingdom. She urged and ordered her women citizen to acquire knowledge in order for them to succeed in their life and living with dignity. Many women were appointed by her to serve the kingdom in administration, government councils and also involved in military.     

His Return to India and Death

After seven years serving the Acheh court, writing academic literature and propagating the Ahl Sunna wal Jama'a doctrine, he suddenly tried to leave Acheh in 1644 and stayed in India for a while. He wrote two books while in Ranir. In some record, it was mentioned that al-Raniri encountered another Ismaili Shi'a teacher from southwest of Sumatera known as Sayf al-Rijal who had just returned from his studies in India. It was believed that it has something to do with patronage of the court and the Queen sided more to the teachings of previous teachers and the arguments of Sayf al-Rijal. So, Sayf al-Rijal was granted permission to propagate mission according to his lineage. Most of researchers agreed that al-Raniri died in 22nd of Zulhijja 1069 (21 Sept 1658) but many disagreements about where was the location of his death among historians. Some believed that he was kidnapped and murdered in the capital of Acheh which is Banda. Some believed that he passed away in India.      

Works

Many of his works were written in Malay language in Arabic script since it was like English today in the region of South East Asian islands. I found that most of classical literature and books in Malay usually have Arabic title. The reason these people use Malay was for da'awa purpose as it would easily reaching the educated natives who could also understand Malay. He also has references for his books. Some of his books:

1. هداية الحبيب في الترغيب or ترحيب الفوائد البهية في الحديث النبوية about hadiths which consists of 810 hadiths and this is the first hadith book in Malay and in South East Asia.

2. بستان السلاطين which is a book that we keep in our closet about the history of local sultanate in Acheh kingdom and some points of the history of Malayan Peninsula especially the Pahang state and its sultanate lineage. It has seven chapters and each chapter has few topics.  

3. تبيان في المعرفات الأديان which means the Explanation on the Knowledge of Religions. This book is a comparative religion themed book written in Malay. It is the first book written in Malay about comparative religion in South East Asia. It has two chapters. The first talks about the religion of the world since Adam a.s down to Jesus a.s. The second talks about developments of groups and movements in Islam. Generally this book discussed the conflicts or debates between the doctrine which is embraced by al-Raniri and those of Isma'ili Shi'a who propagated the philosophical wahdat al-wujud ideology during the reign of Iskandar II.

4. Jurisprudence

i. السراط المستقيم written in Malay about worship such as salat services, fasting, tithe, pilgrimage, rulings on sacrificial ritual, hunting and rulings for legal and illegal foods and beverages. It was written beginning 1044 H (1634) and finished in 1054 H (1644). This classical work could be found printed at the side of the book known as سبيل المهتدين written by Muhammad Arshad of Banjar.

ii. كيفية الصلاة on the method of performing salat. This book discussed in how to perform the salat according to the manhaj of sunna according to imam al-Shafi'ie with the conditions of complete acts of salat. This book was actually quoted from the السراط المستقيم highlighting the salat rituals.    

iii. تنبيه العوام في تحقيق الكلام والنوافل talks about the optional salats for public and recitations in the services. 

5. Tawheed Creed and Tasawwuf

i. درة الفرائد بشرح العقائد which means Precious Jewel in Expounding the Creed. It was adapted from Arabic book شرح العقائد النسفية known as written by Imam Sa'duddin al-Taftanzani written around 1045 H (1635). 

ii. نبضة في الدعوات الظل مع صاحبه or Short Explanations on The Claimants of Shadow and Its Possessor. This book is written in Arabic in form of question and answers about the errors of the wahdat al-wujud teachings propagated by his rivals according to orthodox standards.  

iii. أسرار ألأنسان في معرفة الروح والرحمان or Secrets of Human in Understanding the Soul and the God. This is translated from Arabic into Malay by al-Raniri. It talks about human especially on the characteristics and the knowledge of the soul. It has two chapters. First chapter is divided into six portions and second is with five portions.

iv. لطائف الأسرار or Discreetness of Secrets.

v. أخبار الأخرة في أحوال القيمة News of the Hereafter about the Situations during the Resurrection.

vi. حل الظل Explaining the Term Shadow.

vii. ماء الحية لأهل الممات which means the Water of Life for the Death.

