Ali Kwitang
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Ali bin Abdurrahman al-Habshi, better known as ''Habib Ali of Kwitang'' or Habib Ali Kwitang (, ; April 20, 1870 – October 13, 1968), was one of the leading Islamic clerics and preachers in Jakarta in the 20th century. He was also the founder and chairman of the ''Majelis Taklim Kwitang'' (the Islamic congregation of Kwitang; although ''Majelis Taklim'' itself literally means ''Board of Education'') and ''Islamic Center Indonesia'', which are the forerunners of other religious organizations in Jakarta.


History

Ali was born in the area of Kwitang in
Central Jakarta Central Jakarta (, ), abbreviated as Jakpus, is one of the five Cities of Indonesia, administrative cities () and ''de facto'' Capital City of the Jakarta, Special Capital Region of Jakarta. It had 902,973 inhabitants according to the 2010 census ...
on April 20, 1870, CE which was 20 Jumada al-Awwal 1286 AH. His father was Abdurrahman bin Abdullah bin Muhammad al-Habshi, an
Arab Indonesian Arab Indonesians (), or colloquially known as Jama'ah, are Indonesian citizens of mixed Arab, mainly Hadharem from Yemen, and Indonesian descent. The ethnic group generally also includes those of Arab descent from other Middle Eastern Arabic sp ...
of Hadhrami-
Sayyid ''Sayyid'' is an honorific title of Hasanid and Husaynid lineage, recognized as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his daughter Fatima and Ali's sons Hasan ibn Ali, Hasan and Husayn ibn Ali, Husayn. The title may also refer ...
descent. His father better known as ''Habib Cikini'' (d. 1879 CE) was born in Petak Sembilan,
Semarang Semarang (Javanese script, Javanese: , ''Kutha Semarang'') is the capital and largest city of Central Java province in Indonesia. It was a major port during the Netherlands, Dutch Dutch East Indies, colonial era, and is still an important regio ...
and was an Islamic scholar and preacher who lived in
asceticism Asceticism is a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from worldly pleasures through self-discipline, self-imposed poverty, and simple living, often for the purpose of pursuing Spirituality, spiritual goals. Ascetics may withdraw from the world ...
. His father died in 1879 CE when Ali was young and was buried in Cikini. His mother (born in
Meester Cornelis Jatinegara (originally known as Meester Cornelis or Meester/Mester for short) is one of the districts () of the administrative city of East Jakarta, Indonesia. The name also refers to the larger, historic area of the colonial town of Meester Corn ...
) was a pious woman named Salmah (''Nyai Salmeh''), a daughter of a
Betawi Betawi may refer to: *Betawi people *Betawi language *Betawi cuisine Betawi cuisine is rich, diverse and eclectic, in part because the Betawi people that create them were composed from numbers of Native Indonesian, regional immigrants that came ...
cleric from
Kampung Melayu :''This is a museum in Singapore. For description of Malay villages, see kampung.'' The Malay Village (), predecessor of present day Wisma Geylang Serai, was a museum once located in Geylang, Singapore, where they showcases the life of the Malays ...
,
East Jakarta East Jakarta (; ), abbreviated as Jaktim, is the largest of the five administrative cities (''kota administrasi'') which form the Special Capital Region of Jakarta, Indonesia, with a land area of 188.03 km2 (72.6 sq.miles). It had a population ...
. His father once married to Syarifah Rogayah bint Husen bin Alwi bin Awal bin Yahya, the younger sister of
Raden Saleh Raden Saleh Sjarif Boestaman (, EYD: ; , DIN: ; 1811 – 23 April 1880) was a pioneering Romantic painter from the Dutch East Indies of Arab- Javanese ethnicity. He was considered to be the first "modern" artist from Indonesia (then the Dutc ...
, but from this marriage they did not have any offspring. Besides Ali, Abdurrahman had another son named ''Abdul Qadir'', the younger brother of Ali who married to Sidah, the daughter of
Habib Usman bin Yahya Usman bin Yahya, Utsman ibn Yahya or Othman bin Yahya (; full name: () 17 Rabi' al-awwal 1238 AH – 21 Safar 1331 AH; 1822 – 1913) was an Islamic scholar who served as Grand Mufti of Batavia in 19th century of Dutch East Indies. History Ha ...
. Only from Ali the lineage of Abdurrahman continued as Abdul Qadir had only three daughters (the Arab society is
patrilineal Patrilineality, also known as the male line, the spear side or agnatic kinship, is a common kinship system in which an individual's family membership derives from and is recorded through their father's lineage. It generally involves the inheritanc ...
). Among students of Habib Abdurahman was ''Habib Ahmad Bin alwi al-Haddad'', known as Habib Kuncung, who is buried in
Kalibata Kalibata is a kelurahan (literally "ward", in this case the smallest unit in the sub-division of urban areas), part of Pancoran which is itself a subdistrict of South Jakarta, Indonesia. The ward name comes from "kali" and "bata" meaning river mos ...
, which is known for his piety and sanctity. His grandfather was Habib Abdullah bin Muhammad al-Habshi was born in
Pontianak Pontianak, also known as Khuntien in Teochew and Hakka, is the capital of the Indonesian province of West Kalimantan, founded first as a trading port on the island of Borneo, occupying an area of 118.21 km2 in the delta of the Kapuas R ...
,
