Hasanulddin Mohd

Contemporary Fiqh Thoughts of Shaykh Abdul Malik bin Abdullah (1650-1736AD) in Kitab al-Kifayah

Kitab al-Kifayah is a jawi manuscript that has been written approximately 300 years ago (between 1690-1736AD) by Shaykh Abdul Malik bin Abdullah in Terengganu. This manuscript is widely regarded as the earliest writing on Islamic jurisprudence in Terengganu, which debated issues regarding beliefs and fiqh. It covers various topics on fundamental knowledge of Islam (fard al ayn) that includes 5 Pillars of Islam (arkan al-Islam), Pillars of Iman (arkan al-Iman), ablution, salah (prayers), fasting and zakat (tithe payment). This article is written to highlight the contemporary fiqh thoughts that were contained in this manuscript. This article will also shed light on the life of Shaykh Abdul Malik and the background of Kitab alKifayah. To that end, methods such as documentation searches and interviews were being utilized. It was then analyzed by using inductive and deductive methods. Results from the analyses reveal that Shaykh Abdul Malik utilized contextualization approach on his fiqh rulings. His contemporary thoughts were evident in his arguments for the income level and the consequent zakat rate for the destitute and poor, the zakat rate on gold and silver as well as animals which are halal (permissible) and haram (impermissible) to be consumed. In conclusion, Shaykh Abdul Malik bin Abdullah was not a mere translator of Arabic manuscripts on fiqh rulings by Middle Eastern scholars, but he has managed to contextualize his writings to facilitate the understanding of the locals.

Analysis on Methods of Determining Halal or Haram of Animals to Be Eaten According to Syeikh Abdul Malik Bin Abdullah in His Kitab al-Kifayah

Kitab al-Kifayah is a Malay manuscript written in the seventeenth century or early eighteenth century by Syeikh Abdul Malik bin Abdullah who is also known as Tok Pulau Manis. It contains important discussion on Islamic doctrines (aqidah) and Islamic jurisprudence (Fiqh). In one of the chapters, it emphasises haram and halal matters with regard to animal meats for consumption. The issue of halal or haram regarding an animal has been debated by Muslim jurists (Fuqaha’), and because the Qur’an and the Hadith do not have full explication regarding the rulings of consuming certain types of animals, it has allowed the scholars to explore the issue at hand and derive general principles from it. Based on this premise, this paper identifies the methods used by Syeikh Abdul Malik in determining halal or haram of consuming animal meats and the methods proposed in his book Kitab al-Kifayah. In order to meet these objectives, the documentation method is used by examining three copies of the Kitab. The results from this study reveal that the methods proposed by Syeikh Abdul Malik is compatible with those outlined by the legal scholars in the authoritative al-Shafi’i books. However he has not simply cited or translated the content of the scriptures, he was also able to develop his own method for the categories of birds’ meat. The categories include birds with talons, birds that hold food in their mouths, birds with ingrown nails, birds that breathe whilst drinking water and birds with marks on their necks.