If you are asked, who is the greatest contemporary author of Sirah Nabawiyah? Maybe the answer is an Indonesian scholar named KH. Moenawar Chalil rahimahullah. He wrote a sirah book entitled "Completeness of the Date of the Prophet Muhammad S.A.W".
The book was first published in 1936 by the publisher Bulan Bintang Jakarta. Thus, this book can also be called the first sirah book in Indonesia. He is also probably the youngest author of the sirah of the prophet in history because he was 28 years old when his book was published!
KH. Moenawar Chalil rahimahullah was born in Kendal, Central Java, in 1908. He received traditional education from his father, Muhammad Chalil, and his uncle, Muhammad Salim, as well as other kiai in Kendal, such as Abdulchamid and Irfan. At the age of seventeen, he became involved in the nationalist movement and participated in a political rebellion in Kendal, a rebellion linked to the activities of the Sarekat Islam (Islamic Union) in Solo.
He was sent by his father to study in Arabia where he spent four years (1926-1929). He was also aware of the reformist trends in Egypt and the surrounding area during his stay in Hijaz. He was deeply impressed by the modernist views of Muhammad 'Abduh which he frequently quoted in his writings.
Upon his return from Arabia in 1929, he became an active member of the Muhammadiyah, taught at al-Madrasah al-Wustha (secondary school) and headed the Majlis Tabligh (Da'wah Body) branch of the Muhammadiyah in Kendal. In 1930, KH Mas Mansur appointed him a member of the Muhammadiyah Central Tarjih Council (Fatwa Central Board) two years after it was founded (in 1928 by Mas Mansur).
He moved to Semarang in 1933. He was assigned to teach da'wah courses at the Muhammadiyah branch. Then he founded the Swara Islam (Suara Islam) magazine in 1935 in Javanese. This magazine was founded in order to revive the sunnah of the prophet and eradicate heresy.
In 1938 he also became the secretary of the Indonesian Hadith Expert Committee (Lajnah Ahli-Hadith Indonesia), a position which he held until his death on May 23, 1961. Since 1933 he began writing.
However, the Japanese occupation stopped his writing activities. He became Head of the Semarang Regency Religious Affairs Department after the Japanese occupied Indonesia in 1942. However, when a document sent by the Chairman of Darul Islam (DI) and the Indonesian Islamic Army (TII) to him was found in Cirebon at the end of 195l, he was imprisoned for seven months and released in 1952 by the authorities after the indictment proved to have no supporting documents.
He resigned from the Ministry of Religion in 1951 at the age of 43 without a pension fund. In 1952 he rejected Soekarno's offer to occupy a high position in Jakarta and he also rejected the post of Minister of Religion offered to him by the coalition cabinet of the Indonesian National Party (PNI) -Masjumi.
In 1957 he served as Chairman of the Persis Central Board of Ulama Council in Bandung. He has been a member of Persis since the early 1930s, during which time he was a regular columnist for his magazine, Defenders of Islam, for the Kendal region. Since then he has been a dual member, as a Muhammadiyah administrator and columnist for Persis.
Among other religious positions he has held are the Trustee of the Solo Islamic Education Center (Islamic Education Center) and a member of the Health and Shar 'Advisory Committee (Shar and Health Consultation Committee) of the Ministry of Health. In 1958, a poll was conducted by the Indonesian Muslim Author Association (Indonesian Muslim Writers Association) in Jakarta to determine the author's rank and he was ranked fifth. This prolific writer died on May 23, 1961 in Kampung Kulitan 313 Semarang. 21
His works include:
1. "Completeness of the Date of the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wassalam". A monumental work on the sirah of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wassalam.
2. "Return to Al Qur'an and As Sunnah", published by Bulan Bintang. This book describes Moenawar Chalil's views on the obligation to uphold the sunnah and avoid bid'ah.
3. "Definition and Joints of Religion", published by Bulan Bintang.
4. "Value and Wisdom of Fasting", published by Bulan Bintang.
5. "Functions of Ulama in Society and Country", published by Bulan Bintang.
6. "Head of State and People's Consultative Assembly According to Islamic Teachings", published by A. B. Sitti Sjamsijah Solo. This book is a combination of his 2 small books, namely "Chalifah Throughout the Leadership of the Qur'an and Sunnah" which was written in 1957 and the book "Adakah Ulil Amri in Indonesia" which was written in 1958.
7. "The history of Sayidah Chodijah and Sayidah Aisyah, the Empress of the Prophet Muhammad SAW", published by A. B. Sitti Sjamsijah Solo. This book is a combination of 2 books, namely "The History of Sayidah Chodijah" and the book "History of Sayidah Aisyah" which were both written in 1953.
8. "Biographies of the Four Series of Imam Schools", published by Bulan Bintang. As seen in the title, this book contains the biographies of the four Imam Madzhab.
9. "Peristiwa Isra 'and Mi'raj", published by Bulan Bintang. The book was completed and revised in 1959.
10. "Nilai Wanita", published by Al Ma'arif Bandung. This book contains a discussion of the ins and outs of women from an Islamic perspective and is given a foreword by M. Isa Anshary from the Islamic Union. This book also contains several responses to Soekarno's first book entitled Sarinah.
11. "The Qur'an from Time to Time", published by J. B. Wolters and later by Ramadhani. This book is given a foreword by M. Natsir and in general contains the history of the Qur'an from time to time.
12. Translation and commentary on the book "Why the Muslims are Backing" by Al Amir Syakib Arsalan, published by Bulan Bintang.
13. "Al Mukhtarul Ahadith" The Association of Selected Hadiths ", published by Bulan Bintang. This work is a manifestation of Moenawar Chalil's desire to write a Fiqh book based on the Ahlul Hadith school of thought.
14. Tafsir Quran "Hidaajatur Rahmaan", published by A. B. Sitti Sjamsijah Solo in Javanese Latin letters. This book is only published in one volume (until the completion of Juz 1's interpretation). Moenawar Chalil did not have time to finish this book.
15. “Chutbah Nikah, published by A. B. Sitti Sjamsijah Solo. This thin book contains several examples of wedding sermon texts.
16. "Al Fiqhun Nabawy: Fiqh Based on the Leadership of the Prophet SAW".
His most well-known masterpieces are the books "Completeness of the Date" and "Return to the Qur'an and the Sunnah".
Rahimahullahu rahmatan waasi'ah wa askanahu fasihu janatah ..
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