West Kalimantan West Kalimantan () is a province of Indonesia. It is one of five Indonesian provinces comprising Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo. Its capital and largest city is Pontianak. It is bordered by East Kalimantan and Central ...
. He married a
Semarang Semarang (Javanese script, Javanese: , ''Kutha Semarang'') is the capital and largest city of Central Java province in Indonesia. It was a major port during the Netherlands, Dutch Dutch East Indies, colonial era, and is still an important regio ...
girl and had a son named Abdurrahman, and later in Pontianak he married another girl of Bansir family and had a son named Ali, who later moved to
Gorontalo Gorontalo ( Gorontaloan: ''Hulontalo'') is a province of Indonesia on the island of Sulawesi. Located on the Minahasa Peninsula, Gorontalo was formerly part of the province of North Sulawesi until its inauguration as a separate province on 5 De ...
, settled and built a family there. Abdullah died on his sailing back to Pontianak, where the ship sunk in
Java sea The Java Sea (, ) is an extensive shallow sea on the Sunda Shelf, between the Indonesian islands of Borneo to the north, Java to the south, Sumatra to the west, and Sulawesi to the east. Karimata Strait to its northwest links it to the South Ch ...
near
Sukadana Sukadana () is a town and regency seat of North Kayong Regency (Kabupaten Kayong Utara), on the island of Borneo. North Kayong regency is one of the regencies of West Kalimantan province in Indonesia. The nearest airport is Rahadi Osman Airpor ...
in 1833 CE (1249 AH). According to some sources, the ship sunk while fighting against "Lanun", a term used by people in
Pontianak Pontianak, also known as Khuntien in Teochew and Hakka, is the capital of the Indonesian province of West Kalimantan, founded first as a trading port on the island of Borneo, occupying an area of 118.21 km2 in the delta of the Kapuas R ...
for ''
pirates Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and valuable goods, or taking hostages. Those who conduct acts of piracy are call ...
''. Habib Ali Kwitang's great-grandfather, Muhammad al-Habshi was a wulayti, came from
Hadhramaut Hadhramaut ( ; ) is a geographic region in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula which includes the Yemeni governorates of Hadhramaut, Shabwah and Mahrah, Dhofar in southwestern Oman, and Sharurah in the Najran Province of Saudi A ...
and lived in Pontianak but died in Taribah, Hadhramaut. He married the princess of Pontianak Sultanate of Algadri clan from the dynasty of al-Qadiriyyah al-Hashimiyyah. Ali was a
Sayyid ''Sayyid'' is an honorific title of Hasanid and Husaynid lineage, recognized as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his daughter Fatima and Ali's sons Hasan ibn Ali, Hasan and Husayn ibn Ali, Husayn. The title may also refer ...
and his lineage traces back to Imam
Ali Ali ibn Abi Talib (; ) was the fourth Rashidun caliph who ruled from until his assassination in 661, as well as the first Shia Imam. He was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Born to Abu Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib an ...
as recorded as follows: Ali bin Abdurrahman bin Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Husein bin Abdurrahman bin Husein bin Abdurrahman bin Hadi bin Ahmad Shahib Syi'ib bin Muhammad al-Ashghar bin Alwi bin Abubakar al-Habshi bin Ali bin Ahmad bin Muhammad Assadilah bin Hasan al-Turabi bin Ali bin Muhammad al-Faqih Muqaddam bin ''Ali'' ibn ''Muhammad Shahib Mirbath'' bin ''Ali Khali' Qasam ''bin ''Alwi al-Tsani'' bin ''Muhammad'' bin ''Alwi al-Awwal'' bin ''Ubaidillah'' bin
Ahmad al-Muhajir Ahmad al-Muhajir (, ', ; 260-345 Hijri year, AH or c. 873-956 Common Era, CE), also known as al-Imām Aḥmad ibn ʿĪsā, was an Islamic scholar and the founder of Ba 'Alawi sada group which is instrumental in spreading Islam to India, Southeast ...
ibn Isa al-Rumi ibn Muhammad al-Naqib bin 'Ali al-Uraidhi ibn
Ja'far al-Sadiq Ja'far al-Sadiq (; –765) was a Muslim hadith transmitter and the last agreed-upon Shia Imam between the Twelvers and Isma'ilis. Known by the title al-Sadiq ("The Truthful"), Ja'far was the eponymous founder of the Ja'fari school of Isla ...
bin
Muhammad al-Baqir Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir (; ) was a descendant of the prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad and the fifth of the Twelve Imams, twelve Shia imams, succeeding his father, Ali al-Sajjad, and succeeded by his son, Ja'far al-Sad ...
ibn Zayn al-‘Ābdīn ibn
Husain Husain, a variant spelling of Hussein, is a common Arabic name, especially among Muslims because of the status of Husayn ibn Ali Husayn ibn Ali (; 11 January 626 – 10 October 680 Common Era, CE) was a social, political and religious leader ...
ibn
Ali bin Abu Talib Ali ibn Abi Talib (; ) was the fourth Rashidun caliph who ruled from until his assassination in 661, as well as the first Shia Imam. He was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Born to Abu Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib and ...
and
Fatimah Fatima bint Muhammad (; 605/15–632 CE), commonly known as Fatima al-Zahra' (), was the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his wife Khadija bint Khuwaylid, Khadija. Fatima's husband was Ali, the fourth of the Rashidun caliphs and ...
daughter of
Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...
.


