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Syeikh Abdullah Fahim

In this Malay name, there is no surname or family name. The name Shaykh Ibrahim is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by their given name, Shaykh Abdullah Fahim. The word "bin" or "binti"/"binte" means 'son of' or 'daughter of', respectively.
Tuan Guru Syeikh
Abdullah Fahim
عبدالله فهيم‎
Mufti of Penang
In office
1951–1956
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byAbdullah Ismail
Personal details
Born1869 (1869)
Mecca, Sharifate of Mecca, Ottoman Empire (now Hejaz, Saudi Arabia)
DiedApril 28, 1961(1961-04-28) (aged 91–92)
Penang, Federation of Malaya
Resting placeJami'ul Badawi Mosque, Kepala Batas, Penang
EducationAl-Azhar University
OccupationIslamic scholar, astronomy
ReligionSunni Islam

Syeikh Abdullah bin Ibrahim Badawi Fahim (Jawi: شيخ عبد الله فهيم‎; c. 1869 – 27 April 1961) was a Malaysian Islamic scholar, nationalist, writer, and expert in Islamic astronomy (falak). He is noted for determining the date of Malaya's independence as 31 August 1957 when consulted by national leaders.[1][2] He served as the first Mufti of Penang following Malaysian independence and was the paternal grandfather of Malaysia’s fifth Prime Minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Early life and education

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Abdullah Fahim was born in Sha‘b ‘Ali, a district near Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, in 1869 CE, which was then under the Ottoman Empire.[3] Some accounts suggest that he was born in Kampung Kubur Panjang, Kedah, before moving to Mecca with his father, Sheikh Ibrahim Tahir.[2] During his time in Mecca, Abdullah Fahim studied under over 42 scholars across 15 Islamic disciplines, including prominent figures such as Syed Abu Bakr Syatha and Sheikh Wan Ahmad al-Fatani.[4] In addition to religious studies, it is reported that he was exposed to discussions on international and Islamic politics.[2] He was widely known by the names "Pak Him," "Chaiain," and locally as "Tok Ngah Lah."

Religious and educational work

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Upon returning to Malaya in 1916, Abdullah Fahim began teaching Islamic theology from his family home in Kepala Batas, Penang, which would later become the political stronghold of his grandson.[2] He later founded Madrasah Daeratul Ma’arif Al Wataniah in 1926. In 1932, he was invited by the Sultan of Perak to head Madrasah Idrisiah in Kuala Kangsar as the mudir (director).[5] He continued to teach until 1947.[6]

Abdullah Fahim was recognized for advancing Islamic astronomy (falak),[6] producing prayer timetables and teaching astronomical calculations as part of fard al-kifayah, a communal obligation in Islamic law.[7] He was also known as a writer and poet, authoring works such as Khutbah Penyedar (Awakening Sermons) and compiling a prayer calendar.[2] His reputation attracted students from across Malaya, Singapore, Indonesia, and Brunei.[2]

Political involvement

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Though not directly involved in political parties, Abdullah Fahim was regarded as an influential advisor during the nationalist movement. Leaders such as Tunku Abdul Rahman and Onn Jaafar were reported to have sought his counsel on various matters.[2]

He proposed 31 August 1957 as the date for Malaya’s independence, based on Islamic calendar calculations. According to reports, he advised that if the date was not accepted, the next suitable date would only occur in 1962.[2][8][9] Abdullah Fahim also advised the Tunku to pursue multiracial cooperation to fulfill British conditions for independence and provided strategic recommendations regarding negotiations in London, suggesting departure by ship and return by air.[2]

Abdullah Fahim was also linked to early Islamic political movements and was one of the founding figures of Hizbul Muslimin, an early Islamic political party that later evolved into the Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS). He was also one of the candidates for the presidency of PAS during its founding in 1951 but lost the position to Haji Ahmad Fuad, who had previously served as the head of UMNO's Religious Affairs Bureau.[10]

Legacy

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Abdullah Fahim died on 27 April 1961 in Kepala Batas, Kedah.[11][12] He was popularly known as "the Pauper King" (Raja Papa), a nickname reflecting his modest lifestyle despite holding significant religious and social positions.[13] His contributions to falak included a perpetual prayer timetable and an early astronomical observation site.[14]

His descendants, including his son Ahmad Badawi and grandson Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, would later become prominent leaders in UMNO, a rival political party historically opposed to PAS.

