The Village Preacher

Plate 2 Ayah and Mak all ready to go to the formal occasion where he
was conferred the title “Datuk” by the Yang Dipertuan Agong. I took this
photo especially because this was the first (and later proven to be the
only time) I saw Ayah dressed in Baju Melayu, complete with kain sampin
songket. Photo dated October 9th 2012, 7:43 a.m.

51

There were several occasions where he would make us
all sit in a circle, while he delivered family lectures from his
collection of Malay “yellowing books” or “kitab-kitab kuning”,
like Maw’iẓat al-Mukminīn, Minhāj al-‘Ābidīn and some others,
as well as some selected Aḥadīth on akhlāq and morality. One of
his waṣiyyah to me, which I consider as the most significant, is
the importance of positioning one’s outlook on issues to be in
accordance with the Qur’ān and the Sunnah, i.e. the mainstream
Sunni discourse. I used to ask him on whom among the
cotemporary scholars that I should take as true to what they
said. Among those that he identified were Shaykh Abdal Hakim
Murad and Shaykh Sa‘ῑd Ramḍān al-Bouti (raḥimahu'Llāh).

I am so grateful to Allāh The Almighty for what my
mother, brothers, sisters and I inherit from him—the education
that he imparted on us and his teachings on fundamental
religious principles.

This invaluable inheritance is that which makes us live
our lives as Muslims and accept Divine Will with open heart –
such a statement is the least that I could express. I am also very
grateful to The Almighty Allāh that he left behind a large
collection of books on religious sciences, as well as some others
on Islamic and Western philosophies, which we all can benefit
from. May Allāh Subḥānahu wa Ta‘ālā bless his soul, āmīn.

52

Plate 3 Ayah performing the Barzanjī in solo, surrounded by happiness,
as seen on my brothers, brothers-in law and nephews. 9:26 p.m.,
February 18th 2012.

53

To us – his children – Ayah was a very honest and sincere
Muslim. He would put into practice religious knowledge the
moment he received it. He would never delay from
implementing in his life the knowledge that he had gained and
in our lives as members of his household. I remember him
resigning from his academic position in the 1970s and
henceforth returned to Kelantan, where he tried to establish a
madrasah and practiced a strict interpretation of Islamic life. It
was an ijtihād on his part, which he had made in lieu of several
factors.

As humans, our knowledge is continuously developing as
we uncover the different layers of understanding religious texts
and sources. It is paramount for us to know that those who
make ijtihād for the sole purpose of gaining the pleasure of
Allāh, will be duly rewarded by Him, The Almighty.

We pray that all his efforts in educating and imparting
Islamic knowledge and values to us, his children and his da‘wah
to the society will be amply rewarded by Allāh Subḥānahu wa
Ta‘ālā, in shā’ Allāh.

Asma El-Muhammady
Gombak, Selangor.

Thursday, May 11th, 2017.

54

“The Village Preacher”



Nur Jannah Hassan14

14 These are anecdotes, based on the personal diary of the Head of the
Memorial Project.

55

MY FIRST SEMESTER IN ISTAC, IIUM

I remember the first time I drove up the hill of the beautiful
IIUM Kuala Lumpur campus, perched atop Bukit Duta,
attending my very first class as a student of ISTAC. The reflex
from the deepest inner recess of my heart was,

‫ إِ َّن ا ْل َح ْمدَ َوالنِه ْع َمةَ لَ َك‬، ‫ َلبَّ ْي َك لاَ َش ِر ْي َك لَ َك لَبَّ ْي َك‬، ‫َلبَّ ْي َك اللَّه َّم لَبَّ ْي َك‬
.‫َوا ْلم ْل َك لاَ َش ِر ْي َك لَ َك‬

Here I am at Thy Service O Lord, here I am! Here I am at
Thy service and Thou hast no partners. Thine alone is All
Praise and All Bounty, and Thine alone is The Sovereignty.
Thou hast no partners.

Over and over I recited these words as I drove up the hill and
through ISTAC’s welcoming gates, tears flowing down my
cheeks.

Indeed, my journey as a student of ISTAC was nothing
less than a spiritual calling. I had been enticed to the campus by
my good friend, who is an artist and teaches art. Appreciation
of the beauty and harmony between form and function – my
personal take onto the aesthetic essence of God’s artistry – are
something that both of us share.

To me, the campus epitomises the very soul that faithful
artisans over the glorious periods of Islamic Civilisation had
expressed in their crafts out of their love and servitude

56

towards Him, the Benevolent Master of all creations. ISTAC
campus is known for its inherent inner peace. Its architecture,
its greenery, the birds, the air, and its peaceful quiet—calling
all to reflect and ponder upon the magnificent signs that the
Greatest Beauty—Allāh Rabb Al-Jamāl has scattered about for
us to discover and know Him.

As we were walking and admiring the beautiful interior
of the main building, my friend and I came across the Deputy
Dean, and before I knew it, I was filling up the application form
that very same night and mailing it the next morning, though
the deadline for students’ applications had past.

A fortnight later, I received the admission letter and
there I was, attending my very first class, as a student, after a
very long time.

QUR’ĀN AND SUNNAH FOUNDATION OF ISLAMIC
PERSONALITY, SOCIETY AND CULTURE:
Shaykh (Dr.) Muhammad Uthman El-Muhammady

Semester 2, 2008-2009, 6-9 p.m.

I can still remember my friend’s reaction and mine to Shaykh
(Dr.) Muhammad Uthman El-Muhammady, the Very
Distinguished Academic Fellow of ISTAC.

57

Clad in a pale blue long coat over a white thawb, with a
neatly wrapped white turban, was how we saw him that
evening and almost every time then on. He stood by the head of
the huge table in front of the class, delivering his lecture.

