Haji Mohammed Saleh (2)

Al-marhum Nam Tunku Patis Batang  & his son

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Al-marhum Nam Tunku Patis Batang

Story of Nakhoda Nan Intan
http://www.penang-traveltips.com/masjid-jamek-batu-uban.htm


Masjid Jamek Batu Uban is said to be the oldest mosque in Penang. It was built in 1734, pre-dating the establishment of George Town in 1786 by Captain Francis Light. The mosque began as a surau (prayer hall), erected by Haji Mohammed Saleh, popularly known as Nakhoda Intan Nam Tunku Patis Batang, a Muslim leader from Kampung Buadi in Payakumbuh, in the highlands of West Sumatra.

Who was Haji Mohammed Saleh?

He was the founder of my father's and his forefathers' families. I am his 10th generation. He was a great ship's captain and was known as Nakhoda Nan Intan (the brilliant ship's captain or the precious ship's captain atau yang dimuliakan).

We have to remember that most Malays sailed westward but Nakhoda Nan Intan did a different thing - he sailed eastward, from Sumatra to the west coast of peninsular Malaya, arriving first at Singapore, then Malacca and finally Penang.

He married 5 wives. He first married a wife at his village in Payakumbuh, a wife in Deli, a wife in Singapore, a wife in Malacca, and a wife in Penang.

Thus, Nakhoda Nan Intan had opened 3 settlements at 3 locations in Malaya and these began as the pre-Straits Settlements - before the arrival of the Europeans.

It was he that opened Malaya and Singapore, firstly for religion, and secondly for trade. It should be remembered that Nakhoda Nan Intan's descendants were never interested in making money but stayed close to the mosques that Nakhoda had constructed for the Muslim people.

There were no rich and famous people among Nakhoda Nan Intan's numerous descendants. They lived humbly and that is a trademark of Nakhoda Nan Intan. They stick to very rigid rules of the religion that people cannot keep up with and find them difficult. They are serious with religion and they do not mix religion with cultural practices. This is their trademark. As far as I know, they shun from fun, frolic and merriment and stick to a strict life - a very regimented life. They don't normally get along well with people because they were strict with the religion - so very strict, no dolak-daleh, and get straight to the point.

They spoke with a lot of respect and they had great respect for their elders; they called their ladies Inchek as a mark of high respect. Even my father addressed his mother as Inchek. They spoke a good bangsawan language, not the usual marketplace Malay (bahasa Melayu pasar) that we often speak, even at home. They were serious people, not the usual Malay people we often find today, a very rare breed indeed.

There were a lot of things that Nakhoda Nan Intan taught his descendants - one of which is to fear Allah SWT and the other is 100% honesty. Establishing prayer (performing solat), trustworthy and honesty were attributes taught for generations. Quran learning began in childhood at age 6 onward. The Quran teachers were often ladies, and they taught Quran to children, for as long as they lived, and as a livelihood.

And that's how we still have Islam in the 3 Straits Settlements till today. That's as far as I know and can say about Nakhoda Nan Intan and his people. I am the 10th generation, and it is very difficult to break the traditions of seriousness because it is ingrained. Everything is taken seriously and nothing is a laughing matter or a joke. Nakhoda Nan Intan and his people didn't joke like we do nowadays. My father never joked! It was like having Hitler in our home - much feared. Everything was held accountable. That's their style - Nakhoda Nan Intan's style. Shrewd? I don't know but that was Nakhoda Nan Intan and his people that I know.

Who was Al-Marhum Nam Tunku Patis Batang?

That is an inherited royal title. He is the father of Nakhoda Nan Intan. Probably the 6th child or something. My father had never said he was descended from any Tunku people or nobility, and he didn't like 'sembah-sembah' and he didn't 'sembah' anyone and just avoided all things that had 'sembah' except sembahyang Esa (ie solat).

I really don't know but the dressing style tells me that he might have some bangsawan link-up. They dressed very well and really looked bangsawan or pendekar Melayu type. That reminds me of the story of Hang Tuah.

My father had many keris (tuah) and that sort of governed him and the pendekar thing probably made him the 'general' persona he was. My brother said some of the keris my father inherited had to be returned (to Payakumbuh and elsewhere) so that my father had control of his own life.