xiii. جواهر العلوم في كشف المعلوم or the Jewels of Sciences in Exposing Its Targets.

ix. اين العالم قبل أن يخلق Where was the Universe before It was Created.

x. شفاء القلوب Medicine for the Heart.

xi. حجة الصديق لدفع الزنديق Arguments of the Righteous Rejecting the Creed of the Atheists. 

xii. فتح المبين على الملحدين Clear Victory on the Atheists.

xiii. اللمعان في تكفيرمن قال بخلق القرآن Shining Light on Excommunicating People who Claimed that the Quran is a Creature.

xiv. صوارم الصديق لقطع الزنديق Blade for the Righteous to Cut the Atheists.

xv. رحيق محمدية في طريق الصفية The Drinks for Nations of Muhammad in the Way of the Sufis.

xvi. هداية الأيمان في فضل المنان Guidance of the Faith Granted by the God.

xvii. علقة الله بالعالم The Relationship of the God with the Universe.

xviii. عقائد الصفية الموحدين The Creed of Monotheist Sufis.

xix. اين الوجود في بيان وحدة الوجود Where is the Existence in Explanations of Panentheism.

xx. بدء خلق السماوات والأرض Beginning of Creation of Heavens and Earth.

xxi. فتح الودود في بيان وحدة الوجود Victory of Conveying the Virtue in Explanation of the Panentheism.

Almost all of these books were written in Classical Malay of 16th century. If brothers and sisters are reading them perhaps it would be like reading some kind of Indian lingo style of Malay because this ulama is an Indian national. He is ethnically an Arab but he lived in India and later in South East Asia. I refer him as Indian because he was born in India. Regarding the doctrine or the understanding of al-Raniri about the particular philosophy, there are many discussions, criticisms and thesis about this by scholars for example by Syed Naguib al-Attas and I am not going to put it here. What I could say, al-Raniri, Fansuri or Sumatrani are just human-being no matter how knowledgeable they are. They are not angels.

Close

This is just an introduction about a Muslim scholar of Classical South East Asian period. Internet is not the "real" source of knowledge. Bring the kitabs in front of teachers and learn from them step by step from the basis. The reason why I hate kids in Tekun musalla talked about tasawwuf with me because I could smell that they thought it has something to do with magic flying on the wind, exorcism halau setan or mysticism bercakap dengan jin like Tamar Jalis novels. What is the need to talk about those things if they were not educated with basic kitabs? As far as I know they were students of science streams and not of shari'a streams. I don't receive revelation but I am quite sensitive with language style, tone and the way people write things (because writing comes from the head). I am a translation and interpretation student and apart of that I had started doing contemplation since I can't remember so I could basically detect the mood of people around which is retaliated with their "heart and intention". I prefer not to talk so much especially if it is related to religion but I just practice on what I had learned. Kita sembang tinggi-tinggi mawlana sana sini pun tiada guna jika kita tidak ikhlas untuk Allah sesungguh hatinya. Cuma nya mahu tunjuk kita tinggi daripada orang lain sahaja katanya kita merangkumi dunia mau pun akhirat walaupun kita tiada asas untuk yang satu itu. 

I am sorry if people are afraid of me because their feeling might be flawed and I actually never look down on others. I just would never keep my silence if I see or listen things which sounds wrong to what I believe. Most of all, I actually feel low-self esteem to Science stream students because of that Ibnu Sina kind of stuffs, lol. Just start study from the basic and everyone could afford that. No need to be in circles' lineage but being an ordinary guy is much better than we feel that Allah loves us until we forgot that we're falling into the trap of "satan". That feel means what? Perasaan or perasan?        

There are many kind of Shi'a Muslims too. It is not only those that we see in Iran or Syria who were known as the factions of Twelver Imami and Nusayri Alawites groups. Many of the Mu'tazilite groups could be founded in Shi'a Muslim lineage for example Ibnu Sina who is an Ismai'li-Nizari Shi'a Muslim. They were free thinkers among Muslims and their lineage has no established chain of creed like the Ahl Sunna wal Jama'a who accepted the narration of traditions from all righteous prophet companions. That is among the reasons why they relied on philosophies to explain their creed.   

Sealed with prayers of mercy, peace and love, amin!      

