We now proceed with the Second Sultan of Santubong according to our Dukun who recited the story to us. Below, please find the first part of his epic journey. His visit to Kedah is corroborated with an oral history from Kedah. For the Malacca information, we asked our friends at Malaysian Heritage and History Club to comment but received no reply. 

Ismail Hasanuddin The Second Sultan Tengah (Indrana Ngemas) ~1462 – 1490

Ismail was married to Puteri Taliah who was a Malay from the royal family of Bukak La Pura (Baku La Pura) in the area of Sungai Melanno. When Tuanku Sri Maharajian brought his wife back to Indera Ponik, she came with her Malay followers to settle at Indera Ponik. The followers were allowed to open a place at Tanjong Datok called Kampong Telok Melanno. After ten years of being married Ismail and Puteri Taliah did not have any children. Puteri Taliah passed away.

Ismail Hasanuddin became the ruler on 1 Rejab 855 til 29 Dzul Hijjah 884 (30 July 1451-52 March 1480.) During his rule, the Kingdom of Santubong was also known by traders as Kesultanan Kerajaan di Tengah. (The Middle Kingdom.) This was because it was between the two Kingdoms, the Kingdom of Tanjungpura and the Kingdom of Barunah (Brunei). As a Muslim ruler, he used the title Sultan. He was known as the Middle Sultan (Sultan Tengah) which means the Sultan of the Middle Kingdom. He was called Indra Ngemas (gold) because he was born to an Iban lady before converting to Islam at a young age. 

Upon return of the delegation to Santubong, Ni-An Pangeran Sri Tuan Saenan returned to Tanjungpura and obtained the royal vestments. He proceeded with the investiture of Ismail Hasanuddin. When the crowning was completed, he returned to Tanah Berlidah, fell very ill because of age, and died. He was buried there not far from the largest tombstone in Tanah Berlidah (now Lidah Tanah). (We found out that the largest tombstone was that of Ismail Hasanuddin).

Before Ismail Hasanuddin and his followers came back to Indera Samudera Punik, they performed the Umrah. Saenan handed over the administration of Santubong to Ismail Hassanuddin after ~15 years of rule. He still held the post of Menteri Indra Paduka Bantara di Raja Mangkuk Bumi. It was believed Saenan administered Santubong from Akhir 840- 27 Jumadil Akhai 855. October/November 1436 – July 1451.

Meanwhile, back in Madinah, Abdullah Muhammad could recite the Koran by the age of eight and learned Islamic teachings from the Ulama (religious teachers) in Madinah as early as ten. He studied until he was 27 when he returned to Ponik. He was recognized as an Islamic preacher by the Ulama in Madinah. After his mother died, he returned to Indera Ponek. His journey home included Pasay, Kedah and Melaka.

Pasai, Sumatra

At Pasai (Pasey) Abdullah Mohammed visited Sultan Mahmud and introduced himself as the youngest son of al Marhum Sultan Abdul Jalil Jaffaruddin and brother to Sultan Hasanuddin of Indera Ponek. Sultan Mahmud said that Jaffaruddin was a friend of the previous Sultan of Pasay, al Marhum Sultan Malikul Zaid Sultan Mahmud ( Sultan Mahmud Malik Az Zahir II). 

Because of his knowledge of Islam, Sultan Mahmud was attracted to him and regarded him as his adopted son. He had stayed about three months. While he was in Pasai, he observed the system of administrationand was fascinated by the religious schools. He hoped that his experience would become an inspiration to the administration of Indera Punik one day. He was also amazed at the number of Malays among Ulamas in Pasai. He wished that he could invite the Malay Ulamas to Indera Ponek when he became Sultan.

He was also intrigued by the gold and silver currency in Pasai for exchange in trading. He sought permission from Sultan Mahmud to use the precious metals from Pasai as a medium of exchange in Indera Ponek when he became Sultan. Sultan Mahmud agreed. 

After three months in Pasai, he requested permission to proceed to other Islamic countries and to continue with his travels. Sultan Mahmud suggested he sail to Kedah and Melaka. He told Abdullah Muhammad to keep his identity secret. He sailed to Kedah on a trading boat.

Kedah

Upon arrival in Kedah, he immediately saw the Sultan of Kedah, Sultan Muhammad Shah. (Sultan Atha’Ulla Muhammad Shah). He introduced himself as a traveller and an Islamic preacher who wanted to travel to Indera Punik. He took the name of Syikh Abdullah Muhammad. The Sultan had heard of Indera Punik, a country that traded in tempayan (large jars) and gula gula kabong (palm sugar). The Sultan asked him his intentions and he told the Sultan that he wished to witness the beauty and the prosperity of the country. He knew the Sultan was a Warak, a religious man who had a high knowledge of Islam. He also would like to mix with the Ulamas. He wanted to stay in Kedah for a short time while he waited for a ship to sail for Malacca. 