My father left me one keris which I keep in my clothes cupboard. Keris is 'hard' (keras) so I keep in a 'soft' (ringan) place, so the energies embedded balanced up and I won't expect to see a keris flying at me. It will probably come to me for defence when I'm attacked or something.

I don't practise black magic nor do I have genies (jin and kadam). A lot of people asked me whether I had inherited the genies of my forefathers. I have not and not that I know of. A lot of people tell me that these genies can be transferred to me without my knowing - like saka. Well, I don't know because I am not that superstitious.

I can focus energies and get into a trance and do a lot of things but that is acquired, not inherited.

I can feel a lot of vibes at different places and wherever I go or am with someone. I can feel the aura of others.

I can sniff the rain and smell chlorine vapours when the rain is nearing.

The last ESP was the tsunami of 2004 - where all the wind chimes and mobiles in my house shook so hard that I said to myself - a great calamity is going to happen. That was about 10 am or 11 am; the tsunami occurred that very afternoon.

I also think Nakhoda Nan Intan also had such an ESP/premonition/instinct.

People always say I am different from the people around me. I always ask myself, why don't they study Nakhoda Nan Intan?

I am his blood descendant, and if he had willed and read doa for his zuriat, I don't see anything strange. Aren't we all asked to read prayers for our descendants? Especially that part on Qurrata 'akyun and also a high degree of intelligence?

I think those were the substances of Nakhoda Nan Intan. How could he have arrived here if he had not known how to sail a ship (bahtera)? He was a royalty, a prince, and lived in the palace, in the highlands in Sumatra before coming here. There are no seas in the highlands.

How could he have attracted that many people (to fill a ship) to come to an uninhabited place - practically jungles and uninhabitable? Who would ever want to follow a man to an unknown and undiscovered place? Only Sufi people dare to do this. That's why I feel he was a Sufi disciple and a Sufi master. A Sufi master can easily bring along his followers to open new places and spread Islam. A normal Muslim man cannot do something of this magnitude.

Traders only come to trade and make money. Nakhoda Nan Intan was not a seeker of fortune. He was not a money maker or money spinner. None of his descendants are involved with creating money or wealth creation.

As far as I know, and as my father reminded me, they avoid 3 professions - the judiciary (lawyer, judge, and related posts), the banking activities (anything that deals with money, usury and related) and the entertainment industry (songs, singing, night clubs, dancing, cabaret, and related). They cukup jaga and pantang these 3 professions. I too avoid such activities.

So what is there left? Teaching profession! So I safely became a lecturer and now I am a professor. I have abide by Nakhoda Nan Intan and his principles, the rules of my father, his forefathers, and the rules according to Syari'ah. We therefore lead very strict lives as Muslims.

Dato' Jenaton's grave

My late mother's house is in Minden Heights Jalan 7. My late father also lived here - he was the 9th generation of Nakhoda Nan Intan. I am the 10th generation of Nakhoda Nan Intan. I lived in the same house in Penang for a while in 1976. I moved to Kelantan in 1983. I am now based in Kelantan, and I am attached to USM in Kubang Kerian.

Dato' Jenaton's grave is on his property in Minden Heights, approx. 1.7 km from my house.

http://www.penang-traveltips.com/dato-jenatons-grave.htm
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2012%2F5%2F16%2Fnation%2F11299951&sec=nation#.T7UKLL-46vQ.email

Maps
http://g.co/maps/948gp
View Kubur Dato' Jannaton in a larger map

Photos
http://theearlymalaydoctors.blogspot.com/2012/05/makam-datuk-jenaton-makam-datuk-setia.html

Dato Jenaton's profile on Geni.com
https://www.geni.com/people/Dato-Jenaton-Jenan-Raja-Labu/6000000006863261014?through=6000000006862702615

Ujong Pasir

Haji Mohd Sharif bin Ismail (Tok Sharif) had some land in Ujong Pasir.



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Padang Semabok

This is Padang Semabok, where Haji Mohd Sharif bin Ismail (Tok Sharif) had land.



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Bukit Tempurong

This is the area of Bukit Tempurong, where Haji Mohd Sharif bin Ismail (Tok Sharif) had some land.



