Ali bin Abdurrahman al-Habshi, better known as ''Habib Ali of Kwitang'' or Habib Ali Kwitang ( ar, علي بن عبدالرحمن الحبشي, ; 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 ( id, Jakarta Pusat) is one of the five administrative cities () which form the Special Capital Region of Jakarta. It had 902,973 inhabitants according to the 2010 censusBiro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. and 1,056,896 at the 2 ...

on April 20, 1870, CE which was 20

Jumada al-Awwal Jumada al-Awwal ( ar, جُمَادَىٰ ٱلْأَوَّل, Jumādā al-ʾAwwal, lit=The initial Jumada), also known as Jumada al-Ula ( ar, جُمَادَىٰ ٱلْأُولَىٰ, Jumādā al-ʾŪlā, lit=The first Jumada), or Jumada I, is the ...

1286 AH. His father was Abdurrahman bin Abdullah bin Muhammad al-Habshi, an

Arab Indonesian Arab Indonesians ( ar, عربٌ إندونيسيون) or ''Hadharem'' (; sing., ''Hadhrami'', ), informally known as Jama'ah, and until the 20th century known as Codjas or Kodjas, note the work was also published in the Hague and Utrecht simulta ...

of Hadhrami-

Sayyid ''Sayyid'' (, ; ar, سيد ; ; meaning 'sir', 'Lord', 'Master'; Arabic plural: ; feminine: ; ) is a surname of people descending from the Prophets in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husayn ibn Ali ...

descent. His father better known as ''Habib Cikini'' (d. 1879 CE) was born in Petak Sembilan,

Semarang Semarang ( jv, ꦏꦸꦛꦯꦼꦩꦫꦁ , Pegon: سماراڠ) is the capital and largest city of Central Java province in Indonesia. It was a major port during the Dutch colonial era, and is still an important regional center and port today. ...

and was an Islamic scholar and preacher who lived in

asceticism Asceticism (; from the el, ἄσκησις, áskesis, exercise', 'training) is a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from sensual pleasures, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual goals. Ascetics may withdraw from the world for their p ...

. 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 for short) is one of the districts (''Kecamatan'') of East Jakarta, Indonesia. The name also refers to the larger, historic area of the colonial town of Meester Cornelis. Established in ...

) was a pious woman named Salmah (''Nyai Salmeh''), a daughter of a Betawi 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 ) in Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII), Jatinegara railway station and Museum of Transportation at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah. , image_seal = Lambang Kota Jakarta Timur.png , motto = , image_map ...

. 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 ( ar, ; ', jv, ꦫꦢꦺꦤ꧀ꦱꦭꦺꦃꦯ꦳ꦫꦶꦥ꦳꧀ꦨꦸꦱ꧀ꦠꦩꦤ꧀; EYD: ''Raden Saleh Syarif Bustaman''; 1811 – 23 April 1880) was a pioneering Indonesian Romantic painter of Arab- Javan ...

, 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 ( ar-at, عثمان بن يحيى , ‘Uthmān bin Yahyā; full name: ( ar-at, سيد عثمان بن عبد الله بن عقيل بن يحيى العلوي, Sayyid ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Abda ...

. 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 and ...

, which is known for his piety and sanctity. His grandfather was Habib Abdullah bin Muhammad al-Habshi was born in

Pontianak Pontianak or Khuntien 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 118.31 km2 in the delta of the Kapuas River at a point where it is joined by ...

West Kalimantan West Kalimantan ( id, Kalimantan Barat) is a province of Indonesia. It is one of five Indonesian provinces comprising Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo. Its capital city is Pontianak, Indonesia, Pontianak. The province has ...

. He married a

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 (Gorontalo language, Gorontaloan: ''Hulontalo'') is a Provinces of Indonesia, 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 ...

, settled and built a family there. Abdullah died on his sailing back to Pontianak, where the ship sunk in

Java sea The Java Sea ( id, Laut Jawa, jv, Segara Jawa) 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 nort ...

