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.