The Moderates

This book presents a brief outlook of the traits of two moderates from two different epochs. Umar bin Abdul Aziz is not alien to the Muslim worlds as he was a righteous, ascetic and upright Caliph of the Umayyad. Tuan Guru Dato’ Nik Abdul Aziz bin Nik Mat on the other hand, was a distinguished Malaysian politician and an influential scholar. He was the Menteri Besar (equivalent to Chief Minister) of the northern east coast state of Kelantan, Malaysia. He led a virtuous moderate lifestyle of his ordinary populace. 

He was recognised by acquaintances as well as rival politicians for being articulate in moderating extreme views of the various quarters whether those were political, rhetoric or religious in outlook. The salutation Tuan Guru is indicative of his religious scholarly attachment dedicated by his disciples and supporters in particular, and the Malaysians generally, who saw him not only as a religious scholar who led the largest Islamic political party in Malaysia, but also who treated and respected him as a politician of deep piety who lived an ascetic life. A murabbi of the ummah, Tuan Guru Dato’ Nik Abdul Aziz bin Nik Mat was born on 10th January 1931 in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia. 

He relinquished his post as the Menteri Besar of Kelantan about two years before his death on 12th February 2015. He however continued with his positions as the Spiritual Leader of Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) and the State Assemblyman for Chempaka, Kelantan until then. He received his education from the University of Darul Ulum, Deoband, India before he went to the University of Al-Azhar, Egypt. He was 84.