ASFA Delegation Visits Malaysia

In Malaysia, Shaykh Hisham Kabbani, As-Sunna Foundation of America chairman, accompanied by a number of delegates from ASFA met with many officials, members of Islamic organization and universities and attended a number of gatherings, including the wedding of his niece, daughter of Shaykh Adnan Kabbani of Lebanon, held on the resort island of Penang.

When the shaykh first arrived in Kuala Lumpur, the group was met at the airport by a number of friends. There, after a rest following the long flight, the group made a tour of a number of the city's sights, including a visit to the Sunway Resort Hotel. Dinner the next evening was held in one of the tallest radio towers in the world, the top of which contains a revolving five-star restaurant, from which all of Kuala Lumpur can be viewed in an hour-and-a-half.

Shaykh Hisham Kabbani, ASFA chairman, visits with the Princess of Bahang and her husband at the Princess' father's Kuala Lumpur palace. The Princess' father, Sultan of Pahang's portrait is behind them.

The ASFA delegation payed a call on the Princess of the state of Pahang, at the Sultan of Pahang's Kuala Lumpur palace. There they spent a sociable visit, partaking of lovely Malay cuisine.

While in Penang for the wedding,
Jumu`ah prayer was held in a small
mosque by the sea, also home to
the maqam of the wali Mohammed Salleh.

Ladies await appearance of the bride
and groom at the Penang zawiya.
 

Ladies attend dhikr at the Penang zawiya.

Penang Naqshbandi men outside the mosque after Jumu`ah prayers.
In the center are HRH Raja Ashman, Shaykh Hisham Kabbani on his right,
Shaykh Adnan Kabbani on his left, in the green turban on Shaykh Hisham's
right is Shaykh Mehmet Adil, son of Shaykh Nazim Adil.
 

HRH Raja Ashman and his wife, Shaykh Hisham,
Shaykh Adnan Kabbani, and a number of guests at the
wedding party for Shaykh Adnan's daughter.

While in Penang for the very lovely wedding ceremony and party for the wedding of Shaykh Adnan Kabbani's daughter, a number of recitations of dhikr and mawlid were held with the two shaykhs present at the Penang zawiya. A tour was taken of the resort island by a large group of murids, seeing a number of interesting locations and even taking a boat trip.

The ASFA delegation were guests at the home of ex-Governor of Sarawak, H.E. Tun Abdur Rahman Yaakob, standing on the right of HRH Raja Ashman bin Azlan Shah. To his right is Shaykh Hisham, on whose right are Dr. Muddasir of the Institute of Islamic Understanding (emblem on left) and Dr. Malik of Islamic Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (emblem on right)

At a private dinner at the home of the ex-governor of the state of Sarawak, H.E. Tun Abdur Rahman Yaakob, Shaykh Hisham and the delegation were very pleased to meet with a number of professors and scholars from the Islamic Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization. Discussions went to a number of Islamic topics, including the need to present a harmonious and non-radical message of Islam in the countries in which Muslims are a growing minority.

Malaysia became the "homebase" for two interesting trips: one to Singapore and one to Indonesia. These trips are documented in detail in the other scrapbooks.
Dhikr is held at the Naqshbandi zawiya in
Kuala Lumpur.

The evening after returning from Indonesia, a huge gathering met in the Naqshbandi center of Kuala Lumpur, and dhikr was conducted by HRH Raja Ashman, with Shaykh Hisham giving a very powerful association on the importance of holding fast to shari`ah.

HRH Raja Ashman, Shaykh Hisham and Shaykh Adnan, pose for a group photo with a group of ladies in the home of one of the Kuala Lumpur murids.

The next day, the group had a very successful and lively meeting with the ruler of Malaysia whose title is Yang Di Pertuan Agong, His Royal Majesty Tuanku Ja'afar ibni Al-Marhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman at the National Palace (Istana Negara). During the three-hour session, in which a lovely Malay meal was served, the king expressed great interest in the politics of the United States, his interest in golf and his concern for the image of Islam. The various ASFA delegates spoke with HRM on the current state of da`wah to Islam in the US, especially among well-known celebrities. Jiacomo Forbes, a new convert and a very well-known hairdresser in Hollywood, who took shahada with Shaykh Hisham only six months ago, expressed that Islam is spreading quickly among the actors and actresses of Hollywood, primarily as a result of the da`wah work of Shaykh Hisham. HRM Tuanku Ja'afar ibni Al-Marhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman expressed his happiness with this work and hopes to visit Shaykh Hisham and the ASFA center upon one of his visits to the US.

The ASFA delegation, headed by Shaykh Hisham Kabbani, meets with
Yang Di Pertuan AgongTUANKU JA'AFAR ibni Al-Marhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman
ASFA delegation leaving the palace (Istana Negara). HRH Raja Ashman bin Azlan Shah is to the left of Shaykh Hisham Kabbani, ASFA chairman

 

ASFA Delegation tours Singapore

Waliullah Habib Noh of Singapore

Singapore Newspaper 'Berita Harian' Reports on Shaykh Hisham

ASFA Delegation tours Indonesia