Early life

Abdurahman asked his wife, Nyi Salmah, to ensure that his son, Ali, was schooled in
Hadhramaut Hadhramaut ( ; ) is a geographic region in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula which includes the Yemeni governorates of Hadhramaut, Shabwah and Mahrah, Dhofar in southwestern Oman, and Sharurah in the Najran Province of Saudi A ...
and
Mecca Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above ...
as It was common for
Betawi people Betawi people, Batavi, or Batavians (''Orang Betawi'' in Indonesian, meaning "people of Batavia"), are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the city of Jakarta and its immediate outskirts, as such often described as the inhabitants of the ...
to send their children to the Middle East for religious education. When Ali reached about 11 years old, he went to
Hadhramaut Hadhramaut ( ; ) is a geographic region in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula which includes the Yemeni governorates of Hadhramaut, Shabwah and Mahrah, Dhofar in southwestern Oman, and Sharurah in the Najran Province of Saudi A ...
to study Islam from 1881 CE to 1886 CE. The first place he went was rubath Habib 'Abdur Rahman ibn' Alwi al-'Aydrus. There he learned from the scholars, among others, Habib 'Ali ibn Muhammad al-Habshi (the author of
Mawlid The Mawlid () is an annual festival commemorating the birthday of the Islamic prophet Muhammad on the traditional date of 12 Rabi' al-Awwal, the third month of the Islamic calendar. A day central to the traditions of some Sunnis, Mawlid is al ...
book ''Shimthud Durar''), Habib Hasan bin Ahmad al-'Aydrus, Habib Zain bin 'Alwi Ba'Abud, Habib Ahmad bin Hasan al-'Aththas and
Shaikh Shaikh usually refers to: * Sheikh, as an alternate Romanization; a term for elders, tribal leaders, and royalty in Arabic-influenced cultures It may also refer to: Communities * Shaikhs in South Asia, a social and ethnic grouping in South Asia ...
Hasan bin 'Awadh. He also had the opportunity to study in ''al-Haramain'' (the Land of the Two Holy Mosques) during 1887-1889 and studied under Habib Muhammad bin Husain al-Habshi (
Mufti A mufti (; , ) is an Islamic jurist qualified to issue a nonbinding opinion ('' fatwa'') on a point of Islamic law (''sharia''). The act of issuing fatwas is called ''iftāʾ''. Muftis and their ''fatāwa'' have played an important role thro ...
of Mecca), Sayyid Abu Bakr al-Bakri Syatha al-Dimyati, Shaikh Muhammad Said Babsail, and Shaikh 'Umar Hamda. His passion to study never stopped, even after his return to Indonesia in 1889. He studied with a number of prominent scholars in Jakarta, including
Habib Usman bin Yahya Usman bin Yahya, Utsman ibn Yahya or Othman bin Yahya (; full name: () 17 Rabi' al-awwal 1238 AH – 21 Safar 1331 AH; 1822 – 1913) was an Islamic scholar who served as Grand Mufti of Batavia in 19th century of Dutch East Indies. History Ha ...
the mufti of Batavia, the
marabout In the Muslim world, the marabout () is a Sayyid, descendant of Muhammad (Arabic: سـيّد, Romanization of Arabic, romanized: ''sayyid'' and ''sidi'' in the Maghreb) and a Islam, Muslim religious leader and teacher who historically had the f ...
Habib Abdullah bin Muhsin Alatas in Empang,
Bogor Bogor City (), or Bogor (, ), is a landlocked city in the West Java, Indonesia. Located around south of the national capital of Jakarta, Bogor is the 6th largest city in the Jakarta metropolitan area and the 14th overall nationwide.
(his favorite teacher in Indonesia), and Habib Muhammad bin Ahmad al-Muhdhar of
Bondowoso Bondowoso Regency () is a landlocked Regencies of Indonesia, regency in East Java, Indonesia. It covers an area of 1,560.10 km2, and had a population of 736,772 at the 2010 CensusBiro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. and 776,151 at the 2020 ...
.