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-Ketapang K ...

in 1833 CE (1249 AH). According to some sources, the ship sunk while fighting against "Lanun", a term used by people in

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 other valuable goods. Those who conduct acts of piracy are called pirates, v ...

''. Habib Ali Kwitang's great-grandfather, Muhammad al-Habshi was a

wulayti The Wulayti or Wulaiti (from Arabic: ولاية, , literally means ''territory'' or ''state'' ) is a term used to call a first generation of Arab immigrant born in the territory of their homeland A homeland is a place where a cultural, national, ...

, came from

Hadhramaut Hadhramaut ( ar, حَضْرَمَوْتُ \ حَضْرَمُوتُ, Ḥaḍramawt / Ḥaḍramūt; Hadramautic: 𐩢𐩳𐩧𐩣𐩩, ''Ḥḍrmt'') is a region in South Arabia, comprising eastern Yemen, parts of western Oman and southern Sau ...

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

and his lineage traces back to Imam

Ali ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, عَلِيّ بْن أَبِي طَالِب; 600 – 661 CE) was the last of four Rightly Guided Caliphs to rule Islam (r. 656 – 661) immediately after the death of Muhammad, and he was the first Shia Imam. ...

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 Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī Bā ʿAlawī ( ar, محمد بن علي باعلوي) commonly known as al-Faqīh al-Muqaddam ( ar, الفقيه المقدم), ; 574 H - 653 H or 1178 CE - 1232 CE) is known as the founder of Ba 'Alawiyya Sufi order which ...

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 ( ar, أحمد المهاجر, ', ; 260-345 AH or c. 873-956 CE) also known as Al-Imām Aḥmad bin ʿĪsā was an Imam Mujtahid and the progenitor of Ba 'Alawi sada group which is instrumental in spreading Islam to India, Sout ...

ibn Isa al-Rumi ibn Muhammad al-Naqib bin 'Ali al-Uraidhi ibn

Ja'far al-Sadiq Jaʿfar ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī al-Ṣādiq ( ar, جعفر بن محمد الصادق; 702 – 765 CE), commonly known as Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq (), was an 8th-century Shia Muslim scholar, jurist, and theologian.. He was the founder of th ...

bin

Muhammad al-Baqir Muḥammad al-Bāqir ( ar, مُحَمَّد ٱلْبَاقِر), with the full name Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, also known as Abū Jaʿfar or simply al-Bāqir () was the fifth Imam in Shia Islam, succee ...

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, grandson of Mohammad. Notable people with the name include: Arts and literature * Adrian A. Husain, Pakistani poet ...

ibn

Ali bin Abu Talib ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, عَلِيّ بْن أَبِي طَالِب; 600 – 661 CE) was the last of four Rightly Guided Caliphs to rule Islam (r. 656 – 661) immediately after the death of Muhammad, and he was the first Shia Imam. ...

and

Fatimah Fāṭima bint Muḥammad ( ar, فَاطِمَة ٱبْنَت مُحَمَّد}, 605/15–632 CE), commonly known as Fāṭima al-Zahrāʾ (), was the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his wife Khadija. Fatima's husband was Ali, th ...

daughter of

Muhammad Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 Common Era, CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Muhammad in Islam, Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet Divine inspiration, di ...

Early life

Abdurahman asked his wife, Nyi Salmah, to ensure that his son, Ali, was schooled in

and

Mecca Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red ...

as It was common for

Betawi people Betawi may refer to: *Betawi people *Betawi language * Betawi cuisine *Betawi mask dance See also * Batavia (disambiguation) * Batavi (disambiguation) Batavi may refer to: *Batavi (Germanic tribe) **Revolt of the Batavi *Batavi (military unit) *Ba ...

to send their children to the Middle East for religious education. When Ali reached about 11 years old, he went to

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 Mawlid, Mawlid an-Nabi ash-Sharif or Eid Milad un Nabi ( ar, المولد النبوي, translit=mawlid an-nabawī, lit=Birth of the Prophet, sometimes simply called in colloquial Arabic , , among other vernacular pronunciations; sometimes , ) ...

book ''Shimthud Durar''), Habib Hasan bin Ahmad al-'Aydrus, Habib Zain bin 'Alwi Ba'Abud, Habib Ahmad bin Hasan al-'Aththas and

Shaikh Sheikh (pronounced or ; ar, شيخ ' , mostly pronounced , plural ' )—also transliterated sheekh, sheyikh, shaykh, shayk, shekh, shaik and Shaikh, shak—is an honorific title in the Arabic language. It commonly designates a chief of a ...