Science of the Quran : Introduction

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Definition of the Quran

What is the Quran? Basically everyone know that it is our holy scripture. Now we introduce what is Quran according to our own standard. We don't need Oxford or Orientalism standard for this! You want to learn about Islam and Quran? Learn from the "practicing and faithful Muslims". Learn with the intention that you really want to know what is mentioned in the verses without any perception. Not from those from wherever it is claiming that they are ex-Muslim turning to Atheism or other faith because of this or because of that.  How can we get the benefit when our cup is fully filled with the tea? Try take a cup and fill it with the tea or water. See what happens when you pour the tea into the cup without stopping it. So, what is the use for you to get to know something if you already have the knowledge about it?  

Just cut those craps and stop bullshitting. That is my advice to those who commit this childish act. I learned Buddhism last time. I learned it from the "real acharyas" in temples, listening from Buddhist medias like Thai national radio making notes out of it, memorize the teachings, practicing them with myself and only speaking the truth. I never claim myself as an ex-Buddhist this or ex-Buddhist that to defame it or to make other Buddhists turning to my faith. That is the act of chickens who have no balls. It's not noble and you're lowering others' intelligence. 

Quran refers to the Word of the God. It is the miracle which was consecutively descended upon Muhammad s.a.w through the medium of archangel Gabriel a.s. It is now written in Arabic in copies being read by Muslims around the world as an act of worship and to seek divine inspiration from the God through His Word.

Definition of the Sciences of the Quran

It is the field of knowledge which argues the aspects related to the Quran. Among them are the beginning of how it has been revealed, the way it was revealed, the places where it was revealed, when it was revealed, the collection of the verses, its documentation and its stages, its miracles, nasakh and mansukh, muhkam and mutashabeeh, parables, arrangements of the divine letters, recitation branches of science such as tarannum or tajweed and etc.

Field of Quranic Science's Arguments

I found that it is very interesting dear beloved brothers and sisters. It covers questions such as follows:

1. Definition of Quranic science and its source.

2. Discussions on how it was revealed with its characteristics such as qaadim and azaliy.

3. Discussing the issues and causes which brings the revelation of the verses into its revelation.

4. Discussion about the Makki and Medini verses.

5. Arguments about the questions regarding mutashabeeh and muhkam verses.

6. Discussions about the mutashabeeh and muhkam verses.

7. Discussions about the earlier and ultimate verses which were revealed.

8. Arguments about the collection of Quranic verses and its history from the Muhammad s.a.w companions' era to the modern era.

9. Discussion about the questions regarding the exegesis of the verses, explanation of the verses and its translation. There are also principles in translating the verses of the Quran. 

10. Questions of revelation and the way it has been revealed from Allah to Muhammad s.a.w.

11. Discussing few objectives related to the revelation of Quran and its miracles. There are many more.

In the matter pertaining point no. 9... I also learned about Bible translation principles and Western ideas regarding translation when I was an undergraduate student yet I feel that my field of studies is useless since I could not use it as a tool to serve the nations and I wasted the time which I should have used it to memorize kitabs and sunans. Now I almost finished everything. I am sacrificing my limited time, my pride, my limited financial and energy wishing Allah to be my witness and helping me in the hereafter. I am also hoping that brothers and sisters could help me. Be mo'allims (teachers) for your people, teach them in your languages so they may understand everything well and practice them. Get the help of teachers in your areas and spread His light to everyone. Anything that you read here are just supplements not the real stuffs. Please get help from teachers and discuss them with other brothers and sisters. I really mean this.

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace and love, amin! 

Introduction to Jataka Tales

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Shwedagon Pagoda's Jataka tales in Myanmar: Pic by Mvanparys

In this post, I would like to introduce about what I had previously learned regarding Buddhism philosophies. These stories actually are those that had given me great influences in the way I behave with people around. Somehow, I feel very weird to see that South Asians were quite violent and insolent among each others, committing bribery and etc but these philosophies and pearl of wisdom came from their sub-continent. Bribery is not unique in South Asia but it is a global problem anyway. I am just wondering that Asia (including Middle East) and Africa could also be civilized nations if we could stick to noble morality and teachings.