Later life

At the age of 20 years,
Habib Habib (; ; also romanized as Habeeb) is an Arabic masculine given name, occasional surname, and honorific, with the meaning "beloved" or "my love", or "darling". It also forms the famous Arabic word ''"Habibi"'' which is used to refer to a friend ...
Ali Kwitang married to Syarifah Aisha binti Ali Assegaf, a girl from Gedong Hijau,
South Jakarta South Jakarta (; ), abbreviated as Jaksel, is one of the five administrative cities which form the Special Capital Region of Jakarta, Indonesia. South Jakarta is not self-governed and does not have a city council, hence it is not classified as a ...
. From the marriage, Habib Ali had eight daughters (Rogayah, Fatimah, Khadijah, Maryam, Mahani, Zainab, Zahra, and Sa’diyah) and two sons (Abdurrahman and Muhammad). His first child, Abdurahman, whom used to be called ''Wan Derahman,'' married a catholic woman of Dutch descent named ''Maria Van Engels'' (people later called her ''Wan Enon'' or ''Jidah Non'', while her families call her '' Nonni'') who then converted to Islam and changed her name to Mariam. Abdurrahman had a short life and died in 1940 long before his father died. Abdurahman was buried initially at '' Said Naum Cemetery'' in
Tanah Abang Tanah Abang () is a districts of Indonesia, district of Central Jakarta, Indonesia. The district hosts the biggest textile Market (place), market in Southeast Asia, Tanah Abang Market. It also hosts Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Kelurahan Gelora ...
, but later moved to Karet Cemetery. Children of the couple Abdurrahman and Mariam, among others, were Muhdhar (nickname: ''Adong'') and Salmah (nickname: ''Dameh''). Salmah or better known as ''Bu Dame or mother Dame' (d. 2000) was the only one of granddaughters of Habib Ali who continued the
dawah ' (, , "invitation", also spelt , , , or ) is the act of inviting people to Islam. The plural is () or (). Preachers who engage in dawah are known as da'i. Etymology literally means "issuing a summons" or "making an invitation". Gramma ...
to women congregation in Kwitang. In addition to preaching at a number of places, he also traded for living. While carrying his merchandises on horseback, Habib Ali began trading in Tanah Abang Market in 1900. Although he was busy trading, Habib Ali always kept his prayer times, which was then followed by many Muslim merchants at Tanah Abang market. Every day approximately 10 minutes before
Dhuhr Dhuhr (, also transliterated as Zuhr, Duhr or Thuhr) is one of the five daily mandatory Islamic prayers (''salah''). It is observed after Fajr and before Asr, between the zenith of noon and sunset, and contains 4 ''rak'a'' (units). On Friday, ...
time, Ali closed his stall and carried most of his merchandise, followed by other traders. After midday Habib Ali no longer open his stall, but did trade while preaching to the planned destination of each days. Such condition followed by other traders, in such that the Tanah Abang market at the time was then called ''Tanah Abang Morning Market'' (because it open only in the morning). He did this until he reached 70 years old. Habib Ali was involved in the establishment of
Jamiat Kheir Jamiat Kheir ('; ; ; different Latin spellings have also been used in the past, such as ''Djamiat Chair'', ''Djameat Geir, Djamijat Chaer'', ''Jam'iyyat khair'' or ''Jamiatul Khair'') is one of a few early private institutions in Indonesia that ...
in 1901 and Rabithah al-Alawiyah in 1928. Although he was not an active member of Jamiar Kheir, he gave spiritual support for the establishment. In 1928, Habib Ali held his first
mawlid The Mawlid () is an annual festival commemorating the birthday of the Islamic prophet Muhammad on the traditional date of 12 Rabi' al-Awwal, the third month of the Islamic calendar. A day central to the traditions of some Sunnis, Mawlid is al ...
in front of Al Ma'mur Masjid or in the field of Jamiat Kheir Foundation in Tanah Abang, but later was held in Kwitang. Ali went for
Hajj Hajj (; ; also spelled Hadj, Haj or Haji) is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for capable Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetim ...
three times. First in 1311 AH or 1894 CE when Mecca was ruled by Aun Al-Rafiq Pasha, the second was in 1343 AH or 1925 CE when Hejaz was ruled by King Ali bin Hussein, and the third one was in 1354 AH or 1936 CE when the
Hejaz Hejaz is a Historical region, historical region of the Arabian Peninsula that includes the majority of the western region of Saudi Arabia, covering the cities of Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, Tabuk, Yanbu, Taif and Al Bahah, Al-B ...
was ruled by King Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud. In the beginning of 1958 Habib Ali fell in the bathroom which resulted severe joints injury. His family refused Ali to get a surgery, because he was already more than 90 years old, so he just got regular treatment. He became partially paralyzed and almost always on wheelchair. In the last few years of his life Habib Ali spent his time reading the
Koran The Quran, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which ...
at his
veranda A veranda (also spelled verandah in Australian and New Zealand English) is a roofed, open-air hallway or porch, attached to the outside of a building. A veranda is often partly enclosed by a railing and frequently extends across the front an ...
in Kwitang. Habib Ali even made his residence as a mosque named ''Awwabin '' and used it for
Maghrib Maghrib () is one of the five mandatory salah (Islamic prayers), and contains three cycles (''rak'a''). If counted from midnight, it is the fourth one. According to Shia and Sunni Muslims, the period for Maghrib prayer starts just after suns ...
,
Isha Isha may refer to: * Isha (Fantasy), a fictional deity from ''Warhammer Fantasy'' * Isha Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev * Isha prayer, the Islamic night-time daily prayer * Isha Upanishad, the Hindu religi ...
, and Fajr prayers in congregation with a number of his disciples.


