Popular Name(s): Haji ‘Abd al-Majid Embong

Origin:

Location(s):

Biographical Details: b. 1898, Pondok Chaok, Patani d. 27 Shawwal 1372/10 Jul 1953, in Kubur Padang, Keresik, Patani. His mother’s name was Hajah Halimah and she originated from Jambu, Patani. He studied in his early years under his father, Tok Chaok at the pondok bearing the same name and at Pondok Bendang Daya. Soon after, he went to study in Mecca for several years and finally at al-Azhar in Cairo.

Upon his return to the peninsula, c. 1930, he took up his father’s former position as a teacher at Pondok Chaok. After three years, he moved to Keresik and opened a pondok at Kota Pepiri, where he was joined by another teacher named Haji Wan Su. Soon after, he opened another pondok at Istana Nilam, also in Keresik, named Madrasah al-Ma’arif al-Wataniah, where he was joined by teachers such as Ustaz Isma’il of Pendang, Kedah, Muhammad ‘Ali Don of Johor, and ‘Abd al-Majid Lubis of Sumatra. He became politically active from 1938 onwards and worked with Haji Sulong in the GEMPAR movement.

Teachers:

1. Tok Chaok (his father; at Pondok Chaok)
2. Pak Cik Wan Daud (Mecca)
3. Shaykh Nur Patani (Mecca)
4. Tok Ahyad (Mecca)
5. Tok Shafi‘i (Mecca)
6. Tok Senggora (Mecca)
7. Shaykh Mukhtar Atarid al-Jawi (Mecca)
8. Shaykh ‘Ali Maliki (Mecca)
9. Shaykh ‘Amin al-Kutubi (Mecca)

Students:

1. Haji ‘Idris Haji Salih (of Patani)
2. Haji Zakaria Mat (of Legor)
3. Haji Muhammad Zin (anak saudara kepada “ayahanda” Chenak)
4. Ahmad and Salih (of Satul)
5. Haji Yusuf (of Melur, Kelantan)
6. Mat ‘Ali (of Nad Tanjung)
7. Haji ‘Abd al-Qadir (of Ternang, Palas)
8. Haji Muhammad Zaki (of Perigi)
9. Haji ‘Abd al-Rahman (of Pondok Sapan Sun, Bangkok)

Work(s):

References:

• Fatani, Ahmad Fathy al-. Ulama Besar dari Patani. Bangi: Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 2002: 112-28.