The clarity of his articulation, the soft intonation of his
voice, the sophistication and sharpness of his reasoning, the
astuteness of his arguments and the almost classical nuance of
his English – stood out in contrast to his apparent outlook.

His penetrating wisdom and adeptness in quoting verses
of the Qur’ān from memory and translating their meanings into
perfect English then and there left us speechless.

Out of utter amazement, my friend and I silently gestured
“Wow!” with our facial and bodily expressions. Mā shā’ Allāh!

The subjects of his lectures did not appear out of the
ordinary, but he was deliberating them from a perspective that,
to that point laid hidden from me. It soon became apparent; his
lectures were far from ordinary. He talked about spiritual
vigilance, spiritual witnessing, contemplative intelligence...
PROFOUND…!

It has indeed been a spiritual journey for me. We were
required to write two papers in his class. I wrote and submitted
my papers, which to my mind, were nothing note-worthy, far
from deserving a good grade.

58

Plate 4 Shaykh (Dr.) Muhammad Uthman El-Muhammady, circa 2009.
Photo courtesy of Asma.

59

I had always told my students to take learning as
something that they really wanted to do. Fuelled by an internal
calling towards knowing and bettering oneself, to enjoy the
intellectual, emotional and spiritual ‘uplift’ from ignorance, and
to perceive a bit more of the open, yet subtle secrets of God’s
creations – one proceeds a step closer in knowing The Creator,
Allāh Subḥānahu wa Ta‘ālā.

In so doing, the good grades would come in the same
package.

Indeed, it has been. Al-ḥamdu li’Llāh!

Over the next year, I had taken another course that he
taught, and over the years, I had been touched and guided by
him. Subḥāna’Llāh, there is no word that I can describe, on how
much this petite “Village Preacher” or “Lebai Kampung” – as he
would always describe himself – has enlightened me. He was
known as an excellent orator, his lectures were long and laden,
yet very engaging and captivating.

No matter how long his lessons would be, I would be
perched at the edge of my seat sitting upright, savouring each
pearl of wisdom that flowed from his pure and pristine heart.
His words were like a stream of cooling water flowing calmly
along a creek, nourishing everything in its path and into my
heart.

60

FRIDAY OCTOBER 21st 2011 / DHU AL-QA‘DAH 23, 1432

I resigned on June 30th 2011 from the school that had been my
life for well over 13 years. I was working on my thesis looking
into ethics in the practice of Islamic education. At the time I
was undergoing a deep crisis that left me with a great deal of
questions. I was torn, lonely and desolate.

Why does the world view right as wrong and embrace
wrong as right? Why are those who internalize the Prophetic
ways viewed as weak and ineffective? Why has the
evolutionists’ ‘survival of the fittest’ – fittest being everything
but integrity of moral character – become the new religion?
What is wrong with the world? What is WRONG with Muslims?
What is WRONG with the Muslim intellectuals?

I was ready to give up my love, to discard my passion, to
abandon education – to disown my robe as a teacher. I was
seriously considering my next passion – early motherhood and
early childhood upbringing. I saw the future of the young
generation as bleak unless something was done. But the pangs
of pain, detached from the passion that I had devoted all my
adult life to, to be unbearable.

I decided to see Shaykh Uthman who, ever since his first
lecture, I have regarded as my spiritual murabbī.

61

I poured my heart out to him; he encouraged me to hold
on and to remain strong. He related his own life’s bends and
taught me a dhikr that would help me to consolidate truth in
my utterances. He wrote it down in the Arabic script in my
small notebook.

786 (‫بِ ْس ِم الله )إلى اخير‬
‫ باݘ‬:‫كمديان‬

‫الله َّم أَ ْن َت لَ َها َو َل ْو َع َظ َم ْت فَفَ هر ْج َعنهى ِبفَ ْض ِل ِب ْس ِم الله ال هرحمن الرحيم‬

The Arabic and Jawi Malay scripts above are a transcription of
Ustādh Uthman’s handwriting that translates as,

“In the name of Allāh” to the end 786 times, then read “O
Allāh, Onto Thee is all Magnificence – relieve me with Thy
favour - In the name of Allāh, The Most Gracious, The Most
Merciful”.
His intervention was nothing short of enlightening and
liberating. Al-ḥamdu li’Llāh.

62

Plate 5 Shaykh Uthman’s writing in my small notebook – a dhikr to be
observed for forty days prior to the moment of an anticipated event.

63

WEDNESDAY MAY 23rd 2012 / RAJAB 2, 1433

Today was the day for Shaykh Uthman el-Muḥammady’s turn to
speak. It was the Special Lecture Series on Contemporary
Muslim Thinkers and Scholars of Islam. His presentation was
on “Sir ‘Allama Muḥammad Iqbal: His Life and Thought”.

I recall the Ustādh telling me how he was deeply affected
by the writings of the ‘Allama. As a teenager in his third year of
secondary school, he had in his room a larger than life portrait
of the ‘Allama, which he had to place on the floor and prop up
against the wall. I learnt from Professor Kamal that during his
youth, he, the young Uthman, and another friend of theirs, had
planned to cycle to Kuala Lumpur from Kota Bharu, Kelantan,
their hometown, for the sole purpose of getting books written
by ‘Allama Muḥammad Iqbal. This was in 1957.

They did work their muscles cycling their old bikes along
the roads to Kuala Lumpur, and back to Kota Bharu with the
prized books, but without the young Kamal. The latter did not
manage to convince his parents to allow him to do so. This
daring adventure left the young athletic Uthman bed-ridden
with a terrible fever for a fortnight, a fact that Ustādh Uthman
attested to.

