TUN MOHD ALI LAUNCHES TRAVEL MEMOIR DOCUMENTING EARLY 20TH CENTURY ISLAMIC WORLD

KUALA LUMPUR, May 5 (Bernama) -- Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Melaka Tun Dr Mohd Ali Mohd Rustam today launched Jejak Haramain ke Istanbul: Februari 1910 – November 1910, a historical travel memoir chronicling the spiritual and intellectual journey of a renowned Islamic scholar in the early 20th century.

The book, published by IIUM Press, was unveiled at the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation (ISTAC-IIUM).

It documents the travels of the late Habib Shaikh Muhammad Hussein Al-Habshee, an esteemed scholar who journeyed through key centres of the Muslim world, including Makkah, Palestine and Istanbul, from February to November 1910.

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His travels aimed to strengthen Islamic fellowship and expand networks of intellectual exchange.

International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) Rector Professor Emeritus Datuk Dr Osman Bakar hailed the work as a vital historical document that reconnects Southeast Asia with the broader legacy of Islamic scholarship.

“Jejak Haramain ke Istanbul reminds us that true knowledge is built on three pillars, namely, sincere intention, a purposeful journey and deep respect for tradition.

“It represents an integration of knowledge and ethical conduct, which aligns closely with IIUM’s mission as ‘The Garden of Knowledge and Virtue’,” he noted.

The launch also saw the attendance of political secretary to the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department for Religious Affairs Dr Muhamad Razak Idris, IIUM President Tan Sri Samsudin Osman, and Johor Malay Association for the Federal Territories and Selangor president Datuk Seri Dr Syed Hussien Abd Kadir Al-Habshee, along with academics and university students.

Syed Hussien, the grandson of the late scholar, encouraged today’s youth to revive the traditional Islamic practice of rihlah ilmu or the journey for knowledge.

He said the book is a tribute to his grandfather and a call to today’s generation to embrace knowledge, not just academically, but as a way of shaping character, strengthening identity and fostering a love for Islamic civilisation.

He also announced that Jejak Haramain ke Istanbul will be translated into Turkish, following a request from the Turkish Ambassador to Malaysia, Emir Salim Yüksel.

-- BERNAMA