Jataka is known as Phra Chadoq in Thai and it is originated from sub-Indian continent. Why I don't mention India as in modern India? Because India today is the result of British Raj which is another story of the sub-continent. Greater India actually consists of Western and Eastern Greater India. Western Greater India is now in the part of countries in South Asia such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Nepal while Greater Eastern India is in the area of today's South East Asian countries such as Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Singapore. For Nepal perhaps it is not fully Indian since it is the area of the clash between Sino-Hindu civilization happens however those kind of human-being in Nepal could also be founded in Nepal and other countries in South Asia and South East Asia.

Jataka actually refers to the previous birth of Buddha before his final birth. It also includes the story when lord Buddha was born in animal form. According to Brahmanism understanding of spiritual and physical bodies, body is just a vessel which could be destroyed but the soul is still the same soul. It could be transferred to other bodies after the current body is expired and it could be placed in certain bodies according to the deeds of the soul while in the current body. Everything that happens in the future is actually the result of the past deeds of the particular soul. This is the theory of Brahmans or Brahmins regarding soul and non-material worlds. Future Buddha or the enlightened person will appear to people for example as a king, a lower caste or an outcast, a tewoda, animal or any form. Tewoda in Buddhism beliefs actually refers to angelic beings but they are invincible from mortal eyes.

In every Buddhist nations like Myanmar, Thailand, Japan, and etc; Jataka tales are the source to develop people characters to the better one. It is used by phrasongs (monks) and upasakas (laymen) to preach and deliver sermon to people. Some of these stories were used by lord Buddha himself to preach to his disciples and later they spread it widely into the society. The same type of stories like this also appears in Vedic literature. 

Greek myths for example Aesop Fables inherited the philosophies from Buddhism and Vedic literature. How come is this happen? I think I had read about the invasion of Alexander of Macedonia in his quest to establish Hellenistic empire. They had already reached Indian sub-continent. Some of those Greeks had also established Indo-Greek kingdoms such as Bactrian kingdom and some Greeks had also embraced Brahmanism and Buddhism. I guess Bactria is known in Middle Eastern name as Balkh and located near northern of Afghanistan today. Later, these Greeks were absorbed into Hindu or Indian society. One of the greatest Greco-Buddhist king is King Milinda. His Greek name is Menander I and he posed questions to a disciple of lord Buddha known as Nagasena regarding Buddha's teaching. This happens long before the rise of prophet Jesus a.s. Other than that, this stories were translated by Persian empire's court. They were also adapted into Chaucer's in England and Boccacio in Italy. Buddhist also have their own version of Ramayana which is the incarnation of Buddha in the form of Sri Ram and Phra Vishnu Narayann according to Brahmins' belief in what they call it as one of the Dasavatar of the 10 Incarnations.  

So, this question comes to my mind. What is so great about European and Western civilization when Greeks also embraced an oriental religion like Buddhism? What I had learned in European studies is that, they had to establish their Union because of the wars and the cause of the wars to happened in which it also involves the whole world because they had colonized lands in other parts of the world is none other than their own aggressiveness toward material. What about Enlightenment period after Medieval Europe? Nothing interesting at all for me. Lord Buddha had long reached Enlightenment before those in European caves came out and telling the whole world how civilized they are. And people from Africa, Asia, and other parts of the world trying to appease them to get some good life or wanted to be seen as modern because they have some kind of inferiority complex over themselves? The term modern itself needs to be redefined again. It is the matter of mentality and psychology. When we think that Europe or Western civilization is the greatest then it will be imprinted in our mind. It is later become like when some human-being offer sacrifices to 'genies' and 'genies' think that they're gods while in contrary they are just the same creature like human-being who worship them but people admire the 'genies' because of their different natures invisible to human eyes, hehehe.

Long time ago, people listen to these kind of stories to get moral lessons as well as to enjoy. These stories help people to develop humanity values, patience, loving kindness, sympathetic and joy, and compassion. Previously, these stories were played in wayang kulit or shadow play like in Northern Malaysian Peninsula and Southern Thailand. The prominent shadow play player in Kedah was the father of Pak Majid and today it is Pak Majid himself. Nowadays, many of wayang practitioners have to abandon the play because there are rituals which is not in accordance to Islamic faith such as the pujas to the tewodas to protect the stage. Pak Majid still plays his wayang but without any puja no more. He just plays the wayang to entertain people and it has no religious element like what elders had done. We could also listen to his voice in Kedah FM playing Ae Thong with his trademark laugh. In Kelantan state, I guess they have non-Muslim wayang players whom are of Chinese ethnicity. Other than Jataka tales, there are also Kathasaritsagara compiled by a Saivaite Brahman known as Somadeva.    