Death

Habib Ali died Sunday on October 13, 1968, at 20:45 pm at the age of 98 years or around 103 years by Hijri calendar. His death received tremendous attention from his disciples and also Muslim communities in the country. The news of his death was even broadcast by a number of television and radio stations from Arab countries as well as
Voice of America Voice of America (VOA or VoA) is an international broadcasting network funded by the federal government of the United States that by law has editorial independence from the government. It is the largest and oldest of the American internation ...
's broadcasting station to various countries. The only Indonesian TV broadcasting station at that time,
TVRI TVRI (, Television of the Republic of Indonesia) is an Indonesian national public television network and one of Indonesia's two national Public Broadcasting Institutions, the other being the public radio network RRI. First publicly airing in ...
, broadcast the news live about his death as well. When the news of his death spread out, thousands of people mourned and paid respects at the funeral home. Habib Ali Kwitang could be the only servant of God in Indonesia whose body was bathed with the Zam Zam water. On the day of his funeral, the Indonesian government decided to make the day of funeral as
National day of mourning A national day of mourning is a day, or one of several days, marked by mourning and memorial activities observed among the majority of a country's populace. They are designated by the national government. Such days include those marking the deat ...
and expected people to install flag at
half-mast Half-mast or half-staff (American English) refers to a flag flying below the summit of a ship mast, a pole on land, or a pole on a building. In many countries this is seen as a symbol of respect, mourning, distress, or, in some cases, a sal ...
in honor of his services to the nation and state. At the time when the body was going to be moved from the house to the cemetery, it could not be moved due to the large number of mourners filled the Kramat II street to the Arriyadh Mosque. The body was then carried passing over the heads of thousands of mourners and it took about half an hour to arrive, even though the distance to the burial was only approximately from the residence of Habib Ali. Habib Salim bin Jindan appointed and initiated a
Bay'ah ''Bayʿah'' (, "Pledge of allegiance"), in Islamic terminology, is an oath of allegiance to a leader. It is known to have been practiced by the Islamic prophet Muhammad. In Bedouin culture it was a procedure for choosing the leader of the trib ...
to Ali's son Muhammad to continue his father's work. Since the death of Muhammad on December 12, 1993, the leadership of ICI is continued by Muhammad's son, Abdurrahman al-Habshi. The death of Habib Ali Kwitang according to
Hamka Abdul Malik Karim Amrullah, better known by his pen name Hamka (17 February 1908 – 24 July 1981) was an Indonesian ʿālim, philosopher, writer, novelist, lecturer, politician and journalist. First affiliated with the Masyumi Party, until ...
was very big loss for the nation, because Habib Ali's struggle for preaching had made many people in Jakarta became better Muslims. Hamka also acknowledged that Habib Ali was the descendant of
Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...
the prophet of Islam and played very important role in the struggle of Indonesian people, so he should deservedly get a high respect.


