Overview

This is a manual of prayers drawn from the Quran and traditions of the Prophet Muhammad as well as wisdom drawn from figures such as al-Ghazali and others. In the twilight of his career in 1258/1843, as his final known written work, Shaykh Daud al-Fatani added the text of Al-Bahja al-Marḍiyya fi ‘Udhr Takhalluf al-Ma‘mum ‘an al-Imam, in which he translated additional Arabic passages into Malay. Much has been made of the political overtones that appear late in the text, but the bulk of the book was intended as a detailed guide to a number of prayers, especially the salat. The politicized sections discuss just and unjust rulers and states that Allah accepts the prayers of the oppressed because there is no veil between them and Him. Though Shaykh Daud al-Fatani advocates jihad in some instances, he argues that such action should only be carried out with well-thought out plans that have good chances of success, and urges people not to make abortive attempts at political rebellion.

Authorship

Completed by “waktu duha, hari Selasa, 15 Dhu al-Hijja 1242 AH” [10 Jul 1827], by Shaykh Daud b. ‘Abd Allah al-Fatani, in Mecca.

Manuscripts

This was one of the most commonly copied texts of Shaykh Daud al-Fatani and gained popularity immediately following his completion of the book.  Scholars of the Patani network continued to distribute the book, the quantity of which reached a peak level in the 1880s.  This work was more vigorously printed than any other book by Shaykh Daud al-Fatani.  In addition to the accompanying text noted above, this text was often included in compilations with others of his works such as Bughyat al-Tullab li-Murid Ma’rifat al-Ahkam bi-l-Sawab, Kifayat al-Muhtaj fi al-Isra wa al-Mir’aj, Al-Bahjat al-Saniyya fi al-’Aqaid al-Saniyya, and many works by other authors of the network.  Because the text was spread by the Patani knowledge network prior to Shaykh Daud al-Fatani’s addition of Al-Bahja al-Marḍiyya fi ‘Udhr Takhalluf al-Ma‘mum ‘an al-Imam, many extant copies lack the author’s finishing touches.

68 known manuscript copies

Manuscripts with dated colophons (8):

1. 1828, Apr/May. Copied “pada waktu Isha, Juma’ malam, Shawwal 1243 AH. IAM 238: 56 pp., incomplete.
2. 1846, Oct 23. Copied Dhu al-Qada 1262 AH. PNM 1049: 33 ff.
3. 1852, Dec 29. Copied “hari Juma’, 17 Rabi al-awwal 1269 AH. PNM 694: 30 ff., double red frame, incomplete.
4. 1872, Sep 4. Copied “malam Juma’, 1 Rajab 1289 AH.” PNM 720: 27 ff. Ink is blurred and sections of the text are missing due to many torn pages.
5. 1880, Jan 2. Copied “pada waktu duha, Khamis, 129 Muharram 1297 AH.” IAM 393: 27 pp., incomplete.
6. 1880, Mar 15. Copied “antara maghrib dan isha’, malam Ahad, 3 Rabi al-akhir 1297 AH.” PNM 2605: 28 ff. This MS contains many holes.
7. 1884, Dec 25. Copied by “Wan Him b. ‘Abd Allah Jeram, 7 Rabi al-awwal 1302 AH, di negeri Jeram.” PNM 3151: 21 ff., double red frame (only for folios 1-11, otherwise frameless).
8. 1892, Feb 15. Copied by Haji Muhammad Mina b. Encik Ahmad Fatani, “hari Isnin, 16 Rajab 1309 AH,” in Mecca. PNM 637(1)A: 21 ff., incomplete. Bound together with PNM 637(1)B: Al-Bahja al-Marḍiyya fi ‘Udhr Takhalluf al-Ma‘mum ‘an al-Imam.

Manuscripts with undated or partially-dated colophons (8):

1. Copied “pada waktu zuhur, Rabu, 20 Jumada al-akhir,” in Mecca. IAM 130: 61 pp., incomplete.
2. Copied “Khamis, Rabi al-awwal.” IAM 132: 56 pp.
3. Copied by [Shaykh Muhammad Shihab al-Din anak Muhammad Arshad, between Dhu al-Hijja 1258 AH and Shawwal 1259 AH (1843 CE), in Mecca]. IAM 152B: 56 pp. Bound together with IAM 152A: Tahsil nayl al-Muram and IAM 152C: Al-Bahja al-Marḍiyya fi ‘Udhr Takhalluf al-Ma‘mum ‘an al-Imam.
4. Copied in Patani. IAM 302: 14 pp., incomplete.
5. Copied by Ismail ibn Husin, “hari Khamis,” in Patani. PNM 1141A: 24 ff., double red frame, incomplete.
6. Copied “hari Sabtu, 28 Jumada al-akhir.” PNM 2011: 60 pp., double red frame.
7. Copied “waktu zuhur, hari Isnin, 15 Sha’ban.” PNM 2375: 38 ff.
8. Copied in [Mecca]. PNM 2768B: 36 ff. Bound together with PNM 2768A: Tahsil nayl al-Muram, PNM 2768C: Munyat al-Musalli, PNM 2768D: [Fadilat istighfar], PNM 2768E: [kitab sembahyang].