I arrived at ISTAC early, having driven my family to their
destinations. Since the other car was in the workshop, we were

64

using one vehicle to chauffeur everyone. I proceeded to the
Training Room and heard some footsteps behind me but cared
not to turn. I was 30 minutes early. As the doors were still
locked, I decided to sit on the bench outside the venue.

As I settled on the bench, Dr. Ahmad Yousif stood before
me. We greeted each other in the usual manner – he is a highly
animated person. He told me that Professor Kamal was not
attending, busy in trying to complete his paper for the
International Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences in
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada – the town of my alma mater and
where I resided in for well over a decade.

Dr. Ahmad Yousif mentioned about the Professor’s poem
on Alhambra, as an SMS to Iqbal, and asked me if I knew about
it. I answered in the affirmative and told him about the
Professor’s other compositions along the same theme of
communications with Iqbal. We talked about Iqbal’s poems and
after some time, he excused himself to get his paper that the
Professor was presenting on his behalf at the International
Congress in Waterloo.

I entered the room, and found a vantage point. More and
more people came in. Shortly after Ustādh Uthman came. He
greeted everyone in his customary fashion, his head slightly
tilted down, and with a warm smile, he greeted everyone,

“Assalāmu ‘alaykum.”

65

Special Lecture Series on Contemporary Muslim Thinkers and
Scholars of Islam by YBhg. Shaykh (Dr.) Muhammad Uthman El-
Muhammady

« Back

Dear Prof./ Assoc. Prof./Dr./ Sir/ Mdm,

Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

It gives us great pleasure to inform that ISTAC is organizing a Special Lecture
Series on Contemporary Muslim Thinkers and Scholars of Islam (no.2/2012). This
program is designed to promote contemporary figures who have contributed
significantly in their lives and thought towards the development of Islamic Thought
and Civilization. As such, we are pleased to invite your goodself to attend the
programme which is scheduled as follows:

Speaker: YBhg. Shaykh (Dr.) Muhammad Uthman El-Muhammady
Title: “Sir Allama Muhammad Iqbal: His Life and Thought”
Date/Day: Wednesday, 23rd May 2012
Time: 10:00 am – 12:30pm
Venue:
Training Room, ISTAC, IIUM Kuala Lumpur Campus

24 Persiaran Duta, Taman Duta

50480 Kuala Lumpur

Transportation to & from Gombak Campus & ISTAC will be provided.
Should there be any enquiries, please contact Sr. Zainiah/Sr. Norazimah at 603-
62073400.
Your attendance is very much appreciated.

Thank you. Wassalam.
ADMINISTRATION OFFICE, ISTAC

Fig. 1 A reconstructed screen shot of the announcement for Shaykh
Uthman’s talk on Sir Muhammad Iqbal. Accessed 27th April 2017 from
<http://www.iium.edu.my/istac/events/special-lecture-series-
contemporary-muslim-thinkers-scholars-isla-ybhg-shaykh-dr-muhamm>.

66

He stood behind the rostrum and began with praises to The
Almighty Lord and salutations of peace to the blessed Prophet,
Muḥammad, (ṣalla Allāh ‘alayhi wa sallam), his family,
companions and those who follow him. After a brief
introduction of the ‘Allama’s background and works, he began
reciting the ‘Allama’s poetry, the ode written in Cordoba, on the
Masjid of Cordoba.

On and on, he read the long ode with full internalisation.
The room stood in silence and in awe, vibrating only with the
Ustādh’s recitation. His clear voice carried the couplets, his
recitation slowing and accelerating, at times with the tone of
hushed whispers, which then peaked to a high pitch…

Suddenly his smooth oration punctured. His voice broke.

“Deeds of the godly radiate with love...
It is the presence of life, which death is forbidden to touch...

Love is the Messenger of God, Love is the Word of
God...
Love is the plectrum that brings music to the string
of life....
Love is the light of life... Love is the fire of life...
Because you are beloved by my Love”.15

Wiping away the tears that trickled down, he read on:

15 These couplets are reproduction of my notes scribbled down while the
poetry was being recited by al-marḥūm Ustādh ‘Uthman, on May 23rd 2012.

67

“He is terrestrial with celestial aspect;
a being with the qualities of the Creator...
His contented self has no demands on this world
or the other.

His desires are modest; his aims exalted...
His manner charming; his ways winsome.
Soft in social exposure, tough in the line of pursuit...
But whether in fray or in social gathering, ever chaste at
heart, ever clean in conduct…” 16

Sublime are ‘Allama Iqbal’s expressions of his love for the
beloved Prophet Muḥammad (ṣ.‘a.w). I then understood myself,
the reason to my longing, the yearning for pure light.
Subḥāna’Llāh.

… ‫… نُّو ٌر َعلَى نور َي ْه ِدي الله ِلنو ِر ِه َمن َي َشاء‬

“[…] Light upon Light! Allāh guideth to His Light whom He
Wills […]” (Q. 24: 35).

O Prophet, yours are the epitome – deeds evergreen with life,
leaving death to wither...

Yours are “the plectrum that brings music to the string” of my
life. You are the most beloved by The Lord Ever-Living, Allāh Al-
Ḥayyu Al-Qayyūm.

16 These couplets are retrieved from ‘Allama Iqbal’s Poetry,
<http://iqbalurdu.blogspot.com/2011/04/bal-e-jibril-124-masjid-e-
qurtaba.html> (accessed September 26th 2013).

68



MONDAY MARCH 25th 2013 / JUMADA AL-AWWAL 13, 1434

Today, just before dusk, the angels came to take the petite
unassuming “village preacher” away.