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 (; ar, مفتي) 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 ''fatwas'' played an important rol ...

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

the mufti of

Batavia Batavia may refer to: Historical places * Batavia (region), a land inhabited by the Batavian people during the Roman Empire, today part of the Netherlands * Batavia, Dutch East Indies, present-day Jakarta, the former capital of the Dutch East In ...

, the

marabout A marabout ( ar, مُرابِط, murābiṭ, lit=one who is attached/garrisoned) is a Muslim religious leader and teacher who historically had the function of a chaplain serving as a part of an Islamic army, notably in North Africa and the Saha ...

Habib Abdullah bin Muhsin Alatas in Empang,

Bogor Bogor ( su, , nl, Buitenzorg) is a city in the West Java province, 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.Bondowoso Bondowoso Regency is a landlocked regency in East Java, Indonesia. It covers an area of 1,560.10 km2, and had a population of 736,772 at the 2010 Census and 776,151 at the 2020 Census. The most common languages are Madurese and Javanese, a ...

Later life

At the age of 20 years,

Habib Habib ( ar, حبيب, ''ḥabīb''; ), sometimes written 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’'' ...

Ali Kwitang married to Syarifah Aisha binti Ali Assegaf, a girl from Gedong Hijau,

South Jakarta South Jakarta ( id, Jakarta Selatan; bew, Jakarte Beludik ), colloquially known 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 h ...

. 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 district of Central Jakarta, Indonesia. The district hosts the biggest textile market in Southeast Asia, Tanah Abang Market. It hosts Bung Karno Stadium, in Kelurahan Gelora, and the western half of the largely skyscraper-domin ...

, 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 Dawah ( ar, دعوة, lit=invitation, ) is the act of inviting or calling people to embrace Islam. The plural is ''da‘wāt'' (دَعْوات) or ''da‘awāt'' (دَعَوات). Etymology The English term ''Dawah'' derives from the Arabic ...

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 The Zuhr prayer ( ar, صَلَاة ٱلظُّهْر ', "noon prayer") is one of the five mandatory salah (Islamic prayer). As an Islamic day starts at sunset, the Zuhr prayer is technically the fourth prayer of the day. He did this until he reached 70 years old. Habib Ali was involved in the establishment of

Jamiat Kheir Jamiat Kheir ('; ar, جمعية خير ; ; 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 institu ...

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 Mawlid, Mawlid an-Nabi ash-Sharif or Eid Milad un Nabi ( ar, المولد النبوي, translit=mawlid an-nabawī, lit=Birth of the Prophet, sometimes simply called in colloquial Arabic , , among other vernacular pronunciations; sometimes , ) ...

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 The Hajj (; ar, حَجّ '; sometimes also spelled Hadj, Hadji or Haj in English) is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried ...

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 The Hejaz (, also ; ar, ٱلْحِجَاز, al-Ḥijāz, lit=the Barrier, ) is a region in the west of Saudi Arabia. It includes the cities of Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Tabuk, Yanbu, Taif, and Baljurashi. It is also known as the "Western Provin ...

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 (, ; Standard Arabic: , Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God. It is organized in 114 chapters (pl.: , sing.: ...

at his

veranda A veranda or verandah is a roofed, open-air gallery or porch, attached to the outside of a building. A veranda is often partly enclosed by a railing and frequently extends across the front and sides of the structure. Although the form ''veran ...

in Kwitang. Habib Ali even made his residence as a mosque named ''Awwabin '' and used it for

Maghrib The Maghrib Prayer ( ar, صلاة المغرب ', "sunset prayer") is one of the five mandatory salah (Islamic prayer). As an Islamic day starts at sunset, the Maghrib prayer is technically the first prayer of the day. If counted from midni ...

