Abdul Latif Taha
Abdul Latif Taha | |
|---|---|
| عبداللطيف تاه | |
| Born | 1771 |
| Died | 1 June 1873 (aged 102) |
| Burial place | Bukit Panggal Islamic Cemetery, Tutong, Brunei |
| Occupations |
|
| Spouse(s) | Buntar Abdul Ghafur Sharifah Azizah |
| Children | 7; Abdul Rahman |
| Parents |
|
| Relatives | Abdul Halim Abdul Rahman (great-grandson) |
Haji Abdul Latif bin Haji Muhammad Taha (1771 – 1 June 1873), also known as Khatib Abdul Latif, was a nobleman, ulama, public servant, and writer who was given the task by Sultan Muhammad Tajuddin to finish writing the Salasilah Sultan-Sultan Brunei (Genealogy of the Sultans of Brunei) and place it on the Batu Tarsilah (Tarsilah Stone).[1]
Early life[edit]
Abdul Latif bin Haji Muhammad Taha was born in 1771 in the Dutch East Indies as the only child of Betawi descent of Awang Muhammad Taha and Dayang Siti Aishah.[2][3][4] His mother was a descendant of Abdul Jalilul Jabbar, the 12th Sultan of Brunei, and named him after his uncle. Siti Aishah is the youngest of seven children that Abdul Latif's maternal grandfather, Pehin Jawatan Dalam Awang Ahad, had with Pengiran Salamah.[a][5]
Abdul Latif was married to his maternal cousin, Dayang Buntar, in Brunei, and has had five son, Awang Shahbuddin, Awang Abdullah, Awang Abdul Rahman, Awang Hashim, and Pehin Khatib Awang Husain, and a daughter, Dayang Jijah.[6][2][7]
Mecca[edit]
In order to provide housing for the Hajj pilgrims from Brunei in 1804, Sultan Muhammad Tajuddin designated Abdul Latif as a negotiator to oversee the acquisition of a waqf home in Mecca. This waqf fulfills the primary requirements of pilgrims making the Hajj, who are having trouble finding a place to stay and complete the Hajj due to the state of Mecca. On 28 June 1809, the Sultan officially opened the home acquisition, which had been approved by the Mecca court and the Mecca kadi. After that, he began working as a conventional ulama and frequently advises the Sultan.[8]
Abdul Latif was also given a mandate to manage the consultation and management affairs of the waqf houses in Mecca. The ability to speak Arabic makes him the right person to represent the government of Brunei in negotiations and joint management with the Arab government in Mecca. The negotiation of this waqf house was carried out while he was performing worship at Hajj in 1805. Following that, he was appointed by the Arab government as nadzir (administrator), of the waqf housing in Mecca in 1809.[9]
During his time in Mecca, Abdul Latif was married to Sharifah Azizah, a descendant of Muhammad, and has had a daughter, Tuan Aishah.[10][2] His daughter later was married to Radin Othman, the son of Radin Abdul Momin Betawi who was reside in Mecca and also a descendant of Muhammad through his daughter Fatima marriage to Ali.[10]
Abdul Latif's grandchild, Pehin Datu Perdana Menteri Sheikh Radin Haji Abdul Rahman, and great-grandson, Pehin Datu Perdana Menteri Sheikh Haji Abdul Halim, became the statesman of Brunei.[11] They succeeded Latif as Waqf Minister of the Sultan of Brunei in Mecca, who was was appointed by the Mecca court.[6]
Literature[edit]
Salasilah Sultan-Sultan Brunei[edit]
Abdul Latif went back to Brunei and started penning works of traditional Malay literature, such as the Salasilah Sultan-Sultan Brunei (Genealogy of the Sultans of Brunei). He improved and compiled Datu Imam Yaakub's writings, which date from 24 October 1735, and produced additional works by seeking advice on the genealogy from Sultan Muhyiddin and Paduka Maulana Sultan Husin Kamaluddin.[12] On 5 November 1841, Pehin Orang Kaya Di-Gadong Seri Lela Aminuddin reproduced the text with authorisation from Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin II.[13]
The Jawi manuscript of the Salasilah Sultan-Sultan Brunei is currently housed at the SOAS Library in London. Amin Sweeney (1998) transliterated and published the text, which is now known as Manuscript A. Amin Sweeney utilised a manuscript known as Manuscript B from the genealogy that is kept at the Royal Asiatic Society in London for the transliteration and publishing.[14]
Batu Tersilah[edit]
The Batu Tarsilah (Tarsilah Stone) is a crucial primary source documenting the genealogy and history of the Brunei Sultanate, affirming Brunei's status as the oldest Islamic Malay sultanate in the archipelago. This research highlights the excellence of Malay manuscripts and the significant role of the palace in their production, employing qualitative methods such as literature review and text analysis. A study reveals that Sultan Muhammad Tajuddin, along with scholars Datu Imam Yaakub and Abdul Latif, significantly contributed to the production of the Tarsilah manuscripts, underscoring the Brunei Sultanate's dedication to preserving its history as a Melayu Islam Beraja.[12]
Later life and death[edit]
Abdul Latif then began preaching in several mosques there and was honoured with the Manteri title of Pehin Khatib Kudrat.[15] He died on 1 June 1873 at the age of 102 and was buried in Bukit Panggal Islamic Cemetery in Tutong District.[16][2]
Notes[edit]
References[edit]
Citations[edit]
- ^ Abdullah 2019, p. 33.
- ^ a b c d Pehin Khatib Awang Abdul Latif, Ancestry
- ^ Abdullah 2019, p. 369.
- ^ Ahmad 2019, p. 11.
- ^ a b Abdullah 2019, p. 369–370.
- ^ a b Abdullah 2019, p. 373.
- ^ Ahmad 2019, p. 13.
- ^ Abdullah 2019, p. 370.
- ^ Abdullah 2019, p. 45–47.
- ^ a b Abdullah 2019, p. 371.
- ^ Abdullah 2019, p. 372.
- ^ a b Abdullah 2019, p. 21.
- ^ Abdullah 2019, p. 28.
- ^ Abdullah 2019, p. 119–120.
- ^ Abdullah 2019, p. 46.
- ^ Abdullah 2019, p. 375.
Bibliography[edit]
- Abdullah, Rose (2019). Prosiding Seminar Majlis Ilmu 2019: Manuskrip Islam Mercu Tanda Ketamadunan Umat (PDF) (in Malay). Urusetia Seminar Majlis Ilmu 2019. ISBN 978-99917-86-39-1.
- Ahmad, Mohammad Husain (2019). Menelusuri Sejarah Wakaf dan Sumbangan Sultan Muhammad Tajuddin: Kajian Manuskrip Wakaf Koleksi Pusat Sejarah (in Malay). Majlis Ilmu.