As the rain poured, his pristine soul left his body as it
embarked on another path to meet his Ultimate Love—the aim
of his lifelong devotion and servitude. As his soul peacefully
departed, he left behind his loved ones who were visibly at
peace, serene with his blessed departure, content with his
lifelong toil of nurturing them with the love of Allāh S.W.T, His
Rasūl (ṣ.‘a.w.) and jihād fī sabīli’Llāh...

I came to learn of his departure just after ṣalāt al-
maghrib, through an SMS from my friend Munira.

8:15 p.m. “Salam. Innalillahi wainna ilaihi raji‘un…, al-
Fatihah, with great sadness, I just received news that our
beloved Sheikh ustadh Uthman El-Muhammady had just
passed away at his house in ISTAC – Munira”

‫إِنَّا ِل هِلِ َوإِنَّـا إِ َل ْي ِه َرا ِجعو َن‬

From Allāh we came and to Him we shall all return. I was
shaken and in shock. Just this morning I had a long chat with

69

the Ustādh’s son, Khalid, asking him how his father was. His
cheerful response was,

“Alḥamduli’Llāh… mā-shā’Allāh he seems to be getting
better by the day. He is working in his office right now.”

I remember suggesting Khalid to serve his father a bowl of oats
every morning. I taught him how to prepare it in a variety of
ways. He said,

“Umm… you say it to him Ma’am, maybe he will listen to
you better!”

I was pacing back and forth in my interim office, not
knowing what I was doing. Instinctively I reached for my hand
phone and called Professor Kamal – my mentor, supervisor and
the closest friend of the Ustādh – the two had been bosom-
buddies since childhood and dear companions in jihād.

“Assalāmu ‘alaykum… yes Nur?” said he with his typical
lilt.
“Wa ‘alaykum al-salām wa Raḥmatu’Llāh… Prof, is it
true???”

He calmly answered in the affirmative and informed me that he
was getting ready to leave his house in Bangi and go to the
Ustādh’s residence in ISTAC. We talked for a while – I on my
encounter with Khalid earlier in the day and he reflected upon
the rapid improvements that the Ustādh had made after the

70

stroke that he had had several months back. How he thought
that the Ustādh would still have time to be in our midst. I know
it was a shock for him so much more than it was for me, but the
calmness in his voice defied the tremor in his heart and gave
me soothing assurance…

I gathered my bag and umbrella and went to visit the
family’s residence, which was a block away. It was raining quite
heavily but the night was calm. The slopes of ISTAC’s brick road
wet with a gentle stream of water that was flowing as calmly as
the night. I was very sad, that one of the two dearest teachers of
mine was gone… I felt a gaping hole in my core, as if my heart
had been yanked out. But no matter how lost I felt, I found my
eyes dry, not able to shed a single tear. Somehow, I felt happy
for the Ustādh, the godly man. In a way, my ‘happiness’ for him
overshadowed my sadness.

I reached his residence and what I witnessed was a sense
of calmness and serenity I had never experienced before in the
situation of death, subḥāna’Llāh. A number of people were
already there. His body lay shrouded in white cloth on a
mattress in the living room, facing the qiblah.

I wished I could go nearer, put my palm on his forehead
and whisper to him how much he had affected my life, but I
refrained since it would not have been proper.

71

I was brought upstairs to see his wife, Mariam. She asked
me to sit beside her and said calmly in Malay with a distinct tint
of the Kelantanese dialect,

“This was him… his whole life devoted for ‘ilm. He went
out with Khalid this afternoon to bind his manuscript…”

(I came to know that he had just completely edited the
manuscript with his hand-script written in red)

“…and to get some ink for the printer. They came back,
while I was folding the laundry right here. I saw from
here that he was leaning against the bedside. I went to
him, rubbed his shoulder and asked if he was all right. I
saw his mouth whispering something… and he left. When
Allāh Subḥānahū wa Ta‘ālā has decreed, death will
neither wait a second longer nor come a second earlier.”

She smiled beautifully with contentment, her serene face shone
with a subtle light – pleased that her husband had led a life of
piety and jihād fī sabīl Allāh, and now gone back peacefully to
His Mercy, while still clutching the freshly bound manuscript.

I went downstairs. More people had filled the living
room, with many more outside. Much later that night, I came to
know from my sister, the wife of Haji Amin, both of whom were
close to al-marḥūm, that she saw Professor Kamal who had
arrived after I had left, seated by the head of the janāzah,
reading the Qur’ān. The Professor had stayed put motionless

72

long after he had finished his recitation, as if he did not want to
leave his dear friend. His head bowed as low as his neck could
allow, beads of tears dropped quietly onto his lap.

SubḥānaLlāh... so it was…, as the Ustādh left, the earth
too, became wet – not from tears of sorrow and remorse, but
from “the water” which had, over the years, nurtured everyone
that was privileged enough to be touched by him. “The water”
issuing forth from his heart, pure and pristine, like the stream
of cooling water flowing calmly along a creek, nourishing
everything in its path, because for him,

‫… إِ َّن َصلاَ ِتي َونس ِكي َو َم ْحيَا َي َو َم َما ِتي ِل هِلِ َر ه ِب ا ْلعَا َل ِمي َن ۝‬

“… Truly, my prayer and my service of sacrifice, my life
and my death, are (all) for Allāh, the Cherisher of the
Worlds” (Q. 6:162).