Isha Isha may refer to: * Isha (Fantasy), the fictional deity from ''Warhammer Fantasy'' * Isha Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev * Isha prayer, the night-time daily prayer obligatory in Islam * Isha Upanishad, t ...

, 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 the state-owned news network and international radio broadcaster of the United States of America. It is the largest and oldest U.S.-funded international broadcaster. VOA produces digital, TV, and radio content ...

's broadcasting station to various countries. The only Indonesian TV broadcasting station at that time,

TVRI TVRI (, Television of the Republic of Indonesia), legally ( Public Broadcasting Institution Television of the Republic of Indonesia) is a public television network and the oldest television network in Indonesia. Its national headquarters is i ...

, 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 The Zamzam Well ( ar, بئر زمزم, translit=Biʾru Zamzam ) is a well located within the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is located east of the Kaʿba, the holiest place in Islam. According to Islamic narratives, the well is a mira ...

. 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 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 death or funeral of ...

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 salu ...

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'' ( ar, بَيْعَة, "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. ''Bayʿah'' is sometimes taken under a written pact ...

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, lecturer, politician and journalist. First affiliated with the Masyumi Party, until it was di ...

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

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 ( su, ᮕᮛᮠᮡᮀᮠᮔ᮪; Bantenese: Priangan; Dutch: Preanger) 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 heartla ...

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 contexts. El ...

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 Imam Sayyid Abd Allah ibn Alawi al-Haddad ( ar-at, عبد الله ابن علوي الحدّاد, ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAlawī al-Ḥaddād; ) (born in 1634 CE) was a Yemeni Islamic scholar. He lived his entire life in the town of Tarim in Yemen' ...

, 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 , pl. , ) is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whether for elementary instruction or higher learning. The word is variously transliterated '' ...

named ''Madrasah Unwanul Falah''. The land used to build the mosque was a

waqf A waqf ( ar, وَقْف; ), also known as hubous () or '' mortmain'' property is an inalienable charitable endowment under Islamic law. It typically involves donating a building, plot of land or other assets for Muslim religious or charitabl ...

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 district in the city of South Tangerang, Banten, Indonesia and is inside the Greater Jakarta metropolitan area. It covers an area of 18.38 km2 and its population at the 2020 Census was 208,722. Ciputat Timur ("East Ciputat") is a se ...

, Condet, even

Depok en, Starfruit City , motto = ''Pariraca Darma''(Servant of the righteousness) , image_map = Map of West Java highlighting Depok City.svg , mapsize = , map_caption ...

. 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'' (; ar, علماء ', singular ', "scholar", literally "the learned ones", also spelled ''ulema''; feminine: ''alimah'' ingularand ''aalimath'' lural are the guardians, transmitters, and interpreters of religious ...

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 (; ar, منارة, translit=manāra, or ar, مِئْذَنة, translit=miʾḏana, links=no; tr, minare; fa, گل‌دسته, translit=goldaste) is a type of tower typically built into or adjacent to mosques. Minarets are generall ...

s. A number of other Betawi 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. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...

), 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. Jamiat kheir dulu

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 a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...

and

. In addition, he also had traveled to many countries, such as

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

Colombo Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo me ...

, and

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...

. Habib Ali was known not only in

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...

n countries (such as

, or

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...

), but also in African and Middle East countries. Habib Ali began to perform

every last Thursday of Rabi' al-awwal since the death of Muhammad ibn Habib Idrus Al-Habshi in 1920 CE (1338 AH) until 1937 CE (1355 AH) at

and later moved to al-Riyadh mosque. Habib Ali also played an important role in the establishment of

Al-Rabithah al-Alawiyyah Rabithah Alawiyah ( ar, ; lit. ''The Association of Alawiyyin '' or'' Alawiyyin League'') is an Indonesian Islamic organization engaged in social movements. In general, the organization is an exclusive association of Hadhrami people of Ba 'Alaw ...

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). (; born Koesno Sosrodihardjo, ; 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 ...