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Haji Mohammed Saleh (1)

Tourism Malaysia Information

This text below is taken from the Tourism Malaysia plaque at Masjid Jamek Batu Uban in Pulau Pinang. I have not been to the mosque itself nor seen the plaque myself, but the stories I have heard about Nahkoda Nan Intan and his colleague/relative/brother-in-law Dato' Jenaton, were from my own father Haji Abdul Rashid bin Mohd Yusope (as the 9th generation of Nakhoda Nan Intan), my paternal blood uncle arwah Prof. Syed Mohsin bin Syed Sahil Jamalullail, my paternal aunt Inchek Bedah bt Mohd Yusope, my paternal grandmother Esah/Nenek Inchek/Hjh Aishah bt Mohd Amin @ Mat Amin Chow Kit/Mat Amin Pasar who married my paternal grandfather Mohd Yusope bin Haji Mohd Sharif (8th and 7th generation of Nakhoda), and many others.

I read the book Sejarah Awal Pulau Pinang (edited by Prof. Muhammad Haji Salleh, Tokoh Negarawan, published by USM, 2008) after my families and relatives narrated the stories of Nahkoda Nan Intan and Datuk Jenaton to me. Their stories all matched exactly. The stories are correct - factually and historically.

My post on Walid in this blog also shows Nakhoda Nan Intan/Hj Mohammed Saleh as the founder of our Minangkabau clan. He was also the clan founder at 3 settlements - in Penang, Malacca and Singapore.

This blog therefore provides a clear history of Nahkoda Nan Intan (a friend/relative/brother-in-law of Dato' Jenaton) and his descendants. I therefore provided some evidence that Nakhoda Nan Intan (and later, Dato' Jenaton) were the first settlers in Penang circa early 1700. Nakhoda Nan Intan was the founder of the three Malay-Arab settlements in Penang, Malacca and Singapore, well before Captain Francis Light arrived in Penang, and during the time the Dutch ruled Malacca, and before Stamford Raffles came to take Singapore island. This is the real history of the 3 Straits Settlements that the European colonials in Malaya and Singapore tried to hide. This is the real history of the 3 Straits Settlements. (Faridah Abdul Rashid, 22 May 2012)

Masjid Jamek Batu Uban, P. Pinang

Penempatan masyarakat Islam di Pulau Pinang sebenarnya lebih awal dari kedatangan Francis Light yang dikatakan membuka negeri Pulau Pinang pada tahun 1786. Bangunan surau asal, di tapak masjid ini telah dibina pada tahun 1734 oleh Tuan Haji Mohammed Saleh atau dikenali sebagai Nakhoda Intan Ibnu Al-marhum Nam Tunku Patis Batang, yang juga membuka penempatan awal di Kampung Batu Uban. Beliau dan pengikut-pengikutnya berasal dari Kampung Buadi, Paya Kumbu, Sumatera.

View Larger Map Payakumbuh in West Sumatra (Sumatera Barat)

Nama Batu Uban tercatat dalam sejarah sebagai Oban, Ooban dan Batoo Oban yang mengambil sempena dengan sebuah batu besar yang menyerupai kepala manusia yang penuh beruban dan terletak di tengah laut di antara masjid dan Pulau Jerejak.

View Larger Map Batu Uban in Gelugor in Penang

Masjid Jamek Batu Uban ini menggantikan surau bagi menampung penambahan jemaah. Bentuk asalnya berupa segi empat sama dan dibina menggunakan kayu sementara dindingnya menggunakan bahan batuan. Bahagian asal majid ini yang masih kekal ialah empat batang tiang seri berbentuk segi empat di tengah masjid dan puncak kubah masjid. Selain itu, kolam tempat mengambil wuduk dan perigi masjid yang masih digunakan merupakan binaan asal.

Batu Uban menjadi persinggahan para pedagang, pengembara serta mubaligh Islam dari India, Pakistan dan Timur Tengah pada ketika itu.

Masjid ini menjadi warisan sejarah dan bukti kewujudan masyarakat Islam di kawasan ini.

Teks diperoleh daripada batu tanda Tourism Malaysia di Masjid Jamek Batu Uban.

Haji Mohd Yusope bin Haji Mohd Sharif 1896-1953 (3) Work

This post covers Walid's work as a Malay agricultural assistant and as an entomologist circa 1930s-1940s, and also his life.
http://www.sendspace.com/file/zpr1y2