Usman bin Yahya

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Pondok Bambu
Other namesHabib Usman bin Yahya
Occupation(s)Islamic scholar, Mufti
EmployerDutch East Indies
Known forMufti of Batavia
Notable workpreaching
TitleHabib
Parent(s)Abdullah bin Aqil (father)
Aminah (mother)

Usman bin Yahya, Utsman ibn Yahya or Othman bin Yahya (

Rabi' al-awwal 1238 AH – 1913 CE/21 Safar 1331 AH) was an Islamic scholar who served as Grand Mufti of Batavia in 19th century of Dutch East Indies
.

History

Snouck Hurgronje explained that his grandfather was a respected scholar as Sheikh of Sadah for 50 years and died in Mecca in 1823 CE/1238 AH.[3]

His father moved to Mecca when Uthman was 3 years old, so Uthman was taken care of by his grandfather, Aqil. His grandfather has many other sons, besides the father of Uthman. Many of his sons became scholars in Mecca, such as Sayyid Ishaq, who died in the city of

Ta'if, and Sayyid Qasim who continued Agil's leadership as Shaikh of Sada in Mecca.[3]

Uthman had a family relationship with

Habib Ali Kwitang
through one of his daughters named Sidah, who married Abdul Qadir, the brother of Habib Ali Kwitang.

Uthman died in 1913 CE (precisely on 21 Safar 1331 AH) at more than 90 years of age. He was buried in the

Kelurahan Pondok Bambu, where his grave is still well preserved in the south part of the mosque of al-Abidin in Pondok Bambu, East Jakarta.[4][5]

Education

Uthman studied

Akhlaq, Tawhid, Fiqh, Sufism, Nahwu Sharaf, Hadith and Astronomy under the care of his maternal grandfather, Shaykh Abdurrahman bin Ahmad Al-Mishri. After the death of his grandfather when he was 18 years old, Uthman went for hajj and met his father and relatives in Mecca. There, for seven years he studied Islamic sciences under his father and Ahmad Zayni Dahlan, the Mufti of Mecca at the time. Uthman continued his journey in the pursuit of knowledge to Hadhramaut in 1848. There, he studied under Habib Abdullah bin Umar and his maternal uncle Habib Husein bin Abdullah (later on, one of his teacher's grandson, Sayyid Muhammad bin Agil which was married to Uthman's daughters).[3]

He also went to and studied in Egypt and once married to an Egyptian woman. He continued his journey to Tunisia, where he often exchanged ideas with the Mufti of

Ottoman Sultanate. Later, he went to Jerusalem in Palestine before returning to Mecca.[4]

Career

In Rabi 'al-Awwal 1279 AH (1862 CE) he went back to Batavia after 22 years of journey to seek knowledge and settled in Petamburan, Tanah Abang area. Over there, he wrote and compiled books, especially about amalil yaum (daily remembrances) and books about sins, unbelieving, polytheism and on subjects that are contrary to Aqidah. In his life, he has written about 116 books.[4] One of the books he authored, al-Qawānin al-Syar'iyyah li ahli al-Majālisi al-Hukmiyati wal ‘Iftiayati, was even used as a reference in the religious courts system in Indonesia at least until the 1950s.

To make ends meet for him and his family, Uthman founded his own printing company named Pertjetakan Batu. Moreover, his lithographic printing press is the first in Indonesia and became a pillar of the local spreading of intellectualism within the period.[6]

He also opened his Majelis Taklim (a gathering to seek religious knowledge) which was attended by many people including some other scholars from all over Batavia and surrounding areas, Among his students was

Habib Ali Alhabsyi.[4] He also plays an important role in the founding of Jamiat Kheir
, an education foundation in Batavia in 1908.

Uthman was appointed as Mufti of Batavia in 1871 (1289 AH). The Dutch government paid him a monthly stipend starting from 1889 until his death to provide advice on Islamic policy, with the title of Honorary Adviser for Arab Affairs in 1891.

Governor General Cornelis Pijnacker Hordijk the possibility to employ Uthman in colonial administration. Snouck also nominated Uthman as his assistant with an allowance of 100 guilders. Snouck suggested for himself to pay Uthman discreetly to avoid diminishing his authority among Muslims. All of Snouck's requests were granted by the colonial administration[9]

Uthman was also active in local politics. Along with Hugronje he interfered with the appointment of a new

Kapten Arab in Batavia in 1901 by supporting and pushing 'Umar Manqush instead of Balwael as candidate. On 27 March 1905, he was appointed as a native member of the municipal council of Batavia in 1905, but resigned on 27 July 1905. He most probably accepted the brief position under pressure from Snouck.[10]

Controversies

Habib Uthman's attitudes in politics were sometimes quite controversial, especially in his position on jihad and Holy War, particularly concerning a riot against the Dutch in Cilegon, Banten. Although Habib Uthman had good reason in his argument, many scholars alleged him as a colonial stooge. Moreover, he was also hard against mystical practices, as he wrote in the book Manhaj al-Istiqamah. In a letter dated March 26, 1891, Snouck wrote about Sayyid Uthman's opinions in regards to jihad which was interpreted incorrectly by some Indonesian Muslims: "Many people were 'misled' by some law doctrines of jihad, and they thought that a Muslim person is justified in the presence of God to do acts such as to take possessions of the unbelievers, Chinese or dutch people for himself ... "[5] Uthman also assisted Hurgronje by issuing fatwa to support the Dutch war against Aceh.

Among other incidents which drew the ire of

Singaporean Arabs was Habib Uthman's reading of prayer on the occasion of the coronation of Queen Wilhelmina in 1898, at which time the Orde van de Nederlandsche Leeuw (Order of Netherlands Lion) was conferred on him. Calling him as friend of unbelievers, his opponents condemned Habib Uthman in letters to the Arabic Press and pamphlets printed in Singapore.[11]

His work

Arabic, Malay, Sundanese
dictionary") by Uthman

Uthman published religious books in Arabic and Malay (written in

lithographic press.[citation needed
]

References

  1. ISBN 978-9798880162
    .
  2. ISBN 9781108201353
    .
  3. ^ a b c "Menelusuri Jejak Keturunan Mufti Betawi" (in Indonesian). Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  4. ^ a b c d "Habib Usman bin Abdullah bin Yahya". Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  5. ^ a b "Habib Usman bin Yahya, Sang Mufti Batavia Pada Abad 19" (in Indonesian). June 8, 2008. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
  6. ^ Muhammad, Noufal. "Habib Utsman bin Yahya, Sang Mufti Betawi" (in Indonesian). Retrieved September 4, 2014.
  7. ISBN 978-1-137031716
    . Retrieved September 4, 2014.
  8. ISBN 978-9798391347
    .
  9. ISBN 978-9-004172319
    . Retrieved September 4, 2014.
  10. ISBN 978-900-4278707
    . Retrieved Aug 18, 2015.
  11. ISBN 978-9-004107717
    .
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