This post slightly reminds me to Abdullah Munshi who translated the Tamil version of Panchatandiram or Panchatantra into Malay. He also translated the Gospel of Saint Matthew into Classical Malay, hehehe. Panchatantra was translated into Persian and Arabic as Kalilah wa Dimnah by Abdullah bin al-Muqaffa'.

Just sharing a quote from Gautama Buddha's teaching about listening to old stories as a historical figure. He said that: "When we listen to what a monk says and wonders on its truth... Then, we should test its meaning, weigh or consider it, and it depends on our internal to know if it is the truth. Only after we are satisfied that we follow and later practicing with it." The God has given us mind to think and consider. He also sends us guidance and mercy in term of Revelation as the guidance together with mind. So, it is up to us to recite the Quran, to learn the meaning, and to practice with its morality teachings.  

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace, and love, amin!

Maulud ad-Diba'i Poems

Assalaamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullah!!!

A sample of the poem kitab that I've got from google

Just listened to Mawlud ad-Diba'i and it brought me to old memories where my late maternal grandpa used to recite these kind of poems. His voice is very nice and he loves Arabic songs and poems. He would wake up late at night for his radio to listen to Ramadhan program aired from Egypt or Syria. He also kept old zanjiy kitabs in his closet but I don't know where those valuable kitabs had gone after grandparents' house was demolished. Our elders recite the old form of this poem during majlis (ceremonies) and called it as barzanjiy. I have got the new form of zanjiy kitab which I've got from majlis that I had visited.

I didn't like these old stuffs when I was a kid. I thought that it should be stored in the museum but now I love it and I think teenagers should practice it for silaturrahim (connection of mercy among believers). I don't know maybe we are changing and time is also responsible for this perhaps. Some Muslim students in my previous hostel in USM also had conducted barzanjiy majlis during Mawlidur-Rasul (the birth of prophet) when I was in second year and lived with my Kelantanese roomate, Zaidi. He also joined the majlis but he didn't bring me to join the majlis. Perhaps I looked like a salafi kid. Hanbalis are salafis but I don't despise majlis and I respect sages.

I didn't join them because I wasn't sure about these majlis and perhaps influenced by 'wahhabis' can we say... Nonsense, wahhabism is not capable to be a madzhab at all. Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab is a Hanbali and so do his family, may Allah bless their souls. I read Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab kitabs and I found that his teachings are good too. Whoever talks evil about others and is not memorizing al-Quran nor Hadiths, I would just ignore them.

I was just afraid of deviating since I am haunted by my past experience and this practice is quite common amongst the Sunnis of Syafi'ie school while my madzhab has already changed to Hanbali after my return from Holy Mecca. However my ancestors and even my family members are the Sunnis of Syafi'ie school since Yemen was prominent with Syafi'ie madzhab angle of sunnah so I would give respect to ancestors and paying homage to the sages. I actually can't believe that I am now listening to the zanjiy too. I can't accept the fact that I'm growing old, or maybe I should just say it has cultural significance for Hadrami descents which I think must be appreciated. 

Now I begin to feel like I'm going to die when I look at other young men because I am comparing them to my pauper self. Am I turning to be an old-fashioned guyyyyy?????! I've got no money to spend like other youngsters. Even when I looked at tablighi jama'at kids, I was actually confused. Who is the tabligh??? Is that me or them? I am not even close to be converted because last time I was left by few tabligh kids without being notified about anything.

So, what is Mawlud ad-Diba'i? Mawlud ad-Diba'i is a poem and first recited by a person whose name is 'Abdurrahman bin 'Ali bin Muhammad bin 'Umar bin 'Ali bin Yusuf bin Ahmad bin 'Umar ad-Diba'i Asy-Syaibaniy whose nickname is Ibnu Diba'. Diba' is the nickname of the fourth great grandpa of this person who recites this poem, which is Ali bin Yusuf Diba'. In Sudanese it means white. In his kitab, Bughyatul Mustafid, he wrote at his final part of the kitab briefly about his life. It says that he was born in Zabid, which is a city in Northern Yemen (Hadramawt) on Thursday morning, in Muharram 4th in the year of 866 Hegira.  