TUESDAY MARCH 26th 2013 / JUMADA AL-AWWAL 14,
1434

I arrived at about 9:00 a.m. at the ISTAC residence. Many
people were already congregating outside. There were so many
cars. The usually empty parking bays were jammed with cars. I
found a tight spot and parked my car. I walked up to the
staircase leading to al-marḥūm’s residence and after greeting a
few people I stood there… The janāzah was already in the

73

hearse. My quiet calmness belied the riot of mixed feelings
within me.

Sometime around 9:40 a.m., the escort vehicles
consigned by his closest friend, Professor Kamal, began to take
position. Shortly after, the entourage consisting of the hearse
and the vehicles of the family members of al-marḥūm,
accompanied by the siren of the escorts, made their way up the
hill and out of ISTAC’s gate towards the Sultan Haji Ahmad
Shah Masjid of the IIUM Main Campus in Gombak. Slowly the
crowd began to disperse.

At 12:30 p.m., I took Munira to the IIUM Masjid and we
went up to the first floor. The janāzah was already in the
prayer hall, ghusl rites completed sometime before. Family
members of al-marḥūm sat around him while streams of people
came by, reciting du‘ās quietly. A large group of young pupils in
white thawbs and turbans came and joined the congregation.
After the ṣalāt al-ẓuhr, we went downstairs for the ṣalāt al-
janāzah. Al-marḥūm’s eldest son led the prayer. Blessed was the
peacefully departed, for there were rows upon rows of people
in congregation filling up the huge prayer hall of the masjid in
prayers.

Soon the janāzah was to be carried into the hearse and
brought to the grave. Every man present seemed to want to
have a part, no matter how small, in carrying the blessed

74

janāzah to the waiting hearse. The curtains at the women
section were drawn open. People moved aside making a
pathway to allow for the smooth passage of the janāzah.
Munira was overtaken by grief. I felt a gaping hole in my chest
but my eyes were dry.

At the cemetery beside the university, the huge tent
pitched was overflowing with people. The day was hot, but not
unbearable, as it had rained throughout the night. Despite the
massive crowd and the heat, it was a scene of calmness. I could
only hear the congregation making dhikr and supplications,
then the imām read the talqīn and then, there were faint
muffled sniffles.

I could clearly see Professor Kamal a far distance away…
He had a frozen look on his face, devoid of apparent emotion,
enveloping what lay behind the dark pair of sunshades he was
wearing. His stance and his whole body transfixed towards the
freshly earthed grave that now held the body of his dear
beloved close friend of six decades.

So it was, the dearly beloved Ustādh, Shaykh (Dr.)
Muhammad Uthman El-Muhammady was laid to rest. The book
of his earthly life was closed, and with the turning of the back
cover of this book, another is open – his journey in life after
death. May Allāh S.W.T. in His limitless Mercy and Grace accept
this sincere servant of His as among those who are in His

75

closest company (al-muqarrabūn) and admit him into His
Garden of Eternal Bliss. May Allāh Most Gracious invite him
with His Ultimate call,

‫ فا ْدخلي‬، ‫ ا ْر ِجعي إلى ر ِبه ِك را ِض َية َّمر ِضيَّة‬، ‫يآ أيَّتها النَّفس المط َم ِئنَّة‬
‫في ِعبا ِدي وا ْدخلي َجنَّتي ۝‬

“To the righteous soul will be said: O (thou) soul, in
(complete) rest and satisfaction! Come back thou to thy
Lord, well pleased (thyself), and well-pleasing unto Him!
Enter thou, then, among My devotees! Yea, enter thou My
Heaven!” (Q. 89:27-30).

‫… إِنَّا ِل هِلِ َو ِإنَّـا إِ َل ْي ِه َرا ِجعو َن ۝‬

"…To Allāh We belong, and to Him is our return" (Q.
2:156).

The departure of al-marḥūm Shaykh Uthman El-Muhammady is
indeed a great loss for the ummah. However, it is a moment for
rejoice for Allāhyarḥam for being invited to return to the Mercy
of Allāh S.W.T., onto Whom he had devoted his whole life.

May Allāh S.W.T. by His Grace and Mercy embrace him
into His Blessed Company, āmīn! Al-Fātiḥah.

1:49 a.m. March 26th 2013.



76

MONDAY APRIL 1st 2013 / JUMADA AL-AWWAL 20, 1434

I went to Professor Kamal’s office for an appointment right
after salāt al-‘asr. Among other documents that I had with me,
was my first assignment ever submitted to ISTAC. This was also
my first submission to al-marḥūm Shaykh Uthman.

I do not know what had moved me to search for this
assignment, to print it and to bring it along with me. I guess my
sense of loss and spiritual closeness with both the Professor
and the Ustādh had compelled me to share the assignment and
a section of my scribblings on al-marḥūm Ustādh with him.

As I was walking towards Professor Kamal’s office, my
mind was rehearsing on the possible rationale for bringing up
the assignment with me to the meeting: Could it be possible
that we compile students’ submissions to al-marḥūm Shaykh
Uthman into a book and publish it? After the official matter of
our appointment was settled, I gathered courage to produce
the assignment to the Professor.

“Prof, this paper was my first assignment in ISTAC, and
my first submission to al-marḥūm Ustādh. I thought of
sharing it with you.”

The Professor needed no further explanation.

77

“Nur… why don’t you collect all the studentss
assignments for Ustādh Uthman, select the best and
publish them as a memorial book?”

“Really, Prof? I was thinking along the same line… I will
do that, in-shā’Allāh!”

Still very tender with the lost of his close friend,
Professor Kamal began to reminisce about al-marḥūm Shaykh
Uthman El-Muhammady, whom he described as his “spiritual
teacher”:

“I thought he would still have time, to be in our midst.
After the stroke, he made remarkable improvements and
was able to talk and walk with relative normalcy within
quite a short span of time.”