On 12 February 2008, then Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi launched the inaugural Chair of the Islam Hadhari Institute at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, named in honour of his grandfather.[15] The institute was described as the first of its kind in the country, intended to promote a deeper understanding of Islam nationally and internationally.[15]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Petah, Mokhtar (1997). Sheikh Abdullah Fahim Penentu Tarikh Kemerdekaan Negara 31 Ogos '57 [Sheikh Abdullah Fahim: The Determiner of the Nation's Independence Date 31 August '57] (in Malay). Kuala Lumpur: Pustaka Antara. p. 45. ISBN 9789679373882. OCLC 40953935.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Zuraida, Abdul Rahman (29 July 2007). "Abdullah Fahim: The man who decided the Independence date". Malaysian Bar. Bernama. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
  3. ^ Nor Azam Mat Noor (2010). Warisan Falak Sheikh Abdullah Fahim [The Astronomical Legacy of Sheikh Abdullah Fahim] (in Malay). Jabatan Mufti Negeri Pulau Pinang. p. 2. OCLC 969336665.
  4. ^ Nor Azam Mat Noor (2010). Warisan Falak Sheikh Abdullah Fahim [The Astronomical Legacy of Sheikh Abdullah Fahim] (in Malay). Jabatan Mufti Negeri Pulau Pinang. p. 3. OCLC 969336665.
  5. ^ "Zahid the man of religion". The Star. 26 March 2008. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
  6. ^ a b Nor Azam Mat Noor (2010). Warisan Falak Sheikh Abdullah Fahim [The Astronomical Legacy of Sheikh Abdullah Fahim] (in Malay). Jabatan Mufti Negeri Pulau Pinang. p. 9. OCLC 969336665.
  7. ^ "fard al-kifāya". Oxford Reference. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
  8. ^ Nor Azam Mat Noor (2010). Warisan Falak Sheikh Abdullah Fahim [The Astronomical Legacy of Sheikh Abdullah Fahim] (in Malay). Jabatan Mufti Negeri Pulau Pinang. p. 24. OCLC 969336665.
  9. ^ Petah, Mokhtar (1997). Sheikh Abdullah Fahim Penentu Tarikh Kemerdekaan Negara 31 Ogos '57 [Sheikh Abdullah Fahim: The Determiner of the Nation's Independence Date 31 August '57] (in Malay). Kuala Lumpur: Pustaka Antara. p. 46. ISBN 9789679373882. OCLC 40953935.
  10. ^ Islam Embedded: The Historical Development of the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party PAS (1951–2003). Volume 1. Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian Sociological Research Institute. 2004. p. 74. ISBN 9839986678.
  11. ^ "Shaykh Abdullah Fahim". Geni.com.
  12. ^ Petah, Mokhtar (1997). Sheikh Abdullah Fahim Penentu Tarikh Kemerdekaan Negara 31 Ogos '57 [Sheikh Abdullah Fahim: The Determiner of the Nation's Independence Date 31 August '57] (in Malay). Kuala Lumpur: Pustaka Antara. p. 60. ISBN 9789679373882. OCLC 40953935.
  13. ^ Petah, Mokhtar (1997). Sheikh Abdullah Fahim Penentu Tarikh Kemerdekaan Negara 31 Ogos '57 [Sheikh Abdullah Fahim: The Determiner of the Nation's Independence Date 31 August '57] (in Malay). Kuala Lumpur: Pustaka Antara. p. 35. ISBN 9789679373882. OCLC 40953935.
  14. ^ Nor Azam Mat Noor (2010). Warisan Falak Sheikh Abdullah Fahim [The Astronomical Legacy of Sheikh Abdullah Fahim] (in Malay). Jabatan Mufti Negeri Pulau Pinang. p. 33. OCLC 969336665.
  15. ^ a b "Case of three Abdullahs at launching of institute". The Star. 13 February 2008. Archived from the original on 8 June 2011. Retrieved 23 April 2025.

Further reading

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