SUFI STORIES #6 THE VISIT BY TOK KENALI, THE SAINT OF KELANTAN

Sometime in 1991, I was requested to lead night prayers (Qiyamulail) for a cousin’s family. One family member was suffering from terminal brain cancer and we wanted to request God for whatever was the best outcome for her. The prayers and dzikr began at about 3 am and lasted until just before the Fajr (Subuh) prayers.

Once the prayers began, I felt the presence of a Saint who guided me throughout the prayers. He did not speak to me other than guide me with the prayers and supplications. When the session finished, there was an eerie silence among the family members who were seated behind me. Then one after another, they said that throughout the session they saw somebody else leading the prayers and supplications instead of me.

My cousin said he saw Tok Kenali (may Allah’s Mercy be upon him) the famous Saint of Kelantan (our birth-state). They all agreed that who they saw was Tok Kenali.

Several years after this incident with my cousin’s family, there was a time when I was in dire financial straits due to a business dispute. One afternoon, I was lamenting the sad situation I was in, as I had a wife and infant child to feed as well. I was reading the now-defunct Utusan Malaysia (a Malay newspaper) editorial page which always featured a Qur’anic verse or a Hadith of the day.

The verse of the day was what is popularly known as “The 1000 Dinars verse” (“Ayat 1000 Dinar” in Malay). It is actually the last part of Surah Al-Talaq (Chapter 65) verse 2, and verse 3. Its meaning is self-explanatory:

“And whoever (is God-conscious and) fears Allah - He will make for him a way out. And will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever (trusts and) relies upon Allah - then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent”. (Qur’an 65:2-3)

After reading this reminder, I comforted my wife and told her that Allah will find a way out for us soon. Within minutes there was a knock on the door. It was my cousin’s wife. She had brought a very thick envelope filled with cash. She said she received a message in a dream that I needed help. Alhamdulillah! (Praise the Lord!) God fulfilled His promise so promptly!

She has a special spiritual connection with me. A year later, in another dream, she saw in incredible detail about the imbroglio I was in at that time and that she and her husband were to console me. She described what I was wearing, carrying and doing exactly as the events had happened. 

My cousin (May Allah bless his soul) passed away a few months ago. Today (11.12.2020) I visited his widow to reminisce on these events and check the accuracy of the story. She said the image of Tok Kenali from that Qiyamulail is still clear in her mind. I had informed her a few days ago about my request for her to recall the details of the event. So she looked for the photographs of Tok Kenali on the internet and reconfirmed that the person she saw leading the prayers 30 years ago was indeed him.

So who was Tok Kenali?

Muhammad Yusuf bin Ahmad (Tok Kenali) was born in 1868 in Kampung Kenali, near my hometown Kota Bharu in Kelantan. His father died when he was five. He received his early religious education from his grandfather who was a learned and pious man, from other teachers in his village and at the grand state mosque (Masjid Besar Al-Muhammadi) in Kota Bharu. At age 18 he went to study in Makkah, and stayed there for 22 years. At the age of 40 (in 1908) he returned to Kelantan to teach. His reputation as a scholar, theologian and teacher spread throughout Malaya, and even to Sumatra, Java, Pattani (now in southern Thailand) and Cambodia (which had a sizeable Muslim population then).

He attracted students who stayed in small huts (pondok) near his house and this traditional manner of religious schooling survives to this day, albeit with modern facilities. His Pondok Tok Kenali was famous and had over 400 students at one time. At the invitation of the Sultan, he also taught in the state mosque for about 5 years.

He played a significant role in developing the Arabic language and Islamic religious curriculum in Malaya (now Peninsular Malaysia). He also played an important part in shaping the state Majlis Agama Islam (Islamic Religious Council), set up in 1915 to oversee all aspects of Islam in Kelantan. It later became the model for similar councils in the other Malay states.

Other than being a member of the Islamic Religious Council, and Chief Editor of its official magazine (Pengasuh), he was also a member of the Islamic Scholars Council, Head of Religious Studies for Kelantan, and Religious Adviser to the Menteri Besar (Chief Minister).

Although he was instrumental in popularizing the pondok system of religious schools, and his students established many of these schools in many states, he also helped in establishing several mainstream schools.

He was very much influenced by the teachings of Imam Al-Ghazali (958-1111CE), and his struggles have been compared to that of the notable Muslim reformist Shaykh Muhammad Abduh of Egypt (1849-1905CE). In fact Tok Kenali visited Egypt in 1904, when Shaykh Muhammad Abduh was still alive, but there is no record if they ever met.

During his lifetime, he was recognized as a Saint who was a respected scholar who chose a simple life dedicated to teaching people about God and His religion. He was humble and generous, and had all the attributes of righteousness. There are many incredible stories about his life and his miracles, but I am unable to vouch for their veracity.

He was married and had four sons. He died in 1933 at the age of 65, leaving a string of legacies – the Kelantan Islamic Religious & Malay Customs Council; Pondok Tok Kenali and scores of other religious schools established by his students; hundreds of scholars taught by him who served in various capacities in the religious bodies of several states, and in schools and universities in this region and in Saudi Arabia; and many of his students became authors of religious books. His contribution to Islamic education in Malaya was immense.

All four of his sons continued his religious work and 3 of them were active in Saudi Arabia.

Salam/Peace to all. See you at my next SUFI STORIES post!