Zabid is among the oldest city in Hadramawt or Northern Yemen. Now, the city is included into Hudaidah province. The city location is about 40 km from Red Sea. It was previously known as Hussaib. This city is famous where scholars from all over the world came to study there or getting the root source for hadith and sunnah knowledge. Some of them even refused to return home and choosing to dwell in the city till the end of their life. 

This city had already been well known since the lifetime of our holy prophet Muhammad s.a.w around the 8th year of Hegira. The inhabitant of the Hadramawt or Northern Yemen were actually Arab Jews who converted to Judaic tradition under two Levite tribe religious teachers' supervision of Banu Quraizah from Yathrib since before the birth of prophet Muhammad s.a.w. Around 8th year of H, a tribe called Asy'ariyyah (among them was Abu Musa al-Asy'ari) who came from Zabid to Medina al-Munawwarah to revert to Islam and getting the sources of the teaching of the God. Prophet Muhammad s.a.w was so pleased with these people visit to Medina al-Munawwarah and he prayed to the God so that He will bless the city of Zabid. He repeats his supplication to the God three times (narrated by al-Baihaqi). From the blessings of the prophet Muhammad s.a.w supplications, this city still retain its knowledge and wisdom nuance. Wisdom and knowledge treasures of this city is greatly being preserved by the sages of the city. There is also a mosque called the asy-Sya'ir mosque established since the 8th of H. It was established by Abu Musa al-Asy'ari and counted as the third mosque build by the companion of prophet s.a.w in the kingdom of Saba' (Yemen). 

The reciter of Mawlud ad-Diba'i was born when his father was out for travel. He never get the chance to see his father. He was raised by his maternal grandpa, who's known as Syeikh Sharafuddin bin Muhammad Mubariz and he is a famous sage in the city of Zabid at that time. Ibnu Diba'i still has the chance to study branches of sciences in Zabid since the city was inhabited by the sages.

Ibnu Diba'i learned to read the Quran under the supervision of Syeikh Nuruddin Ali bin Abu Bakr and later shifted to the Syeikh Jamaluddin Muhammad at-Thaiyyib the grand mufti of Zabid who is also his uncle. He memorized the whole Quran when reaches 10 years old, maasyaa-Allahhhh!!!!!! I'm still not close to any of these sages. Now I feel like I'm crying bloody tears :'( 

Not long after finishing his Quranic studies, Ibnu ad-Diba'i heard a bad news where his father died in an Indian sub-continent province. He has got his inheritance which was about 8 dinar. His father death never banish his spirit to study but it motivates him. After that, he learned recitation science which is tajweed through the Nidzham Syatibiyyah, learned idiom science (grammar), mathematics, faraaid, and fiqh science of jurisprudence under the grand mufti supervision. He was also ordered to study the kitab Zubad which is the kitab for Syafi'ie school of jurisprudence with Syeikh Umar bin Muhammad al-Fata al-Asya'ri.

After finishing his studies of the Zubad kitab, he used his inheritance money to travel to holy Mecca in order to perform hajj pilgrimage. His maternal grandfather was dead just before he returned from Mecca. He has to live with his uncle and learned some more under his supervision. In 855 H, he went to Mecca again for his second pilgrimage. When he returned to Zabid, he learned the hadiths sciences through the reading of Saheeh Bukhari, Muslim, at-Tirmidzi, and al-Muwatta' under the supervision of Syeikh Zainuddin Ahmad bin Ahmad asy-Syarjiy. While busy studying, he wrote a kitab which is called as Ghayatul Mathlub which discusses about the way for the faithfuls to ask forgiveness from the God. he also learned Fiqh and Hadith sciences from the kitab of Minhaj at-Thaalibeen and Haawi Saaghir with Syeikh Jamaluddin bin Ahmad bin Jaghman.       

