Sheikh Nik Mat Kecik Patani: The Great Malay Writer of Religious Books in The 19th Century

Abstract

In the 15th century, Patani was an area that became the center of the development of Islam. It was called the Porch of Mecca. The string, many local scholars have appeared in Patani. They impart Islamic knowledge to the local population orally and also through the writing of books. Some have migrated outside Patani and contributed to the development of Islamic knowledge outside Patani. Their works have also become a treasure of knowledge that was very useful for society, and some are still used as teaching material today. For example, the book Munyatul Musolli and Furu'ul Masail wa Usulul Wasail by Sheikh Daud al-Fatani, the book Mathla'ul Badrain wa Majma'ul Bahrain by Sheikh Nik Mat Kecik al-Fathani and the book Kasyful Litsam 'an as-Ilatil Anam by Sheikh Zainal Abidin bin Muhammad al-Fathani. One of the ancient scholars of Patani descent whose life past scholars less discuss history is Syeikh Nik Mat Kecik al-Fatani, who wrote many works with a religious pattern, literature, science, and Islamic cosmology. Thus, this article was written to study the biography of Sheikh Nik Mat Kecik Patani and his contribution as a leading author in the 19th century.