Career

During Dutch East Indies ruling, there was a rebellion against the government in
Priangan Parahyangan () or Priangan (Sundanese script: ) is a cultural and mountainous region in West Java province on the Indonesian island of Java. Covering a little less than one-sixth of Java, it is the heartland of Sundanese people and their culture ...
area. The Dutch government sought help to Habib Ali Kwitang to mediate a ceasefire with the Priangan Muslims in the region. Fortunately Habib Ali Kwitang successfully mollified the Priangan people, so they would stop the war. This incident pleased the Dutch Colonial, so it gave the Medal of Honor to Ali for his contribution to reconcile the dispute. In addition to ''tasuwir'' (the betawi term for a
Sermon A sermon is a religious discourse or oration by a preacher, usually a member of clergy. Sermons address a scriptural, theological, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law, or behavior within both past and present context ...
at the time), he also authored a number of books, such as ''al-Azhar Al-Wardiyyah fi al-Shuurah An-Nabawiyyah '' (The character of the Prophet) and ''al-Durar Fi al-Shalawat al-Khair al-Bariyyah'' (book about shalawat). He also used ''yellow books'' (a term for classic religious books; usually printed in yellow paper) written by Abdullah ibn Alawi al-Haddad, a scholar living in Hadramaut about 300 years ago who wrote the famous ''Ratib Haddad''. There was already a mosque in Kwitang in 1910 called ''al-Riyadh Musholla.'' In order to strengthen the preaching task, in 1918 Habib Ali expanded the mosque, where next to it he later built a
madrasah Madrasa (, also , ; Arabic: مدرسة , ), sometimes romanized as madrasah or madrassa, is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whether for elementary education or higher learning ...
named ''Madrasah Unwanul Falah''. The land used to build the mosque was a
waqf A (; , plural ), also called a (, plural or ), or ''mortmain'' property, is an Alienation (property law), inalienable charitable financial endowment, endowment under Sharia, Islamic law. It typically involves donating a building, plot ...
partially provided by a Betawi of Kwitang, Haji Jilani (Mad Jilani) and by Sayyid Abdurrahman bin Syech AlKaff. Many scholars in Jakarta had been his students or had studied at the madrasah. In 1911 Ali founded ''Majelis Taklim Kwitang'' (the activity of congregation in ''Majelis Taklim'' is mostly listening to sermon given by the preacher) on Kwitang II street. In relatively short time, his activity attracted many people, including from the suburbs such as
Ciputat Ciputat is a town and an administrative district (''kecamatan'') in the city of South Tangerang, in Banten Province on Java, Indonesia and is inside the Greater Jakarta metropolitan area. It covers an area of 21.11 km2 and had a population of 19 ...
, Condet, even
Depok Depok ( Sundanese: ᮓᮨᮕᮧᮊ᮪) is a landlocked city in West Java province. It is located directly south of Jakarta, it is the third largest urban centre in the Greater Jakarta metropolitan area after Jakarta and Bekasi and it has an area ...
. Because there was no city bus at that time, some of his disciples came by train, but mostly by horse-powered wagons. On April 20, 1963, he was in the committee to renovate the mosque for its third time. The committee consisted of government officials as well as
Ulama In Islam, the ''ulama'' ( ; also spelled ''ulema''; ; singular ; feminine singular , plural ) are scholars of Islamic doctrine and law. They are considered the guardians, transmitters, and interpreters of religious knowledge in Islam. "Ulama ...
s. On May 8, 1963, some newspapers in Jakarta, the Indonesian news agency Antara carried story about the Masjid Kwitang renovation with dome and
minaret A minaret is a type of tower typically built into or adjacent to mosques. Minarets are generally used to project the Muslim call to prayer (''adhan'') from a muezzin, but they also served as landmarks and symbols of Islam's presence. They can h ...
s. A number of other
Betawi Betawi may refer to: *Betawi people *Betawi language *Betawi cuisine Betawi cuisine is rich, diverse and eclectic, in part because the Betawi people that create them were composed from numbers of Native Indonesian, regional immigrants that came ...
scholars who had studied to him and some even open other ''Majelis Taklim'' were Thahir Rohili (the founder of ''al-Thahiriyyah''), Abdullah Syafi'i (the founder of ''Assyafi'iyyah''), Fathullah Harun (later migrated to
Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...
), Abdulrazak Mamun and Zayadi. Although these people were his disciples, Habib Ali treat them like his own family. He often visited them at their home. In his ''Majelis Taklim'', they were always given the opportunity to give a speech. Later, Habib Salim bin Jindan, who was famous for hist fiery speeches, joined him. As a well-known scholar, Habib Ali preached at many places in Indonesia. He also had students from
Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
and
Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...
. In addition, he also had traveled to many countries, such as
Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
,
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
,
Colombo Colombo, ( ; , ; , ), is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. The Colombo metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of 5.6 million, and 752,993 within the municipal limits. It is the ...
, and
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
. Habib Ali was known not only in
Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...
n countries (such as
Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...
,
Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
, or
Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...
), but also in African and Middle East countries. Habib Ali began to perform
Mawlid The Mawlid () is an annual festival commemorating the birthday of the Islamic prophet Muhammad on the traditional date of 12 Rabi' al-Awwal, the third month of the Islamic calendar. A day central to the traditions of some Sunnis, Mawlid is al ...
every last Thursday of
Rabi' al-awwal Rabiʽ al-Awwal (, also known as Rabi' al-Ula (), or Rabi' I) is the third month of the Islamic calendar. The name ''Rabī‘ al-awwal'' means "''the first month'' or ''beginning of Spring (season), spring''", referring to its position in the ...
since the death of Muhammad ibn Habib Idrus Al-Habshi in 1920 CE (1338 AH) until 1937 CE (1355 AH) at
Jamiat Kheir Jamiat Kheir ('; ; ; different Latin spellings have also been used in the past, such as ''Djamiat Chair'', ''Djameat Geir, Djamijat Chaer'', ''Jam'iyyat khair'' or ''Jamiatul Khair'') is one of a few early private institutions in Indonesia that ...
and later moved to al-Riyadh mosque. Habib Ali also played an important role in the establishment of
Al-Rabithah al-Alawiyyah Rabithah Alawiyah (; lit. ''The Association of Alavi (surname), Alawiyyin '' or'' Alawiyyin League'') is an Indonesian Islamic organization engaged in social movements. In general, the organization is an exclusive association of Hadhrami people, ...
in 1928 and its sub-organization, '' al-Maktab Daimi'' in around 1940. Habib Ali was respected by many Indonesian officials and also befriend with
Sukarno Sukarno (6 June 1901 – 21 June 1970) was an Indonesian statesman, orator, revolutionary, and nationalist who was the first president of Indonesia, serving from 1945 to 1967. Sukarno was the leader of the Indonesian struggle for independenc ...
. A few days before the
Proclamation of Indonesian Independence The Proclamation of Indonesian Independence (, or simply ''Proklamasi'') was read at 10:00 Tokyo Standard Time on Friday 17 August 1945 in Jakarta. The declaration marked the start of the diplomatic and armed resistance of the Indonesian Nati ...
, Habib Ali Kwitang offered his residence for Sukarno to stay overnight before proclaiming the independence to avoid threats from the
Dutch Empire The Dutch colonial empire () comprised overseas territories and trading posts under some form of Dutch control from the early 17th to late 20th centuries, including those initially administered by Dutch chartered companies—primarily the Du ...
. During his stay at Habib Ali Kwitang's residence, Sukarno always followed spiritual activities in Habib Ali's assembly and congregation. The assembly invoked a lot of prayers for safety of Sukarno and for the independence which would be proclaimed on the August 17, 1945 CE which was also in the month of
Ramadan Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting (''Fasting in Islam, sawm''), communal prayer (salah), reflection, and community. It is also the month in which the Quran is believed ...
. In 1963, Sukarno planned to visit his congregation but due to various factors could not attend, so he instead sent the Indonesian
Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
at the time,
Djuanda Kartawidjaja Djuanda Kartawidjaja ( EYD: Juanda Kartawijaya; 14 January 1911 – 7 November 1963), more commonly referred to mononymously as Djuanda, was an Indonesian politician and technocrat who held various positions during the presidency of Sukarno ...
. In March 1965, during Asian-African Islamic Conference (KIAA), the heads of state and guests were ushered to Habib Ali's ''Majelis Taklim Kwitang'' by the chief of staff of the armed forces of Indonesia who was the Minister of Defence, General
Abdul Haris Nasution Abdul Haris Nasution (; 3 December 1918 – 6 September 2000) was a high-ranking Indonesian general and politician. He served in the military during the Indonesian National Revolution and remained in the military during the subsequent turmoil of ...
. Leaders of the
Muslim World League The Muslim World League (MWL; ) is an international Islamic non-governmental organization based in Mecca, Saudi Arabia that promotes what it calls the true message of Islam by advancing moderate values. The NGO has been funded by the Saudi gov ...
during their visit to Indonesia also paid a visit to Habib Ali. Similarly,
Soeharto Suharto (8 June 1921 – 27 January 2008) was an Indonesian Officer (armed forces), military officer and politician, and dictator, who was the second and longest serving president of Indonesia, serving from 1967 to 1998. His 32 years rule, cha ...
,
B.J. Habibie Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie (; 25 June 1936 – 11 September 2019) was an Indonesian politician, engineer and scientist who served as the third president of Indonesia from 1998 to 1999. Less than three months after his inauguration as the seventh ...
,
Abdurrahman Wahid Abdurrahman Wahid ( ; né ad-Dakhil, 7 September 1940 – 30 December 2009), more colloquially known as Gus Dur (), was an Indonesian politician and Islam in Indonesia, Islamic Kyai, religious leader who served as the fourth president of Indone ...
, and
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (born 9 September 1949), commonly referred to as SBY, is an Indonesian politician and retired Indonesian Army, army general who served as the sixth president of Indonesia from 2004 to 2014 and the second president of Ind ...
at least have visited the place once. Traditionally, every new elected governor of Jakarta would visit the shrine of Habib Ali.