In 896 H, he went again for Mecca for the third time pilgrimage. He visited the tomb of prophet Muhammad s.a.w in Medina al-Munawwarah and later went back to Mecca to study hadiths with the sage of the holy land whose name is Syeikh Syamsuddin Muhammad bin 'Abdul Rahman as-Syakhawi. After his return from Mecca, he wrote Kasyful-Kirbah and Bughyat al-Mustafeed. His writings were highly appreciated by Sultan Dzafir 'Amir bin Abdul Wahhab. He was invited by the Sultan to the palace for suggestions on his kitabs. Before he returns home, the Sultan has granted him a house and a date orchard for him. The Sultan ordered him to teach hadith sciences in the Jami' Mosque of Zabid.

Although many had come to ask the sanad (source) of the hadiths from him, he is just a humble man. He always recites the al-Fatihah and whoever sees him must also recite the al-Fatihah. Everyone around him and his disciples were also asked to recite al-Fatihah. He heard one of his teacher talked about a dream where the teacher heard a voice in the chaotic time in his dream saying that, "O Yemenites, enter the paradise of the God!" Then people around ask the voice: "Why the Yemenites entering the paradise????" The voice answered: "Due to that they always recite al-Fatihah!"

Insyaa'Allah, we may also recite al-Fatihah and spread far the mercy from Allah to others. Ask everyone around us to recite al-Fatihah too. I'm always doing this too, and I would chant salawat for others. Tomorrow is Friday which is the first holiday and today is the gate for tomorrow. If brothers and sisters that I love the most are fasting, then don't stop chanting salawat and recite al-Fatihah. If not aloud then, mentally recite them. Make it a habit, because now when I try to think about something evil, only salawat that comes out from my mind. Just a sharing, because we share every good things with brothers and sisters. Evil things we must dump them into the garbage and never let them harm brothers and sisters.   

Ibnu ad-Diba'i was a productive writer. He wrote many things regarding hadith and seerah (history) sciences. Mawlud ad-Diba'i is one of his prominent seerah kind of writing but in the form of poem. Many had also relating this Mawlud poem with Ibnu Jawzi but this assumption is weak and irrelevant. Two other poems written by Ibnu ad-Diba'i are Qurratul 'Uyoun which talks about Yemen and Mi'raj kitab. He also wrote Taiseerul Usul and few other poems. He became a teacher and a writer of kitabs until his last breath. He passed away in Zabid on Friday morning, 26th of Rahab 944 H. May Allah bless his soul and be merciful to him for his contribution toward the civilization and humanity, amin!

Dear Allah our Lord, please be in connection with our holy prophet Muhammad s.a.w and his family and his companion. Allah please bless prophet Muhammad s.a.w and his family and his companion and the whole nations of the faithful. May everyone receive salvation from Allah 'Azza wa Jalla. Sealed with prayers for peace, mercy, and love for brethren in faith, amin!!!!

Beginning

Peace,

Many things had happened these weekends along. I have a very hectic 6 months and trying to get someone to talk with about my problems but I found that some secrets rather not good to be shared with others or will expose me to danger.  I will assume that I am talking to God in this little space. I don't know how long this blog will end but I will write anything that I feel in here.

As to describe myself, I am not really a talkative person. Even I will have trouble in explaining directions to people when being asked since I don't really talk. I observe more than talking. When I meet people who talks a lot, I will try to keep my self in distance. Not because I am trying to play holy, but I just want to avoid sins as I am already a sinner. 

This is among the reasons I don't really have close friends. I am a slave of God seeking for repentance and trying to perform penitence. I hope that God will be Merciful to me, to my parents, to my grandparents, and to my beloved friends by forgiving our sins through the blessings of Islam. 

Now I am not really in the mood to revise books for exams. Sometimes we need motivations and I tried to find it myself. But I am still out of mood. I keep asking myself on this step that I had taken. Whether it is correct or not when I am pursuing studies in a totally different field that I had taken during my degree. I had rebelled God when I left religious studies. I want to return back but it seems that my path is now facing obstacles. These are all my faults due to my own ignorance.

God forgive me my sins. Grant me please with Your blessings and give me strength to go through this world. I feel myself as a worthless slave, I had brought my parents into diffilculties. Guide me dear God, be Merciful to me Your lowly servant!!!