Usman bin Yahya

Usman bin Yahya was a prominent Islamic scholar and the Grand Mufti of Batavia in the 19th century. He was born in 1822 in Pekojan, Batavia, which was then under the Dutch colonial rule. He was of Chinese descent and belonged to the Ba 'Alawi sada family, which traced its lineage to the Prophet Muhammad. His father, Abdullah bin Aqil, was a respected scholar and the Sheikh of Sadah in Mecca. His mother, Aminah, was the daughter of Sheikh Abdurrahman Al-Misri, a renowned scholar from Egypt. Usman bin Yahya received his early education from his maternal grandfather, Sheikh Abdurrahman, who taught him the Qur'an, Tafsir, and other Islamic sciences. When he was 18 years old, he went to Mecca to perform the Hajj and met his father and relatives there. He stayed in Mecca for seven years and studied under his father and Ahmad Zayni Dahlan, the Mufti of Mecca at that time. He learned various subjects such as Akhlaq, Tawhid, Fiqh, Sufism, Nahwu Sharaf, Hadith, and Astronomy. He also received ijazahs (certificates of authority) from many scholars in Mecca. ¹² Usman bin Yahya returned to Batavia in 1847 and started his career as a preacher and a teacher. He established a mosque, Masjid Jami' Tan Hok Liang, in Pondok Rajeg, Cibinong, Bogor, where he taught and gave lectures to the Muslim community. He also became the Grand Mufti of Batavia, the highest religious authority in the region, and issued fatwas (legal opinions) on various matters. He was known for his knowledge, piety, and charisma, and was respected by both the Muslims and the Dutch authorities. He also played an important role in spreading Islam and defending the rights of the Muslim minority in the Dutch East Indies. He was especially concerned about the plight of the Chinese Muslims, who faced discrimination and persecution from the Dutch and the native Indonesians. He founded the Indonesian Chinese Muslim Association (PITI) in 1892 to promote the welfare and education of the Chinese Muslims. He also advocated for the unity and tolerance among different religious and ethnic groups in Indonesia. Usman bin Yahya died in 1913 at the age of 91 due to old age. He was buried in Pondok Bambu, Jakarta, Indonesia. His death was mourned by many people, including his family, friends, followers, and fellow scholars. He was remembered as a man who had a remarkable journey of transformation, from a notorious criminal to a devout Muslim and a compassionate leader.