Manuscripts without colophons (52):

1. IAM 136A: 58 pp. Bound together with IAM 136B: Al-Bahja al-Marḍiyya fi ‘Udhr Takhalluf al-Ma‘mum ‘an al-Imam and IAM 136C: Jawharat al-manzumah.
2. IAM 165: 31 pp., incomplete.
3. IAM 174: 27 pp., incomplete.
4. IAM 175: 38 pp., incomplete.
5. IAM 184B: 15 pp., incomplete. Bound together with IAM 184A: Bughyat al-Tullab li-Murid Ma’rifat al-Ahkam bi-l-Sawab.
6. IAM 202: 37 pp., incomplete. Poor condition, pages mixed together.
7. IAM 205: 62 pp., incomplete.
8. IAM 299A: 51 pp., incomplete. Bound together with IAM 299B: Al-Bahja al-Marḍiyya fi ‘Udhr Takhalluf al-Ma‘mum ‘an al-Imam.
9. IAM 348: 52 pp., incomplete.
10. IAM 358: 70 pp., incomplete.
11. IAM 392B: 48 pp., incomplete. Poor condition. Bound together with IAM 392A: [Risalah yang Sampan].
12. IAM 425: 35 pp., incomplete.
13. IAM 430: 32 pp., incomplete.
14. IAM 469: 43 pp., incomplete.
15. IAM 512: 23 pp., incomplete.
16. IAM 584: 58 pp., incomplete.
17. IAM 585: 91 pp., incomplete.
18. IAM 622A: 43 pp., incomplete. Bound together with IAM 622B: [kitab tawhid], IAM 622C: [kitab tajwid], IAM 622D: Kifayat al-Muhtaj fi al-Isra wa al-Mir’aj, IAM 622E: Diya al-Murid fi Ma’rifat Kalimat al-Tawhid, and IAM 622F: Zuhrat al-Murid.
19. IAM 670A: 39 pp., incomplete. Bound together with IAM 670B: Qunu li-man.
20. IAM 724B: 16 pp., incomplete. Bound together with IAM 724A: Bidayat al-Hidaya, IAM 724C: Al-Bahja al-Marḍiyya fi ‘Udhr Takhalluf al-Ma‘mum ‘an al-Imam, and IAM 724D: [syair raja].
21. IAM 727: 46 pp., incomplete.
22. IAM 776: 51 pp., incomplete.
23. PNM 24: 25 ff., incomplete.
24. PNM 113: 18 ff., incomplete.
25. PNM 158: 29 ff., incomplete.
26. PNM 263A: 13 ff., incomplete. Bound together with PNM 263B: [kitab sembahyang]
27. PNM 294: 10 ff., incomplete.
28. PNM 304: 20 ff., incomplete.
29. PNM 520: 28 ff., incomplete.
30. PNM 591: 4 ff., incomplete.
31. PNM 625(1): 21 ff., incomplete.
32. PNM 626(1)A: 31 ff. Bound together with PNM 626(1)B: Al-Bahja al-Marḍiyya fi ‘Udhr Takhalluf al-Ma‘mum ‘an al-Imam.
33. PNM 653: 31 ff., incomplete.
34. PNM 721: 31 ff., incomplete.
35. PNM 730(1): 30 ff., incomplete.
36. PNM 1133: 33 ff. Excellent condition except for corner of folio 1, which is missing.
37. PNM 1201: 23 ff., incomplete.
38. PNM 1209(2): 10 ff., incomplete.
39. PNM 1212: 32 ff., incomplete.
40. PNM 1272: 18 ff., incomplete.
41. PNM 1295: 39 ff. The text of the final folio concludes in the margins (the copyist seems to have run out of space).
42. PNM 1874: 73 pp.
43. PNM 2046: 58 pp.
44. PNM 2297: 19 ff., incomplete.
45. PNM 2305: 21 ff., incomplete.
46. PNM 2313: 28 ff.
47. PNM 2329: 20 ff., incomplete.
48. PNM 2371: 30 ff. Contains alternative original author date of 15 Dhu al-Hijja 1240 AH.
49. PNM 2418: 36 ff., incomplete.
50. PNM 2814: 32 ff. Contains alternative original author date of “waktu duha, hari Isnin, 8 Jumada al-awwal 1242 AH.”
51. PNM 3058: 29 ff.
52. PNM 3359: 65 ff. Contains alternative original author date of “25 Rajab 1242 AH.”

Published Editions

1. 1881/2. Unknown: 1299 AH. Holding: MNI. This was probably printed in Bombay or Istanbul, since it predates the Mecca press. This is also the text most likely advertised in Singapore (Terasul) in 1887 and 1894.
2. 1892. Mecca: Matbaah al-Miriyya al-Kayna, 1310 AH. Holding: PNM.
3. 18 Nov 1908. Singapore: Sayid Hasan ibn Sahab, 23 Shawwal 1326 AH. Proprietor: Shaykh Salim ibn Awath Basharahil, 5-2 Jalan Pisang, Singapore. Printed by Al-Imam Press, Ltd., 5 Shawwal 1326 [31 Oct 1908]. Edition of 2000 copies. Price: $0.30.
4. 1923/4. Unknown: 1342 AH. Holding: PIM.
5. 1935. Singapore: Matbaah al-Muhammadiyya. Holding: PNM.
6. Undated. Penang: Sulaiman Marie, 42 pp. Holding: UKM.
7. Undated. Patani: Taman Pustaka Press, 76 pp. Holding: UKM.
8. Undated. Penang: Dar al-Ma’arif, 42 pp. Holding: PNM, KITLV.
9. 1980. Singapore & Jeddah: Dar al-Hin. Holding: KITLV.
10. Undated. Bangkok: Muhammad al-Nahdi.
11. 1991. Kuala Lumpur: Khazanah Fathaniyah, 230 pp. Latin script with commentary. Holding: PNM.
12. 2006. Kota Bharu: Jabal Maraqy Enterprise. Holding: PNM.