He was given permission by the Sultan and visited the schools, (pondok pengajian agama Islam). While he was there, he saw several schools of Pengajian Agama Islam being built. He was also fascinated by the system of administration based on the advice of the Ulamas. He was in Kedah for about one month. Before he left for Malacca, he saw the Sultan to seek permission to leave and thanked him for letting him stay in Kedah. 

Malacca

Upon his arrival at Malacca, he proceeded to the Islamic schools and saw the Ulamas who taught Islam there. He was introduced to the Datuk Paduka Qadhi (title) whose name was Datuk Maulana Yusup. He presented himself as a traveller and religious preacher from Madinah. Maulana was happy to meet an Arab who was fluent in the Malay language. He was also an expert in translating and explaining the meaning of the verses of the Koran and the Hadis of Rasullullah in Malay. 

Maulana referred to him as Muhammad al Hafizus Salam. Muhammed brought him to his home. Muhammed told Maulana that he wished to see the Sultan of Malacca. Maulana told him the name of the Sultan was Sultan Mahansursa (Sultan Mansur Shah(1456-1477) He was a religious individual and liked to study Islamic issues. He had a high respect for the Ulamas. However, when one wanted to see the Sultan, he had to request permission from the Bandahara Paduka Raja whose name was Paduka Tun Pirak. (probably, Tun Perak 1456-1498). 

After a few days, Muhammed was brought by Maulana to see the Tun Perak. Unfortunately, he visited Tun Perak’s house four times but was not successful. It was only after the fifth call that he found Muhammed could see him and was then introduced to him by Maulana. He introduced himself as Abdullah Muhammad, a traveller and preacher and explained his intention of meeting the Sultan of Malacca. He told Tun Pirak he wished to present a copy of the Koran from Madinah to the Sultan. He also wanted to stay in Malacca before leaving for Indera Ponek. He informed Tun Pirak that Indera Ponek was located on the island of Tanah Bania (Borneo).

Tun Perak, in a test, asked him to translate several verses of the Koran from Arabic to Malay. He interpreted each passage. Tun Pirak was fascinated by his fluency in translating the Koran from Arab to Malay despite Abdullah Muhammad being an Arab. He was also very surprised by his young age and that he memorized the al Quran and Hadis. 

Tun Pirak had to obtain permission from the Sultan to meet Abdullah Muhammad. When Maulana met Tun Pirak he was told that the Sultan was willing to see him. The following day he was brought to the Bandahara to meet Sultan Mahansursa. When he met the Sultan, he presented a copy of the Koran from Madinah. He also sought permission to stay for a while in Malacca and his request was granted. 

Sultan Mahansura asked him to recite the seventy-eight verses of Ar Rahman from the Koran without looking. Abdullah Muhammad quoted the passage while the Sultan was looking at the Arab version. The Sultan became emotional. The Sultan then asked him to stay longer because he wanted to listen to the translation of the whole Koran into Malay before Abdullah Muhammad left for Indera Punik. 

Abdullah Muhammad agreed to stay for three months before he continued his journey to Indera Samudera Punik in Tanah Banian (now Borneo). The Sultan instructed him to recite and translate the Koran every day. He also instructed Maulana Yusup to write down every translation that was made by Abdullah Muhammad. While in Malacca Abdullah Muhammad had observed the administrative and trading system in Malacca. After being in Melaka for four months, he sought permission from the Sultan to travel to Samudera Punik.

The Sultan suggested he remain in Malacca. However, Abdullah said that he had to proceed to Punik as it was a mandate.(amanah) The Sultan wished that he would reconsider the suggestion. However, Abdullah stuck to his decision to carry out the amanah to Indera Samudera Punik. The Sultan however requested Abdullah to find the technique of making the famous gula kabong that was traded in Indera Samudera Punik. He wanted the people of Malacca to learn the skill. Abdullah agreed.

Sultan Mahansura requested Abdullah Muhammad to send his thanks to the Sultan of Indera Punik and he wished to establish ties with his government. Abdullah Muhammad asked forgiveness from the Sultan of Malacca because he had hidden his true identity following a suggestion from the Sultan of Pasai. He also said that his visit was a sign of respect for him, that he adored him and had admiration for the Sultan of Melaka. He was the first Malay Muslim Sultan and he had been his idol ever since he was in Madinah. He had heard many stories from the Arab traders that told about the kindness of the Sultan of Melaka. He requested permission to return to Indera Samudera Punik. The Sultan of Malacca presented him with a kris of the kingdom of Malacca to the Sultan of Indera Samudera Punik to show friendship.

BorneoHistory.net