The Warriors

TOK JANGGUT

Tok Janggut’s real name is Haji Mat Hassan bin Panglima Munas. He received education in the Holy City of Mekah, and was adept in the arts of ‘silat’. After the Bangkok Treaty of 1909, the British had taken over the ruling of Kelantan from Siam and begun making various changes which hit a sore point with the locals as it interfered with their traditional culture.

On the 29th April 1915, the administration of Jeram, Pasir Puteh, Kelantan was taken over by Encik Latiff, a British ruling officer who hailed from outside of Kelantan. He was set to replace Engku Besar. Conflict over taxes and delay in tax collection had led Tok Janggut to refuse to pay his taxes. Encik Latiff had ordered a police task force, led by Sarjan Sulaiman (Che Wan) to hasten to Kampung Tok Akib to deal with the matter on 29th April 1915. However, Sarjan Sulaiman was killed in a skirmish and Tok Janggut had gathered his people to march towards Pasir Puteh. By then Encik Latiff had made his retreat to Kota Bharu. Help was sent from Singapore and the allied Malay states on 6th May 1915. A battle then ensued on 25th May 1915 in Kampung Merbuk and Kampung Pupuh.

The rise of Tok Janggut had caused the Sultan of Kelantan to fear for his position, and thus he regarded Tok Janggut as a traitor. This later was evident in the way Tok Janggut was to be treated. In a conflict in Kampung Pupuh, Tok Janggut was killed and his body was brought to Kota Bharu in a cart pulled by a cow which took a day. His body was hung for a few days in front of the royal palace in Pasir Padang (Padang Merdeka) before it was finally buried in Pasir Pekan.

Makam Tok Janggut

TOK KENALI

Tok Kenali or his real name Muhamad Yusof bin Ahmad Al-Kenali was born in 1868 at Kubang Kerian, Kota Bahru. His father passed away when Tok Kenali was 5 years old. He started learning - to read and write the Al-Quran from Tok Lih, his maternal grandfather. At the age of 10, Tok Kenali moved to Kota Bahru and studied the Arabic language from Ismail. Among Tok Kenali's teachers were Ahmad bin Mohd Zain bin Mustaffa al-Fatani and Syeikh Daud Abdullah Fatani.

Tok Kenali

Tok Kenali

 
 
Tok Kenali married Mek Nik Haji Salleh Janggut at the age of 16 but the marriage only lasted one year. He later remarried Hajah Rokiah Haji Mahmud and was blessed with 4 children, namely Hj. Ahmad, Hj. Mohd. Salleh, Haji Mahmud and Haji Abdullah Zawawi. He went to Mekah to perform his pilgrimmage and to further his studies at the age of 18 and returned to his homeland in 1908 at the age of 40. He started teaching in his house and later on in other houses at Kampung Paya in Kelantan. He also taught at the Masjid Al-Muhammadi, Kota Bahru. Among his students were Yaakob Legur, Haji Ali Sallehuddin, Haji Othman Jalaluddin Sering, Abdullah Tahir and Mohammad Undang. During his career, he held various posts such as member of Majlis Ulama Kelantan and Majlis Agama Islam dan Adat Istiadat Melayu Kelantan, Head of Islamic Studies in Kelantan, Chief Editor of the magazine Pengasuh and was the founder of Jam ayatul Al- Asriyah in Kota Bahru. Tok Kenali's literary works include Kadi Yang Pintar, Helah Yang Baik, Pengetahuan Manusia Terbatas, Kuasailah Pengetahuan Agama dan Politik, Bertanya Yang Tahu, Ilmu Itu Apa Yang Terguris Dalam Hati, Ilmu Yang Tidak Diamalkan, Hanya Untuk Menyedapkan and Awang Hidung Melintang. He passed away on 19 November 1933 at the age of 65.