Popular Name(s): Haji ‘Isma’il Pontianak

Origin:

Location(s):

Biographical Details: b. c. 1300/1882, Kampung Labok, Macang, Kelantan. His ancestor ‘Abd Allah Faqih came from Minangkabau and settled in Patani. ‘Abd Allah Faqih’s son Haji Nordin later traveled to Kelantan and settled at Kampung Lundang Paku, Kota Bharu. His father moved to Kampung Labok. Haji ‘Isma’il Pontianak was contemporary in Mecca to Haji Nik Mahmud b. Haji ‘Isma’il Qadi (known later as Datuk Perdana Menteri Paduka Raja), Haji Harun b. Awang (Labok), Haji Othman b. Haji ‘Abd al-Samad (Pasir Pekan), Haji ‘Abd Allah Seri b. ‘Abd al-Latif (Kota Bharu), and many others. He married the daughter of Haji Muhammad Tahir, a man of Bugis descent. Later, c. 1934, he married Jamaliah b. Sukarta.

He first studied in Kelantan. Later, his father took ‘Isma’il and his brother Nuh to Mecca. In 1326/1908, after the hajj, he sailed for Pontiank, where he settled c. 1909. He was made mufti of the state the following year. He left Pontianak in 1354/1935 and sailed for the Kelantan coast. He later served as khatib of Majid Muhammadi, Kota Bharu beginning 25 Rabi al-akhir 1362/1 May 1943. He went to Java for 2 months in 1949 to visit his in-laws. d. 10:00 pm Isnin, 29 Oct 1950, in Kota Bharu, having just returned from visiting a healer in Narathiwat, Thailand.

Teachers:

1. Cik Musa (Kelantan)
2. Haji Nik Man Tua (Kelantan)
3. Shaykh Sayyid ‘Abd Allah b. Muhammad Salih al-Zawawi (Mecca)
4. Shaykh Sayyid Abu Bakr b. Muhammad Shata (Mecca)
5. Shaykh Muhammad Sa’id b. Muhammad Babasil (Mecca)
6. Shaykh Muhammad Mahfuz b. ‘Abd Allah, from Termas, East Java (Mecca)
7. Shaykh Othman b. ‘Abd al-Wahhab, from Sarawak (Mecca)
8. Tok Wan ‘Ali Kutan (1837-1913), Mecca
9. Shaykh Ahmad b. Muhammad Zayn al-Fatani (1856-1908), Mecca
10. Shaykh Muhammad bin Bakhit, Qadhi Iskandariah (Mecca)
11. Shaykh Said al-Muji, ulama ‘Azhar (Mecca)
12. Shaykh Nor b. Muhammad Saghir al-Fatani, guru ilmu falaknya, 1322/1904 (Mecca)

Students:

Authored Writing(s):

1. Pedoman Kemuliaan Manusia – begun in 1356/1937, finished in 1938
2. Terjemahan Kitab Suci al-Quran

References:

1. Daud, Ismail Che. Tokoh-tokoh Ulama’ Semenanjung Melayu, vol. 1, 3^rd ed. Kota Bharu: Majlis Ugama Islam dan Adat Istiadat Melayu Kelantan, 2001: 664-71.