Not Saudi goldsmiths, but seven Muslims from Thailand made the Second Kaaba Door
“My name is Abdullah Naknawa, born as Abdullah,” he said, using his Arabic name in front of his Thai name, Kathawut. Abdullah means ‘servant of Allah’ – a popular name among Muslim parents.
In Apa Khabar TV‘s recent meeting with Professor Abdullah, several issues arose, including who actually built the current Second Kaaba Door and his origins. Is he of Malay descent or a Thai Muslim?
A friend sent a link to an Arabic article stating that a goldsmith, Ahmed bin Ibrahim Badr, made and completed the Second Kaaba Door.
However, according to Professor Abdullah, Ahmed bin Ibrahim Badr was merely an intermediary between the Saudi King at the time – King Khalid bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud (1975-1982).
Is Professor Abdullah of Malay descent originating from one of the three southern provinces of Thailand – Narathiwat, Yala, and Pattani?
Over seven decades ago, or precisely in 1948, the Naknawa family, a well-known Muslim family in an area called Suan Luang in Bangkok, welcomed a new member when Mrs. No Naknawa gave birth to a baby boy.
Emphasizing nurturing faith within the entire family, her husband, Saman Naknawa, named the newborn baby Abdullah, which means ‘servant of Allah.’
Previously, this area was located in Phra Khanong District, but it has now become Phra Nakhon Province, while the name Suan Luang Subdistrict is no longer used. Separated into Suan Luang District, the locals call it ‘Ban Pa,’ which is Soi Phatthanakan 20, Junction 13.
When Abdullah Naknawa reached school age, he received his education at Ban Pa Mosque School. Later, his father and relatives donated additional land to the school. The school was then renamed Naknawa Uppatham School (Ban Pa Mosque).
Describing his childhood during the meeting with Apa Khabar TV, his experiences were similar to most Muslim children in Thailand.
There was a house near the mosque that served as a center for both religious and general education, where they learned Malay, commonly used by Thai Muslims for daily communication, and Arabic, used for religious studies.
Despite adhering firmly to Islam, the prospect of traveling to the holy city of Mecca was far beyond the reach of this black-eyed farmer’s son.
“At that time, I never thought of going to Mecca. Our parents were poor. Just ordinary farmers.”
However, the opportunity every Muslim dreams of came to this servant of Allah earlier than expected.
“At that time, I had completed Grade 4 and was still learning Malay. Studying the main language at a regular school.
“Imam Abdur Rahman Pirmana, who was a Hajj organizer at the time, wanted to send 10 teenagers to study in Mecca that year. He arranged for transportation by ship from Khlong Toei Port, Bangkok to Mecca,” Professor Abdullah continued.
“My father came and asked if I wanted to go study in Mecca. Yes! I agreed, so I traveled by a ship named MV Hoi Ying,” Professor Abdullah recalled the day he left his homeland.
The large steel ship from Hong Kong carried the Naknawa family from Khlong Toei Port. Sailing across the wide ocean for 18 days, they finally docked at Jeddah Port in Saudi Arabia, just in time for Hajj.
It was the first time the 10 young Thais saw the true grandeur of the Kaaba. It was not just a framed picture or print adorning mosques and Muslim homes.
All the young Thais then completed their Hajj. Unfortunately, they could not study properly in Mecca as they did not obtain permission.
“Has anyone ever gone to study and then run away? To stay in Saudi Arabia, we needed permission to meet King Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the King of Saudi Arabia at the time.
“He could provide formal education in Mecca. We didn’t have to become refugees. However, after Hajj, Imam Abdur Rahman informed us that he couldn’t meet King Faisal.
“Those who wanted to study in Mecca had to run away and live in hiding. I wrote a letter to my family saying I couldn’t stay in Mecca and had to return.
“My father told me to come back to Thailand and continue my education at the Theological School in Nong Chok District. Also in Bangkok,” Professor Abdullah explained further.
At that time, the Theological School was a newly opened school, accepting only 30 students in its first class. Professor Abdullah was the 30th applicant, considered the last in the first class.
“Most of the subjects studied were in Arabic. My father asked if I understood. I replied that I learned easily. Because during the months we were in Mecca, I had already learned the language.”
Abdullah studied at the Theological Seminary for two years, but his father later sent him to study in Madras, India, for another two years, where he obtained a pre-university certificate. Here, he met several students from Malaysia and began communicating in Malaysian.
However, due to less use of Malaysian in daily conversation now, he is less fluent.
“He used the certificate to apply to study at Al-Azhar University – a renowned religious institution in Egypt with Muslim students from all over the world.
“All Thai students there would start in the first year. I was supposed to study for four years, but since I had a diploma from India, I started in the third year, studying only two years and graduating, then applying for a master’s degree for another year.”
Professor Abdullah’s life at that age was full of exciting colors with knowledge of various languages including Malay, Arabic, English, and Urdu obtained from India – all of which became wings for him to fly freely to various countries in the region, including Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and many other countries, even Germany.
“There were no ATMs back then, and our parents had no money. It was enough to find an income while the university was closed. I went to wash dishes in Bonn, Germany.”
Back to the question of whether he is of Malay descent from Southern Thailand. The writer asked, “Are you of Malay descent, Professor?”
“I am Thai Muslim.” He answered briefly, but he did not rule out the possibility of being Malay from Southern Thailand. This is because decades ago, a Thai King brought Malays from the southern region to live in Bangkok.
“Yes! Maybe… but my family has no history or genealogy, whether we originated from Southern Thailand or not. What I know is that we are from Bangkok. Perhaps our ancestors have ties to Southern Thailand.”
To find out more, follow the story in “Meeting the Maker of the Second Kaaba Door – Part IV” coming soon.
As usual, thanks to several individuals who provided assistance, including financially, to make this series “Meeting the Maker of the Second Kaaba Door” successful.
Follow current developments and scholarly information on apakhabartv.com, including the continuation of my journey to Korat, in the upcoming part.
READ MORE:
A journey to Thailand to meet the professor behind the Kaaba Doors – Part 1
A journey to Thailand to meet the professor behind the Kaaba Doors – Part II
Siri bertemu pembuat Pintu Kaabah Kedua – Bahagian I
Siri bertemu pembuat Pintu Kaabah Kedua – Bahagian II
Siri bertemu pembuat Pintu Kaabah Kedua – Bahagian III
[Gambar-gambar] Bahagian akhir siri bertemu pembuat Pintu Kaabah – 10 hari solat dalam Kaabah
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