©Bernama
(Used by permission)
By Zuraida Abdul Rahman
PENANG, July 25 (Bernama) –– The date 31 August 1957 marked the end of
almost 450 years of foreign domination and the beginning of a sovereign nation
known as the Federation of Malaya.
However, many may not be aware that the historic date was actually decided by an
Islamic theologian from Penang, who was also a prominent astronomer and public
figure.
The man is Tuan Guru Haji Abdullah Ibrahim Haji Abdullah or better known as
Abdullah Fahim, the grandfather of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad
Badawi.
According to the people in Kepala Batas, the name "Fahim" originates from the
Arabic word "Fahimun" which means a highly knowledgeable person on
religious matters.
He is the one to establish the Sekolah Agama Daeratul Maarif Al– Wataniah (DMW)
in Kepala Batas and the locals also refer to him as Tok Ngah Lah.
Abdullah Fahim was not only a man of wisdom but was also an established writer,
poet and politician.
Nevertheless, he chose to keep a low profile in the struggle for Merdeka though
the leaders of the day like Datuk Onn Jaafar and Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al–Haj
often sought his views over a host of matters.
BORN IN MECCA
Abdullah Fahim is said to have been born in Kampung Sha'ab Ali located close to
the Masjidil al–Haram mosque, in Mecca, in 1870. But there are some who believe
he was born in Kampung Kubur Panjang, Kedah, before moving to Mecca with his
father Sheikh Ibrahim Tahir who became a religious teacher at the sacred mosque.
The father, and later the son, once represented the Masjidil al–Haram board and
while in the holy land Abdullah Fahim also took the opportunity to learn
international and Islamic politics.
More than 45 prominent scholars in almost all aspects of Islam tutored him in 15
disciplines of Islam. Later, he too taught astronomy, usuluddin (tenets of
Islam), al–Quran and hadith (traditions of the prophet at the mosque).
According to the former Kepala Batas Umno Secretary Datuk Md Noor Ahmad, 70, a
man closely associated with the Prime Minister's family, Abdullah Fahim's
thoughts, writings and poems instilled awareness on the fate of the Malays and
called for a jihad (struggle) to free them from occupation.
He said Abdullah Fahim's own jihad started while he was in Mecca and this was
evident based on the lines of the antiphony (nasyid) he penned while he
was there.
ABDULLAH FAHIM'S BOOKS
Abdullah Fahim also wrote a book entitled `Khutbah Penyedar' (Awakening
Sermons) and compiled a prayer calendar, he said.
Upon his return to Malaya in 1916, being more fluent in Arab, he taught Islamic
theology from his family home in Kepala Batas before being invited to teach at
Pondok Tuan Haji Wan Sulaiman Wan Sidik at Kampung Limbungan Kapal, Alor Setar.
He returned to Kepala Batas four years later and continued teaching from his
family home until he was invited by the Perak Sultan in 1931 to head the
Madrasah Idrisiyah in Bukit Chandan, Kuala Kangsar.
A NEW FRONT
Upon his return to Kepala Batas in 1934, Abdullah Fahim gained recognition as an
ulama (Islamic scholar) and students from as far as Singapore, Indonesia and
Brunei came to learn from him.
Md Noor said, around 1940s the Malay nationalism was slowly emerging before it
went on high gear after World War II. The religious figures in Seberang Perai
joined in the rising tide of nationalism.
The Malays there also established the Seberang Perai Malay Association (PMSP) as
a front to clamour for independence and Abdullah Fahim was the head of the
organisation's religious portfolio, he said.
Mohd Noor recalled that Abdullah Fahim's serious involvement in the struggle for
Merdeka happened around 1945 when the English wanted to establish the Malayan
Union.
Many of the Malays in Kepala Batas, Butterworth, Bukit Mertajam and Penang at
that time joined Umno and denounced outright the proposal.
TUNKU MEETS ABDULLAH FAHIM
He said, one day, Tunku accompanied by Abdul Razak, Ahmad Maliki, Sulaiman
Palestin and others met Abdullah Fahim at his home. While sitting at the
verandah, Tunku sought his views on the condition set by the British that the
non–Malays too must be part of the independent federation.
"Tok Ngah Lah advised Tunku to adhere to the condition set because Britain would
consider independence if all the races reach consensus. So, just agree to what
they want and show we are all fighting for the same cause so that they won't
delay the independence," he said.
Heeding his advice, Tunku then started negotiations with the Chinese and Indians
on the Merdeka plan thus paving the way for inter–racial cooperation through the
Alliance.
Before leaving for London with the alliance leaders to negotiate independence,
Tunku again met Abdullah Fahim to seek his wisdom.
"He (Abdullah Fahim) advised Tunku to leave for London on a ship so that they
have ample time to negotiate and reach consensus, especially with the
representatives of the Malay rulers, and to return immediately on an airplane
giving no time to anyone to change their mind over what they have agreed," he
said.
TUNKU ASKS FOR AN APPROPRIATE DATE
Tunku is said to have met Abdullah Fahim one more time to decide on the Merdeka
date for the Federation of Malaya and based on his calculations from the Islamic
calendar he provided the date 31 August 1957. The learned ulama had noted that
it was the best earliest date and if Britain did not agree with the date then
Malayans would have to wait another five years for the next auspicious date, 31
August 1962.
"If Merdeka is not declared on 31 August 1957, any of the following dates before
31 August 1962 are considered inauspicious for the Malays. However, he also
related to Tunku his premonition that if Britain agreed with the 1957 date, the
Federation of Malaya will see a change of name within seven years," said Md Noor.
"Tok Ngah Lah was right because after six years and six days, the Federation of
Malaya became Malaysia on 16 Sept 1963 with the inclusion of Singapore, Sabah
and Sarawak.
ABDULLAH FAHIM A HIGHLY RESPECTED FIGURE
Meanwhile, another veteran in Kepala Batas, Datuk Othman Said, 69, said Tok Ngah
Lah was a pious man, soft spoken, benevolent and charitable.
"Allah has given him strong intuition and good instincts and that is why
whatever he says turns out to be true. He even foretold that his grandson
Abdullah would one day lead the country," he said.
Ismail Said, 75, related that he got to know Abdullah Fahim when he was young.
"I was a naughty youngster but Tok Ngah Lah was patient with me, instead he
would ask me to pray, recite the al–Quran and eat before returning home.
"As time passed by I realised my misbehaviour with Tok Ngah Lah and this made me
change for the better. Tok Ngah Lah's hospitality made the locals, regardless of
their race, to refer to him whenever they had problems," he said.
Abdullah Fahim died on 28 April 1961 at 91 years of age.
Without Abdullah Fahim's involvement, the nation's independence date may have
been different than what we know today and while we celebrate the nation's 50th
Merdeka anniversary on this 31 August, lets not forget it is the date decided by
Abdullah Fahim.