Shaikh Daud Abdullah Idris Al-Fatani: Patron of the Al-Fatani Family in Mecca
Shaikh Daud Al-Fatani (or Patani) was a prominent scholar, prolific author, and religious leader from Southeast Asia who spent a significant part of his life studying, teaching, and writing in the Hijaz (Mecca and Medina).

Name and Lineage
Full Name: Daud bin Abdullah bin Idris (Sanie') Al-Fatani.

Lineage: His lineage traces back to (Sultan Abdul Hamid Shah bin Sultan Muzaffar Waliullah) through his paternal line: Daud bin Abdullah bin Idris (known as Tok Wan Drasyid or Shaikh Wan Sinik Al-Fatani) bin Abu Bakr (Faqih Ali). His mother was Fatimah bint Wan Salamah, daughter of Tok Banda Wan Soo, whose lineage also meets Shaikh Abdullah at Faqih Ali.

Birth and Early Life
Birthplace: He was born in the village of Barit Singai, near Krisek, in Patani province, Southern Thailand.

Birth Year: Shaikh Daud was born in 1769 CE (1183 AH).

Upbringing: He grew up in the village of Krisek, Patani Kingdom, Southern Thailand. He received his foundational education from his father, Shaikh Abdullah, and his grandfather, Shaikh Idris, both of whom were major scholars in Krisek.

Early Education: He also studied at various schools in Krisek, Patani, known as "Pondok" (Islamic science huts), including Pondok Kuala Pikah, Pondok Krisek, Pondok Samlah, and Pondok Buah Buk. Scholars from Yemen (Hadramawt), Turkey, and Syria, such as Shaikh Abdul Rahman Buah Buk, taught there.

Exile and Migration for Knowledge
Exile (1786 CE / 1200 AH): At the age of seventeen, coinciding with the Siamese attack on Patani in November 1786 CE, many royal and scholarly families, including his own, were taken captive, and mosques and Islamic schools were burned. Shaikh Daud and his family sought refuge in Indonesia via the village of Pulau Duyung in Terengganu, Malaysia.

Study in Aceh (Indonesia): He then moved to Aceh, Indonesia, to study under the renowned jurist Muhammad Zain bin Faqih Jalaluddin Al-Ashi (a leading researcher during the reign of Sultan Alauddin Mahmud Shah) for two years, graduating as a scholar of Islamic jurisprudence (Fiqh).

Migration to Mecca and Life in the Hijaz
Pursuit of Knowledge in Mecca
Migration to Mecca (1788 CE / 1202 AH): Shaikh Daud moved to Mecca to continue his Islamic studies. He joined a group of Patani scholars, including Ali bin Ishaq Fatani and Shaikh Muhammad Salih bin Abdul Rahman Fatani, who were receiving instruction in Islamic sciences, Fiqh, and Tawhid (monotheism) at the Grand Mosque (Haram al-Sharif).

Founding the Malay Community Association: While in Mecca, Shaikh Daud established the Malay Community Association (for students from Southeast Asia).

Teachers and Peers: He studied under renowned scholars such as Isa bin Ahmad Al-Barawi and alongside fellow students from the Malay Archipelago, Patani, and Malaysia, including Shaikh Abdul Samad Al-Palimbani, Muhammad Arshad Banjar, Abdul Rahman Al-Batawi, Muhammad Nafis, and Abdul Wahhab Bugis.

Title: Shaikh Daud was nicknamed "The Young Teacher."

Duration of Study: He resided in Mecca for about 30 years for study and traveled between Mecca and Medina, spending five years in Medina.

Struggle and Return Visits
Despite his long stay in the Hijaz, he visited Patani three times:

First Visit (1832 CE): A visit to the palace of Sultan Sambas in Kalimantan, Indonesia, which he used as a route to visit his family in Patani.

Second Visit (1831–1832 CE): He returned to Patani accompanied by freedom fighters to engage in Jihad in defense of his homeland against Siamese attacks.

Third Visit (1845–1846 CE): A return visit to his family in Terengganu.