The Professor took in a deep breath and said,

“Now he is gone, no longer with us… Just like that…”

He was so stricken that he had to pause—grief clearly visible
on his stance.

They had been close friends since Professor Kamal was
ten and the Ustādh twelve. The Professor narrated to me the
times that they were growing up together, how he used to tease
and “bully” the child Uthman (or “Smae” in Kelantanese
dialect), tripping his leg (“cha’ keting” in Kelantanese) during
their soccer plays.

78

Plate 6 Professor Kamal Hassan visiting Shaykh Uthman when he was
hospitalised at the National Heart Institute, IJN. Photo courtesy of
Asma’, dated December 17th 2012, 6:34 p.m.

79

At times he would hide under his desk, waiting for
“Smae” to pass by and trip his leg. This tripping game had often
resulted in several chases around the field. According to the
Professor, as he was physically a no-match for the child
Uthman who was quite strong and athletic, the tripping game
was the only way that he could “get at” him.

Professor Kamal described how the “intellectually
advanced” young Uthman used to advise the young Kamal and
waking him up for fajr with a bucket of water. How, he and
young Uthman would seek refuge in their local masjid, saving
themselves from the bickering and warring family members
due to their irreconcilable different political orientations.

They made a pact – never to get involved with partisan
politics, to remain above and beyond political parties, with
allegiance only to the Truth, for the Truth and for Allāh S.W.T.
alone – a pact cemented firmly in their hearts to the Ustādh’s
last breath, and to Professor Kamal to this very day.17

17 Although often misunderstood, Shaykh ‘Uthman and the Professor’s
support for and cooperation with any organisations or groups of people have
always been on the basis of promoting truth and forbidding falsehood. This
commitment has been given without regard of the organisations or groups’
political orientations.

80

Plate 7 The young Uthman (sitting at the centre) with his fellow
members of a student association at Sultan Ismail College, Kelantan,
circa 1960. His signature is on the bottom right. Photo courtesy of
Asma.

81

Plate 8 Part of the staff and students of the Department of Islamic
Studies, Univeriti Malaya (circa mid. 1960s). Middle row: Kamal
Hassan (second from left) and Uthman (far right). The photo was shot
on the lawn of the university. It is a gift dated June 11th 2005 from the
Persatuan Ulama dan Guru-Guru Agama Islam (Singapore), a
permanent exhibit in the collection of photographs at the M. Kamal
Hassan Library, Level 4, Rectory Building, IIUM, Gombak.

82

The Professor told me, how, as undergraduates and
young Islamic activists of Universiti Malaya, the two of them
used to conduct small study circles (“usrah” or “ḥalaqah”) with
their peers hidden from the prying eyes of the University
authorities, who were not in favour of such “unfashionable”
activities of the era – at night – on the campus’s rooftops or in
the midst of Kuala Lumpur Lake Gardens. Such moves proved
to be effective, according to the Professor, as they were never
caught.

I shared with Professor Kamal how al-marḥūm had
always asked me what the Professor had thought of his
presentations if he happened to be in the audience, and how al-
marḥūm used to ask us, his students, on the quality of his
lectures, if he had been clear in conveying important points. Al-
marḥūm used to relate to me how the two of them used to go to
different leaders of the country, no matter if he was a Sultan or
the Prime Minister, advising and giving counsel to each on
different issues of pressing import. He would describe to me
how they would be seated – the Professor on one side and he
on the other, with the advisee or counselee at the centre, the
three of them not far apart.

The manner in which certain advice was delivered was
tactful, with wisdom and genuine concern through carefully
worded expressions based on facts and not on sentiments or

83

conjecture, but straightforward and never apologetic when it
came to stating the Truth.

Plate 9 Shaykh Uthman El-Muhammady, Professor Kamal (standing in
white baju Melayu) and a few other professors during a visit by a member
of Kelantan royal family to ISTAC, IIUM on February 24th 2012, at 2:38
p.m. Photo courtesy of ISTAC.

84

‫ا ْدع ِإ ِلى َس ِبي ِل َر ِبه َك بِا ْل ِح ْك َم ِة َوا ْل َم ْو ِع َظ ِة ا ْل َح َس َن ِة َو َجا ِد ْلهم بِالَّ ِتي ِه َي‬
‫أَ ْح َسن ِإ َّن َربَّ َك ه َو أَ ْع َلم ِب َمن َض َّل َعن َس ِبي ِل ِه َوه َو أَ ْع َلم بِا ْلم ْهتَ ِدي َن ۝‬

"Call thou (all mankind) unto thy Sustainer's path with
wisdom and goodly exhortation, and argue with them in
the most kindly manner - for, behold, thy Sustainer knows
best as to who strays from His path, and best knows He as
to who are the right-guided" (Q. 16:125).

TUESDAY APRIL 2nd 2013 / JUMADA AL-AWWAL 21, 1434

Ecstatic, I wrote an email to Br. Marjanie Macasalong, the then
President of al-Futuwwah, the students’ society of ISTAC.

I spoke to Prof Kamal yesterday. I gave him a copy of my
first assignment as a student of ISTAC (my first
assignment to al-marḥūm Ust. Uthman). I felt that we
should compile our works as his students in his classes
into a book and get it published, in memory of our dearly
beloved teacher... who despite him leaving us, his
teachings and spirit live on.... Prof Kamal thought the
same and urged me to get it rolling. He said that he will
bring it up in the ISTAC Board meeting tomorrow.
I feel that as the formal student body of ISTAC, al-
Futuwwah should lead in this initiative. I will be available
to render any assistance needed.

