Haji Mohammed Saleh (5)

These are the names of the Batu Uban people and their call names:

• Haji Mohammed Saleh (Nakhoda Nan Intan)
• Zaitun bt Haji Mohammed Saleh (anak perempuan Nakhoda Nan Intan)
• Sheikh Ahmad Makawi (menantu Nakhoda Nan Intan, suami Zaitun, orang Arab Makkah)
• Sheikh  Mohammed Salleh Al Makawi (cucu Nakhoda Nan Intan, anak Zaitun)
• Sheikh Ahmad Khidir bin Sheikh Salleh Al Makawi (cicit Nakhoda Nan Intan, cucu Zaitun)

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Graves of Nakhoda Nan Intan, his grandson and great-grandson
Tanah Perkuburan Masjid Jamek Batu Uban, Penang

Tok Chu mentioned that the grave of Nakhoda Nan Intan is at Masjid Batu Uban, where many Arabs are buried.

We visited Masjid Batu Uban and looked around the associated graveyard to locate the grave of Nakhoda Nan Intan.

In my first visit to the masjid and cemetery, I was uncertain which one was the grave of Nakhoda Nan Intan. There were 3 interesting graves - 2 under the big banyan tree and 1 inside the masjid.

There is a demolished makam (shrine) at the foot of a big overgrown banyan tree. Within the crumbled walls of the makam are 2 male graves, with very different gravestones/headstones (batu nisan yang berbeza). One headstone had inscriptions and the other had embossed inscriptions. I can make out the inscriptions on one of the headstones, but not the other.

Makam outside ... under the big banyan tree:

Aerial roots covering the entire remaining walls of the makam. Makam viewed from Masjid Batu Uban. Go around the tree to the other side to view the two graves in the makam.

Two male graves within the crumbled walls of makam. Masjid Batu Uban (green) and the nearby high-rise (white) are in the background.

Two male graves in the makam  - Nakhoda Nan Intan and his grandson.

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HAJI MOHAMMED SALEH @ NAKHODA NAN INTAN

(putera raja, nakhoda bahtera, warak, ulama', imam, peneroka,

orang pertama yang membuka Pulau Pinang sebelum Inggeris)

Ancient headstones on Penang (island) were mostly big wooden ones, as present at the Perak Road cemetery.

Most clergy do not have their name on their headstone. They remain anonymous in unnamed graves in order to avoid an activity called puja kubur - as happened for ages to the graves at Pulau Besar in Malacca, Straits of Malacca.

However, knowledge of the location of Nakhoda Nan Intan's grave is good to know. There is a practice of the Sufi, called Tawassul, where prayers are made at the grave of pious men.

MAKAM HAJI MOHAMMED SALEH @ NAKHODA NAN INTAN

(makam di bawah pokok besar di luar masjid)

Makam Haji Muhammad Saleh

@ Nakhoda Nan Intan

It is difficult to decipher the inscriptions on this headstone. This is MOST POSSIBLY Nakhoda Nan Intan's new headstone since it has no name, whereas the other one has a name and date, and belongs to his grandson - Sheikh Muhammad Salleh Al-Makawi; his father is Sheikh Ahmad Makawi, an Arab from Makkah. 

(٠‎ - ١‎ - ٢‎ - ٣‎ - ٤‎ - ٥‎ - ٦‎ - ٧‎ - ٨‎ - ٩‎)

GRANDSON

He is the grandson of Haji Muhammad Saleh. His mother is the daughter of Haji Muhammad Saleh. Her name is Zaitun bt Haji Muhammad Saleh.

MAKAM SHEIKH MUHAMMAD SALLEH IBNI SHEIKH AHMAD MAKAWI

(makam di bawah pokok besar di luar masjid)

Grandson
Makam cucu Nakhoda Nan Intan

Left headstone says "Al-Fatihah. Sheikh Muhammad Salleh ibni Sheikh Ahmad Makawi who passed away on Friday, 5 Jamadil Awal 1333 Hijrah". The last digit for the year is unclear. This date points to approximately 1912 - quite recent. 

(٠‎ - ١‎ - ٢‎ - ٣‎ - ٤‎ - ٥‎ - ٦‎ - ٧‎ - ٨‎ - ٩‎)

GREAT-GRANDSON

There is one grave which is situated inside the masjid. The name and date do not show that they are of Nakhoda Nan Intan or belong to his time, even though we were told it is Nakhoda Nan Intan's grave. It is NOT. It is the grave of his great-grandson, Sheikh Ahmad Khidir Sheikh Salleh Al-Makawi, dated to 1921 AD. This recent date does not point to Nakhoda Nan Intan. Sheikh Ahmad Khidir bin Sheik Muhammad Salleh Al-Makawi is the great-grandson of Haji Muhammad Saleh @ Nakhoda Nan Intan.

MAKAM SHEIKH AHMAD KHIDIR SHEIKH SALLEH AL-MAKAWI

(dalam Masjid Jamek Batu Uban) 

Great-grandson

Makam cicit Nakhoda Nan Intan

This is the grave of the great-grandson of Haji Muhammad Saleh @ Nakhoda Nan Intan. His name is Sheikh Ahmad Khidir bin Sheikh Muhammad Salleh bin Sheikh Ahmad Makawi. Makawi in the name suffix implies that Sheikh Ahmad Makawi was an Arab from Makkah, Saudi Arabia. He married Nakhoda Nan Intan's daughter, Zaitun bt Haji Muhammad Saleh.

Close-up of the headstone. The Jawi inscription reads: Al-Fatihah. Sheikh Ahmad Khidir Sheikh Salleh Al-Makawi kembali ke rahmatullah pada hari Isnin, 22 Jamadil Akhir 1321 Hijrah (1321 Hijrah is 1900 AD).

Sheikh Ahmad Khidir Sheikh Salleh Al-Makawi's tomb is inside the room with broken window panes. Haji Tahir is walking pasi it. He is AJK Masjid Jamek Batu Uban.