Sayyid Muhsin Al-Masawi

1. Biography

The complete name of Sayyid Muhsin Al Masawi is Sayyid Muhsin bin `Ali bin `Abd al Rahman al-Masawi. He is a Palembang Malay public figure who had an important contribution to the education development for Malays in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. He was born in 1905 in Palembang, South Sumatra Province, Indonesia.

Sayyid Muhsin received an intensif education from his own father before attending a formal school in Madrasah Nurul Islam in Jambi (madrasah is an Islamic school). In the school, he got a very strong religion foundation. He then continued  his study in Madrasah Sa`adah al-Darain in the same city. When his father passed away in 1919, he returned to his village in Palembang and continued his study in a public school, Madrasah Hukumiyah. He also learned from a charismatic ulama (religious leader) in his village named Haji `Idrus who also taught religion knowledge to the locals.

In 1921, Sayyid Muhsin went to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. In this city, he continued his study in Madrasah ash-Shaulatiyah in 1923. Besides learning in al-Haram Mosque, Malay people in this city also learned in this Madrasah. The idea of establishing this madrasah came from the Malay youths who were aware of the importance of developing Islam education, religious proselytizing (dakwah), and the progress of Malays in Mecca. Sayyid Muhsin himself was the pioneer of this movement. He learned in this institution where he involved in the establishment. In this madrasah he learned from influential ulamas such as Syeikh Hasan bin Muhammad al-Masyath, Syeikh Daud Dihan, and Syeikh Abdullah bin Abdur Rahman al-Fathani. He learned the explanation of passages of Koran (tafsir), the words of God (kalam), Islamic astronomy (falak), and Islamic law of inheritance (faraidh).

Learning in Hadhramaut was a tradition for Malay ulamas since a long time ago. In 1929, Sayyid Muhsin went to Hadhramaut, Tarim precisely, South Yaman, to deepen his knowledge about Islam and to visit the `Alawiyin` (the descendants of Rasulullah SAW). He often joined halaqah (praying together and listening to a sermon in a community). The ulamas who taught him were Syeikh Abdur Rauf bin Ali al-Fansuri, Syeikh Yusuf Taj al-Mankatsi, Syeikh Abdus Shamad al-Falimbani, etc. He stayed for three months in Hadhramaut then came back to Mecca.

After he got back to Mecca, Sayyid Muhsin was busy with teaching activities at his own house. He taught kinds of lessons. His students were not only of Malay origin. In spite of his activities, he still studied in al-Haram Mosque to learn Islamic knowledge. He learned sanad (chain of hadith transmission) from Syeikh Umar Ba Juneid and Syeikh Sa`id bin Muhammad al-Yamani al-Khalidi. He also learned geneology knowledge from Syeikh Muhammad Ali bin Husein al-Maliki, Syeikh Umar Hamdan, and Syeikh Abdullah bin Muhammad Ghazi. He learned from ulamas of al-Madinah al-Munawwarah Mosque such as Syeikh Abdul Qadir bin Taufiq asy-Syibli, Syeikh Muhammad al-Baqi al-Laknawi, Saiyid Zaki bin Ahmad al-Barzanji, Syarif Abdul Hayy bin Abdul Kabir al-Kinani al-Fasi and Syeikh Muhammad Ali Awadal-Maghribi as-Salwi.

In 1933 (some other source says 1934), with Syeikh Haji Zubeir bin Ahmad al-Fifulani, Sayyid Muhsin established Madrasah Dar al-Ulum ad-Diniyah in Syu`ib Ali, Mecca. This madrasah is a place for newcomers from Indonesia studied in Mecca. Many graduates from the madrasah later on taught in madrasahs in Indonesia, either public or private madrasah. Sayyid Muhsin was the Mudir (director) of the madrasah. When he died in1935, Syeikh Haji Zubeir bin Ahmad al-Filfulani who was the vice director then replaced him.

Sayyid Muhsin was an influential Palembang Malay ulama. That is why many of his students succeeded in developing dakwah and Islamic education in their regions. One of his students who were very famous was Syeikh Muhammad Yasin bin Isa bin Udiq al-Fadani al-Indunisiyi asy-Syafi`ie (1916-1989). He was a prominent ulama in Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia. He was the fourth Mudir in Madrasah Dar al-Ulum ad-Diniyah after Syeikh Ahmad al-Manshuri (1940-1946).

2. Thoughts

(In the process of data collecting)

3. Works

Although Sayyid Muhsin did not live very long, he already wrote many important works. His works were all in Arabic. His works became the main learning sources when he taught in Madrasah Dar al-Ulum al-Diniyah. Here are some of his works:

1. Al-Nafhah al-Hasaniyyah Syarh al-Tuhfah al-Samiyyah fi al-Faraid
2. Madkhal ila `Ilm al-Ushul
3. Nahj al-Taysir Syarh Manzhumah al-Zamzami fi Usul al-Tafsir
4. Jam` al-Thamr Ta`liq `ala al-Manzhumah Manazil al Qamar
5. Al-Jadad Syarh Manzhumah al-Zubad (the manuscript has not yet finished)
6. Al-Nushush al-Jawhariyyah fi al-Ta`arif al-Mantiqiyyah
7. Adillah Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama`ah fi Daf` Syubuhat al-Firaq al-Dallah al-Muttadi`ah
8. Al-Rihlah al-`Ilyah ila al-Diyyar al-Hadramiyyah

There are other works of Sayyid Muhsin that are unknown for Malays. One of the reasons is because the location of the rest manuscripts is not clear. For example, Syeikh Muhammad Yasin bin `Isa al-Fadani wrote a book titled Janiy ats-Tsamar Syarh Manzhumah Manazil al-Qamar. This book is about syarah (comments) toward al-Allamah Khalifah bin Ahmad an-Nabhani al-Falaki which is about falak (Islamic astronomy). Before Syeikh Muhammad Yasin bin `Isa al-Fadani dropped some comments (syarah) on the book, Sayyid Muhsin had given compliment and comments to strengthen the case (taqrirat) toward the book. But Sayyid Muhsin`s work on this one is not clear. This means many people do not know all his works.

4. Awards

(In the process of data collecting)

(TL/DW/17ter/01-08)

Translated from the Indonesian version by (DW)

Sources:

• www.ulama-nusantara-baru.blogspot.com
• www.sunarwoto.wordpress.com

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