founded by Syed Jamaludin Al-Afghani and by the zeal of
the reformist disciples, Sheikh Muhammad Abduh and Syed
Muhammad Rashid Ridza. This reformist movement which
was based in Cairo, had its own organ called Al-Manar (The
Lighthouse) published by Rashid Ridza in the period of
1898-1953.As the organ of an Islamic Reformist Movement,
Al-Imam, was to great extent similar to that of Al-Manar
both in form and content.
iii “BACKBONE” OF AL IMAM
1) Sheikh Muhammad Tahir Jalaluddin
When we talk on Al-Imam, the one name that can not be
separated is, Sheikh Muhammad Tahir Jalaluddin or
normally known as Sheikh Tahir Jaluddin. His contribution
in Al-Imam can not be argued along with his partner, Sheikh
Ahmad Al Hadi. Sheikh Tahir was born on 9th December
1869 in Sumatra and at the time of Sheikh Tahir’s birth, the
world was being convulsed by the upsurge of Western
imperialism, reflected in the intense competition between
European powers to acquire colonial possessions (Tate,
2001). The famously known Islamic reformist movement,
Wahabi was close to Sheikh Tahir’ life where he lived in the
Sumatra community that against the establishment of the
colonial presence in their places.
2) Syed Sheikh Al Hadi
Malay journalism actually owed a lot to Syed Sheikh Al
Hadi especially during 1920s. He was the one who continued
Al-Imam’s ideology by producing Al-Ikhwan. Za’ba in other
article entitled, “Modern Development of Malay Literature”
said Sheikh Al Hadi hailed as the forerunner of the
development of Malay literary. Sheikh Al Hadi known for
his novels but in journalism known for his contribution in Al-
Ikhwan. Sheikh Al Hadi was born in Kampung Ulu, Malacca
of a family of mixed Arab and Malay blood which had land
and property there. He had never gone to Malay school but in
his boyhood was a pupil of Raja Haji Ali at Riau and later
was sent study in Arabia and Egypt. For a time he sat at the
feet of great theologian of modern Islam, Sheikh Muhammad
Abduh of Egypt. Returning to Malaya towards the end of last
century, he became shariah lawyer at the old religious court
of Johor where being a syed and a learned man, he was much
respected by the nobility. Among his elders and old friends
throughout south Malay he was generally known as Wan
Anum. Afterwards he collaborated with with Sheikh Tahir
Jalaluddin, a Sumatran Malay then fresh from study in
Mecca and the Al-Azhar of Cairo, he became managing
director and part-editor of Al-Imam in 1906.
A. Al-Imam and Contemporary Politics
The message and the mission of Al-Imam as we have
seen was not confined to religious matters only, rather it
widened its scope so as to include matters social as well as
political. In his article on education, a writer quoting the
Prophet’s saying “acquire knowledge from the cradle to
grave” Al-Imam warned knowledgeable people not to boast
and reminded its reader of the fact that the destruction of
Muslim nations of the past was due to their negligence in
acquiring knowledge the writer criticized “orang-orangbesar” (the noble class) for their misdeeds and negative
attitude towards the well being of their own people.
B. Al-Imam’s Criticism of Malay Society
Al-Imam deemed it necessary to express freely its views
and ideas asserting it opinions forcefully and effectively so
that, at times, it delved into governmental matters.
Consequently it is not unexpected to find that Al-Imam in the
course of its comment was not reluctant in invoicing its
finding whenever necessary in criticizing the government’s
planning and programming.
It maintained that constructive criticism are fact a
sincere contribution that ought to be normally pursued and
undertaken as a social obligation for the common of the
entire umma (nation) however controversial the case might
be.
C. General Impact of Al-Imam
When discussing on “impact” it is not only meant by
impact to the audience or readers but to the broader or more
general or even do not concern with readers or audience. Al-
Imam critically observed that were among its own
community those who had not only forgotten their religion
and country but also their Lord, Allah Himself, thereby
exposing themselves to be neglected, forgotten by Allah, Al-
Imam warned that this graceful behaviors towards God’s
bounty will certainly caused into vanish from us.
In the world of journalism, the impact made by Al-
Imam was inevitably of great importance and significance
but not only within the Malay Peninsula but also abroad
particularly in Indonesia. In the Malay Peninsula itself, the
subsequent emergence of certain Islamic periodicals during
the succeeding two decades was yet further evidence of the
impression left by Al-Imam. One outstanding example was
the periodical “Neracha” (The Scale) published in Singapore
by Haji Abbas bin Muhammad Taha during 1911 – 1915.
Haji Abbas bin Muhammad Taha had previously been an
editor of Al-Imam and not surprisingly the policy of Neracha
in religious matters was quite similar to if not identical with
that of Al-Imam.
Roff (1994) commented that “the importance of Al-
Imam in Malaya as a journal of influence was overrated. The
extent of its circulation is problematical, but was
comparatively small…Although it had a limited audience, it
came into the hands of religious teachers in madrasah and
“pondok” schools, where its opinion on such questions as the
wearing of European style clothing, the payment of money
from burial prayers, the taking of interest from savings banks
and certain of the practices associated with “naqshabani”
Sufism aroused considerable controversy.
II. MALAY TRANSFORMATION AND GROWTH OF MALAY
INTELLIGENTSIA AND SCHOLARS UNTIL 1941.
A. Influence of Islam and The “War” of Kaum Muda –
Kaum Tua.
The history of Islam in Malaysia, as is perhaps well
known, dates back several centuries. It has claimed that
Melaka played a major role in the Islamization of Southeast