85

A number of discussions and sharing of memorable moments
between Professor Kamal and a selection of ISTAC students, a
few tears, several meetings, and a number of paperworks later,
“Shaykh Uthman El-Muhammady Memorial Project” was born.
The following pages in Part Two of the book are actual
assignments, tests and final papers by students of Allāh-yarham
Shaykh Muhammad Uthman El-Muhammady, submitted to and
graded by him – a select sampling from stacks and bundles of
papers retrieved from his collection at his office and at his
residence in ISTAC and in Pasir Mas, Kelantan, courtesy of his
determined daughter, Dr. Asma’ El-Muhammady.

All of the students of ISTAC, whose lives have been
touched by the blessed teacher, agree that much of Ustādh
Uthman El-Muhammady lives on in our hearts, as ‘Allāma Iqbal
elegantly expressed, “Deeds of the godly radiate with love... It is
the presence of life, which death is forbidden to touch...”

Nur Jannah Hassan18
April 22nd 2015.

18 I am forever grateful to Allāh Subḥānahu wa Ta‘ālā for giving me the
opportunity to be a student of both the Distinguished Professor Tan Sri Dr. M.
Kamal Hassan ḥafiẓahu’Llāh and his closest companion, Shaykh (Dr.)
Muhammad ‘Uthman El-Muhammady Allāh yarḥamuhu wa yaj‘al mathwāh
al-Jannah. The former was the supervisor for my Ph.D. dissertation, whilst the
latter my advisor.

86

In Memory of Ustadh
Uthman El-Muhammady

‫الله يرحمه ويجعل مثواه الجنة‬

May Allāh shower His Mercy on him and
make paradise as his abode.


87

“Ustādh Uthman El-Muhammady had cleared many issues in
which I had problems of understanding before. If all Muslims
behave like him, I am sure many more will embrace Islam.”

Marjanie S. Macasalong
May 20th 2017 / 24th Sha‘bān 1438

“Indeed these have been a bonus from Allāh – the opportunity
to pursue my studies at ISTAC, and most importantly to get to
know and be a student of al-marḥūm Ustādh Uthman. I could
never get enough of his lectures, his impeccable English and
style of imparting knowledge to us. Al-marḥūm Ustādh was a
ṣūfī in his own right and am sure he would have been pleased
to know of my interest in Sufism, or as in the words of HAMKA,
“Modern Sufism”.”

Azizah Rahmad
May 18th 2017 / 22nd Sha‘bān 1438

“As a Ph.D. student of ISTAC, IIUM, I had the opportunity to
learn from several respected and learned teachers including al-
marḥūm Ustādh Uthman El-Muhammady. Ustādh was always
prepared and full of energy. I had rarely seen him sitting on his
chair while giving his lectures.

Rather, he would be walking alongside where his
students were seated to make sure that we all understood him.
For me, every moment of his lectures was a kind of spiritual

88

fulfilment, subḥāna’Llāh. I would never miss any of his classes
as every word he uttered was a reminder (naṣīḥah) for us,
equipped with classical turāth of Islam and that of
contemporary Western scholarship.

To me, he is indeed a real star, whose light will always
guide the ummah. May Allāh bless his soul, āmīn!”

Marina Munira Abdul Mutalib
May 23rd 2017 / 27th Sha‘bān 1438

“I studied with Shaykh Uthman El-Muhammady during my
brief time at ISTAC, IIUM in 2007-08. I was deeply impressed
by his combination of traditional Islamic and Western
knowledge. However, above all else, what affected me most was
the fact that his knowledge informed his character, and hence
impacted us students in a way that not many professors could.
May Allāh give him peace and grant him the highest station in
paradise. Āmīn!

Aamir Bashir
May 24th 2017 / 28th Sha‘bān 1438

“It was indeed a privilege to be given the opportunity to study
at ISTAC, IIUM. The knowledge that I have gained from my
interactions and discourses with professors and classmates has
been distinctive in my spiritual, intellectual, emotional and
social growths. The campus itself, with its beautiful

89

architecture and the myriad of books in the SMNA Library are
an inspiration for my thirst of knowledge and intellectual
pursuits.

Having al-marḥūm Ustādh as one of my teachers had
broadened my horizon. He was patient, diligent, caring and
inspiring, who tirelessly endured to answer my queries. For
the intellectual and spiritual discourses that he delivered and
the quality of humanity that he embodied – I dearly miss him.”

Fariha A. A. Talib
May 24th 2017 / 28th Sha‘bān 1438

“Ustādh Muhammad Uthman El-Muhammady was a visionary
man of great intellectual standing who displayed a rare
propensity for his ability to present complex concepts in a way
that was easily understood by all - transcending the world of
academia and its academics.”

Haseena Abdul Majid
May 25th 2017 / 29th Sha‘bān 1438

“I became a Muslim in December 1986 after a long and still
continuing spiritual journey. Ustādh Uthman was one of my
significant helpers on that journey. His approach to knowledge
challenged my thinking and took it down new paths. He was
patient and considerate in answering questions both academic
and spiritual.

90

My last memory of him is of a meeting at ISTAC a few
months before he passed away. He had walked up the long hill
from his accomodation and was pale and out of breath and
obviously very ill, yet he found time to answer a difficult
question from a curious student. His intellect and caring
character are sorely missed.”

Gary Dargan
May 26th 2017 / 30th Sha‘bān 1438

“It is a profound privilege for us to be students of such an
esteemed scholar. We have benefitted from his knowledge and
wisdom. Ustādh Muhammady generously shared his deep
knowledge of religion and philosophy, delivered from his
humble perspective – an immensely valuable lesson for young
scholars. With his patience and calmness, many were guided
towards his integrated and holistic approach of scholarship,
solidly based on the consensus of the majority of classical and
contemporary ‘ulamā’ from the aḥl Sunnah wa al-jamā‘ah,
rather than the disputed ones.