Scholarly Contributions and Works
His Education and Teachers
Hadith: He received Hadith knowledge and Isnad (chains of narration) from Shaikh Isa Al-Barawi and other prominent scholars like Abdullah Al-Basri, Ala' al-Din Al-Babi, Zakariya Al-Ansari, and Shams al-Din Al-Ramli.

Sufism: He studied Sufism (Tasawwuf) under Shaikh Muhammad Salih bin Abdul Rahman Fatani and Fiqh (comparative jurisprudence).

Al-Azhar Connections: Although he never went to Egypt, Shaikh Daud studied under some Egyptian Al-Azhar scholars who visited Mecca, including the famous scholar Al-Sharqawi, the Shaikh of Al-Azhar, who was known in the fields of Hadith, Sharia, and Sufism. He also studied Fiqh under Shaikh Muhammad Ali Al-Shanwani, Al-Sharqawi's successor.

Other Teachers: He learned from and associated with other major scholars, including Muhammad As'ad, Ahmad Al-Marzuqi, and Ibrahim Al-Rayyis Al-Zamzami Al-Makki.

Schools of Thought: Shaikh Daud was open to exploring different religious schools, particularly the Shafi'i school of Fiqh and the Shadhiliyya Tariqa (Sufi order).

Summary of His Works
Prolific Author: He is considered one of the most famous and productive Patani scholars, particularly renowned for his contributions to the Shafi'i school of Fiqh in the Malay Archipelago.

Subject Matter: His books covered various fields of Islamic sciences, including: Fiqh (general jurisprudence, worship, comparative schools), Tawhid (monotheism, divinity), daily Muslim life, duties toward Muslims and non-Muslims, teachings on prayer, actions, and the duties related to marriage and divorce.

Analysis of Works: An analysis of his body of work shows a significant focus on:

Fiqh (Jurisprudence): 30% (16 books).

Faith (Iman): 23% (23 books).

Sufism: 21% (11 books).

Key Dates: His first work in Mecca was in 1809 CE (1224 AH), and his last book was written in 1842 CE (1258 AH).

Most Famous Works: Bughyat al-Talib, Al-Bahjah al-Saniyyah, Muniyat al-Musalli, Furu' al-Masa'il, Hidayat al-Muta'allim, and Umdat al-Mu'allim. These books continue to be printed and published today.

Title (Arabic) Title (Transliteration) Completion Date (AH/CE)
كفاية المحتاج Kifayat al-Muhtaj 27 Muharram 1224 / 1809
ايضاح الباب Idah al-Bab 9 Rabi' al-Awwal 1224 / 1809
غاية التقريب Ghayat al-Taqrib 5 Safar 1226 / 1811
نهج الراغبين Nahj al-Raghibin 1226 / 1811
بلوغ المرام Bulugh al-Maram Rabi' al-Awwal 1227 / 1812
غاية المرام Ghayat al-Maram 5 Dhu al-Qa'dah 1229 / 1814
الدر الثمين Al-Durr al-Thamin 17 Shawwal 1232 / 1817
كشف الغمة Kashf al-Ghummah 20 Rabi' al-Awwal 1238 / 1822
جمع الفوائد Jam' al-Fawa'id 27 Jumada al-Awwal 1239 / 1824
كنز المنن Kanz al-Minan 23 Rabi' al-Thani 1240 / 1824
منهاج العابدين Minhaj al-'Abidin 15 Jumada al-Thani 1240 / 1825
منية المصلي Muniyat al-Musalli 15 Dhu al-Hijjah 1242 / 1827
هداية المتعلم Hidayat al-Muta'allim 12 Jumada al-Thani 1244 / 1829

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Death and Legacy
Age at Death: Shaikh Daud Al-Fatani passed away at the age of eighty-two, after a life dedicated to knowledge, teaching, authorship, and Islamic outreach (Da'wah).

Date of Death: There are several opinions regarding his exact death year:

Ismail Shay Daud: 1847 CE (1263 AH).

Saifullah Muhammad Al-Sawi: 1847 CE (1265 AH) (Note: 1265 AH is approx. 1848/1849 CE).

Burial Place: He was buried next to the grave of Abdullah ibn Abbas (may God be pleased with him) in Ta'if.