Legacies

According to Mohammad Asad bin Ali bin Ahmad Shahab who knew Habib Ali Kwitang for decades, Habib Ali's assembly could survive for more than a century as the core teachings of Islam because the materials he offered were peaceful, full of
akhlaq Islamic ethics () is the "philosophical reflection upon moral conduct" with a view to defining "good character" and attaining the "pleasure of God" (''raza-e Ilahi''). It is distinguished from " Islamic morality", which pertains to "specific norms ...
,
monotheistic Monotheism is the belief that one God is the only, or at least the dominant deity.F. L. Cross, Cross, F.L.; Livingstone, E.A., eds. (1974). "Monotheism". The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (2 ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. A ...
, contained purity of faith, social solidarity, and noble morality. Although traditionally Habib Ali and his future generations follow
Shafi'i The Shafi'i school or Shafi'i Madhhab () or Shafi'i is one of the four major schools of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), belonging to the Ahl al-Hadith tradition within Sunni Islam. It was founded by the Muslim scholar, jurist, and traditionis ...
Madhhab A ''madhhab'' (, , pl. , ) refers to any school of thought within fiqh, Islamic jurisprudence. The major Sunni Islam, Sunni ''madhhab'' are Hanafi school, Hanafi, Maliki school, Maliki, Shafi'i school, Shafi'i and Hanbali school, Hanbali. They ...
for
fiqh ''Fiqh'' (; ) is the term for Islamic jurisprudence.Fiqh
Encyclopædia Britannica
''Fiqh'' is of ...
and
Ba 'Alawiyya The Ba'Alawi tariqa (), also known as the Tariqa Ba Alawiyya is a Sufi order centered in Hadhramawt, Yemen, but now spread across the Indian Ocean rim along with the Hadhrami diaspora. The order is closely tied to the Ba'Alawi sadah famil ...
for everything else, one of his grandsons, Ali Ridha bin Muhammad, is a shiah scholar, graduated from
Qom Qom (; ) is a city in the Central District of Qom County, Qom province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is the seventh largest metropolis and also the seventh largest city in Iran. The city is ...
in 1974. Habib Ali's
Majlis (, pl. ') is an Arabic term meaning 'sitting room', used to describe various types of special gatherings among common interest groups of administrative, social or religious nature in countries with linguistic or cultural connections to the Mus ...
of
Mawlid The Mawlid () is an annual festival commemorating the birthday of the Islamic prophet Muhammad on the traditional date of 12 Rabi' al-Awwal, the third month of the Islamic calendar. A day central to the traditions of some Sunnis, Mawlid is al ...
is still hold annually to date in Jakarta, and is usually attended by thousands of people from many places, including foreign countries.


References


Bibliography

* {{cite book, title=Sumur yang tak pernah kering : dari Kwitang menjadi ulama besar : riwayat Habib Ali Alhabsyi Kwitang, first1=Abdurrahman, last1=bin Muhammad al-Habsyi, editor=Prasetyo Sudrajat, isbn=978-6029668308, language=id, publisher=ICI, year=2010, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yKs1YAAACAAJ 1870 births 1968 deaths Indonesian Muslims 20th-century Muslim scholars of Islam Sunni Sufis Indonesian people of Yemeni descent Indonesian Sunni Muslim scholars of Islam Ba' Alawi Tribe