. A few days before the

Proclamation of Indonesian Independence The Proclamation of Indonesian Independence ( id, Proklamasi Kemerdekaan Indonesia, or simply ''Proklamasi'') was read at 10:00 on Friday, 17 August 1945 in Jakarta. The declaration marked the start of the diplomatic and armed resistance of th ...

, Habib Ali Kwitang offered his residence for Sukarno to stay overnight before proclaiming the independence to avoid threats from the Dutch Empire. 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 , type = islam , longtype = Religious , image = Ramadan montage.jpg , caption=From top, left to right: A crescent moon over Sarıçam, Turkey, marking the beginning of the Islamic month of Ramadan. Ramadan Quran reading in Bandar Torkaman, Iran. ...

. 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, premier 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. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...

at the time,

Djuanda Kartawidjaja Raden Djuanda Kartawidjaja ( EYD: Raden Juanda Kartawijaya; 14 January 1911 – 7 November 1963), commonly known as Djuanda Kartawidjaja, usually referred to simply as Djuanda, was an Indonesian politician and ethnic Sundanese noble from the cour ...

. 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 General of the Army Abdul Haris Nasution ( Old Spelling: Abdoel 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 an ...

. Leaders of the

Muslim World League The Muslim World League (MWL; ar, رابطة العالم الاسلامي, Rabitat al-Alam al-Islami, ) is an International Islamic NGO based in Mecca, Saudi Arabia that promotes what it calls the true message of Islam by advancing moderate v ...

during their visit to Indonesia also paid a visit to Habib Ali. Similarly,

Soeharto Suharto (; ; 8 June 1921 – 27 January 2008) was an Indonesian army officer and politician, who served as the second and the longest serving president of Indonesia. Widely regarded as a military dictator by international observers, Suharto ...

, B.J. Habibie,

Abdurrahman Wahid Abdurrahman Wahid ( ; born Abdurrahman ad-Dakhil; 7 September 1940 – 30 December 2009), though more colloquially known as Gus Dur (), was an Indonesian politician and Islamic religious leader who served as the 4th president of Indonesia, from ...

, and

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (born 9 September 1949), commonly referred to by his initials SBY, is an Indonesian politician and retired army general who served as the sixth president of Indonesia from 2004 to 2014. A member of the Democratic Party ...

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 (أخلاق إسلامية) 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 per ...

monotheistic Monotheism is the belief that there is only one deity, an all-supreme being that is universally referred to as God. Cross, F.L.; Livingstone, E.A., eds. (1974). "Monotheism". The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (2 ed.). Oxford: Oxford ...

, contained purity of faith, social solidarity, and noble morality. Although traditionally Habib Ali and his future generations follow

Shafi'i The Shafii ( ar, شَافِعِي, translit=Shāfiʿī, also spelled Shafei) school, also known as Madhhab al-Shāfiʿī, is one of the four major traditional schools of religious law (madhhab) in the Sunnī branch of Islam. It was founded by ...

Madhhab A ( ar, مذهب ', , "way to act". pl. مَذَاهِب , ) is a school of thought within ''fiqh'' (Islamic jurisprudence). The major Sunni Mathhab are Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i and Hanbali. They emerged in the ninth and tenth centuries CE an ...

for

fiqh ''Fiqh'' (; ar, فقه ) is Islamic jurisprudence. Muhammad-> Companions-> Followers-> Fiqh. The commands and prohibitions chosen by God were revealed through the agency of the Prophet in both the Quran and the Sunnah (words, deeds, and ...

and

Ba 'Alawiyya The Ba'Alawi tariqa ( ar, طريقة آل باعلوي), also known as the Tariqa 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 tie ...

for everything else, one of his grandsons, Ali Ridha bin Muhammad, is a

shiah Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, mos ...

scholar, graduated from

Qom Qom (also spelled as "Ghom", "Ghum", or "Qum") ( fa, قم ) is the seventh largest metropolis and also the seventh largest city in Iran. Qom is the capital of Qom Province. It is located to the south of Tehran. At the 2016 census, its popul ...

in 1974. Habib Ali's

Majlis ( ar, المجلس, 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 conne ...

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