Bahr Al-Madhi: significant hadith text sciences for Malay Muslims as a tool for political teaching during twentieh century

Abstract

This article focuses on specific Hadith text, Bahr al-Madhi al-Sharh Mukhtasar Sahih al-Tirmidhi by Shaikh Idris al-Marbawi. This text is selected for two reasons: firstly, its provide invaluable data for analyses of political teaching in Malaysia (particularly during 20th century); secondly, its were openly acknowledged by the Malay community until recently as highly esteemed sources of revelation from the Prophet (p.b.h), but may now be neglected in favour of more ‘modern’ versions. The research is therefore undertaken on a three-fold premise, as follows: this text should be restored to their former status as clear and authoritative guides for human conduct in areas ranging from manners to political teaching. Al-Marbawi’s commentary provides the clearest examples of the use of exegesis as a tool for political teaching, and its written methodology is held to have influenced the great Hadith scholar – al-Tirmidhi – and should therefore be esteemed accordingly. The intention in this is to demonstrate al-Marbawi’s deep condemnation at that time of the misconduct of leadership for instance. Therefore, as a criticism of this behaviour, his condemnation is significantly absolute. In the course of history however this condemnation may have been forgotten. One of the main purposes of this study is thus to act as a reminder. In the light of his strong influence upon such esteemed Hadith scholars as al-Tirmidhi, it is argued that the writings of al-Marbawi represent a vital resource for the purposes of educating the Malay people on the subject of the Hadith. In the interests of validity and reliability, the study provides multiple sources of evidence. These include tape-recorded in-depth interviews with researchers (in particular with an expert educationalist in 20th century social, political and religious affairs in Malaysia) and academicians who are biographers of this great scholar identified. Also included are data-gathering techniques such as library and document research. Research methods used to examine the original writings of al-Marbawi are largely ‘qualitative’, and consist of approaches such as ‘hermeneutics and the ‘inferential’ technique of ‘content analyses’.