I witnessed from his lectures, how intellectual humility
impeccably neutralised the arrogance of ignorance – Ustādh
Muhammady’s erudition demontrated to all of us the real
meaning of ṣadaqat al-jāriyah in scholarship.”

Sevgi Altundal Hajdari
May 26th 2017 / 30th Sha‘bān 1438

91

“Allāh says:
“Among the Believers are men who have been true to their
covenant with God: of them some have completed their vow
(to the extreme), and some (still) wait: but they have never
changed (their determination) in the least” (Q. al-Aḥzāb:
23).

Shaykh Muhammad Uthman El-Muhammady, I claim, was
among those. He lived for nothing else but to fulfil this
covenant. Unlike many academic personnel, he reminded me of
truthful and awe-inspiring classic scholars. I always held in awe
of him whenever I attended his lecture. May Allāh pour his
endless Mercy on him!”

Boukary Sila
May 27th 2017 / 1st Ramaḍān 1438

“Like my colleagues, I was deeply affected and saddened by the
heart-breaking news of the demise of our Professor Ustādh
Uthman El-Muhammady. In fact, it was not only about losing a
professor in the middle of our study, but the loss of a kind spirit
and a compassionate mentor.

To me Ustādh El-Muhammady was more than a
professor. He was my teacher in the class, my imām in the
Masjid, my spiritual father in Islamic thought and my role
model in daily life. Despite being a prominent scholar and a
well-known religious figure, Ustādh El-Muhammady devoted

92

his life to educate the future generation of the ummah with the
real and deep understanding of Islam. He preferred a humble
life of a teacher over the public fame and official positions.

I had the pleasure of having Ustādh El-Muhammady as
my teacher for two courses. I still remember my first meeting
with him, during which he became my teacher even before I
officially started my study at ISTAC. My first memory of Ustādh
goes to the Jumu‘ah khutbah he delivered at ISTAC Masjid,
sometime in 2011. His poignant style of reciting and
interpreting Qur’ānic verses was moving and unforgettable.
Ustādh El-Muhammady was so honest and humble that when I
requested him to make a du‘ā’ for me, he immediately raised
his hands, making supplications, sincerely from the deepest
recess of his heart—for me.

One of our last meetings was during his illness when,
together with my colleague, Dr. Moghset Kamal, I visited him in
his house. During our short conversation, he mentioned about
one of his books on a deviant sect and its threat over the
mainstream Muslim society of Malaysia.

The passing of Ustādh El-Muhammady was the worst
news I ever heard during my study and stay in Malaysia. I pray
to Almighty Allāh to reward him with His blessings and place
him among the ṣalihīn and ṣiddiqīn in Jannat al-Firdaws, āmīn!

Hadi Gamshadzehifar
May 25th 2017 / 29th Sha‘bān 1438

93

“I met Ustādh Uthman. We were in a congregation and
interacted for quite some time. He looked pleasant and was
wearing his customary white garb with light blue overlay, but
they looked new not worn. He said to me, over the lunch buffet
spread,

“How are you Sister Nur Jannah… You remember about
your assignment? You owe me your paper”.

I had forgotten about the assignment, which was supposed to
detail out my recommendations towards improving Islamic
education in the country. Afterwards, he told a man who was
near him that the person didn't know the meaning of love
towards children. He then showed us by interacting and
playing with his grandchild. Later I told a colleague of mine
what just happened and we realised that he had long
departed...”

I jolted awake. Subḥāna'Llāh!!! I was with wudhū’ and
was making dhikr at about 5 in the morning when I dozed off. It
was a dream. Not long after, I heard the adhān for fajr.

I took the dream as a strong sign that I had to complete
the "Natural Science from the Worldview of the Qur’an Project”
and writing my thesis, both of which he was aware of, and had
much to do with improving education of the Muslim ummah.

Nur Jannah Hassan
Yawm al-‘Arafah

September 23rd 2015 / 10th Dhu al-Ḥijjah, 1436 H

94

Remembering
Shaykh (Dr.) Muhammad
Uthman El-Muhammady

‫الله يرحمه ويجعل مثواه الجنة‬

May Allāh shower His Mercy on him and
make paradise as his abode.


95

Plate 10 Shaykh Uthman El-Muhammady receiving a gift from Pope John
Paul II during an official visit, headed by Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir
Mohamad, to the Vatican City on June 7th 2002.

The Malaysian delegation met Pope John Paul II at the Apostolic
Palace, capping a series of meetings the Prime Minister had
with some of the world's powerful and influential leaders.
Photo courtesy of Asma. Caption based on an archive
newspiece accessed from <http://ww1.utusan.com.my> , on
May 31st 2017.

96

Plate 11 Shaykh Uthman El-Muhammady receiving an award from Sultan
of Kelantan on December 21st 2003. Photo courtesy of Asma.

97

Plate 12 Shaykh Uthman El-Muhammady being conferred the 16th Tokoh
Ma‘al Hijrah by the Yang Dipertuan Agong, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Syed
Putra Jamalullail in February 2005. Newspaper cutting courtesy of
Asma.

98

Plate 13 Shaykh Uthman El-Muhammady (standing, second from right)
with a number of the members of SUHAKAM (Human Rights Commission
of Malaysia) of the year 2007. Photo courtesy of Asma.

99

Plate 14 Shaykh Uthman El-Muhammady, his wife Mariam and their
youngest child Hafsah at the Taj Mahal, Agra, India, circa 2007. Photo
courtesy of Asma.

100