By Amirul Ulum
If one were to study the pages of books and records that details the transmission of the chains of knowledge written by scholars of this age throughout the world, especially the scholars of Indonesia, the name of Shaykh Yasin al-Fadani constantly appears amongst the narrations due to the extensive number of authorisations (ijazah) he received from the scholars which he then transmitted to his students. According to one of his students, Kyai Zubair Dahlan, Shaykh Yasin al-Fadani informed him whilst he was doing Hajj in 1951 that he received authorisations (ijazah) from more than 500 scholars.
It was during that time Shaykh Yasin al-Fadani transmitted to him the pattern-chained narration (musalsal hadith) of mercy (rahmah) and read to him the full chains of narration (sanad). It was believed that Kyai Zubair Dahlan was the first person to receive the transmission of pattern-chained narration (musalsal hadith) of mercy (rahmah) from Shaykh Yasin al-Fadani[1]. A written authorisation (ijazah) was later given by Shaykh Yasin al-Fadani to Kyai Zubair Dahlan in the year 1962 with the date written Friday, 8 Muharram 1382H. The text of the authorisation (ijazah) was preserved by the son of Kyai Zubair Dahlan, Kyai Maimoon Zubair in his work entitled, ‘Tarâjim Masyâyikhi Al-Ma’âhid Ad-Diniyyah bi Sarâng al-Qudâma’.
Apart from Kyai Zubair Dahlan, there were numerous other scholars from all around the world, especially Indonesia who received the authorisation (ijazah) for the transmission of various books from Shaykh Yasin al-Fadani. Amongst them were Kyai Muhammad Ahmad Sahal Mahfuz, Kyai Maimoon Zubair, Kyai Shafi’i Hadzami, Kyai Ahmad Muthhahhar, Kyai Ahmad Muhajirin, Kyai Abdul Hameed and many others who managed to meet, study and received authorisations (ijazah) from Shaykh Yasin al-Fadani. This is especially due to the fact that Shaykh Yasin al-Fadani had visited Indonesia numerous times where he visited various pesantrens throughout Indonesia such as Pesantren Lirboyo, Pesantren Sarang and many more. During his visits, he transmitted general authorisations (ijazah ammah) for various books that he narrated from his teachers.
Living in the midst of the rulers of Hijaz which has shifted from the Sharifs who subscribed to Sunni Islam to the Bani Sa’ud who advocates the Wahhabi ideology, it did not hinder Shaykh Yasin al-Fadani from striving to continue the struggle of his teachers in continuing the teaching and transmission of Shafi’i school of jurispundence (Shafi’i mazhab) and Sunni Islam as how it has been adopted by the majority of the Indonesian Muslims.
Shaykh Yasin al-Fadani was able to adapt well despite the rulers of Hijaz being a primary proponent of Wahhabism. The House of Saud is always indebted to Shaykh Yasin al-Fadani who became the pride of Hijaz and Saudi Arabia as he was the first scholar to establish a school for the formal learning of women in Saudi Arabia. In addition, Shaykh Yasin al-Fadani has received numerous ijazah and chains of narrations for the works of scholars who has influenced the Wahhabi ideology such as Ibnu Taimiyyah, Ibnu Jauzi, Imam Syaukani and also the works of the founder of ideology, Shaykh Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab himself. This is something that is unusual even amongst scholars who subscribe to the ideology.
Notes :
Quoted from the book of Shaikh Yasin al-Fadany the Musnid Dunya of the Archipelago by Amirul Ulum translated by Muhammad Khairool Haque
[1] KH. Maimoen Zubair, “Tarâjim Masyâyikhi Al-Ma’âhid Ad-Diniyyah bi Sarâng al-Qudâma’”. (Rembang : Al-Anwar, tt), pg 25-35.