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This blogspot is a medium to share my thoughts and adventures apart from promoting my books. Below are the books which have been written or authored and published by myself.


"Berpetualang ke Aceh: Mencari Diri dan Erti".

ISBN 983-42031-0-1, Jun 2006


"Berpetualang ke Aceh: Membela Syiar yang Asal"

ISBN 983-42031-1-x, May 2007


"Berpetualang ke Aceh: Sirih Pulang ke Gagang?"

ISBN 978-983-42031-2-2, November 2007


It is interesting to note that while these books were written in Malay it has gained enough attention to merit being part of the collections of the American Library of Congress and National Library of Australia. Look here and here.


While the first three books were published by my own company, the fourth titled "Rumah Azan" was published in April 2009 by a company called Karnadya with the help of the Malaysian national literary body Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka. It features beautiful pictures along with stories behind selected mosques which could be related to the history of Islam and the Malays alongside the formation of the Malaysian nation. Look at the article A collaboration of old collegemates - the book "Rumah Azan".


My fifth book "Ahlul Bait (Family) of Rasulullah SAW and Malay Sultanates", an English translation and adaptation of the Malay book "Ahlul Bait (Keluarga) Rasulullah SAW dan Kesultanan Melayu" authored by Hj Muzaffar Mohamad and Tun Suzana Othman was published early 2010. Look here... My 5th book is out! Ahlul Bait (Family) of Rasulullah SAW and the Malay Sultanates... . For more information check out my Malay blogspot CATATAN SI MERAH SILU.



Like my fourth book "Rumah Azan", the sixth book "Kereta Api Menuju Destinasi" is also a coffee-table book which is published by the company Karnadya with the cooperation of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (the main Malay literary body in Malaysia). Coming out January 2011 it features pictures and stories on the adventure travelling by train to all of Peninsular Malaysia along with the interesting places which could be reached this way.


My seventh book "Jejak keluarga Yakin : Satu sketsa sejarah" in turn is a coffee-table book which is written, editted, designed and has pictures taken by me. Coming out of the factory October 2011, this book which combines family history with history of places such as Singapura, Johor, Batu Pahat, Muar and in fact the history of the island of Java and England has been reviewed with me interviewed live in the program Selamat Pagi Malaysia at RTM1. Look at the article Siaran langsung ulasan buku "Jejak keluarga Yakin : Satu sketsa sejarah" dan temu ramah di Selamat Pagi Malaysia. Some selected contents have been featured in Sneak peek "Jejak keluarga Yakin : Satu sketsa sejarah".


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The "Berpetualang ke Aceh" series of novels could be obtained in e-book form. Enter http://www.e-sentral.com/, click general novel and go to page 4. You can also type the word "Aceh" at the search box. Or click straight Book 1, Book 2 and Book 3.


Friday, November 23, 2007

The mystery of Gua Yunus (the cave of Yunus)

Greeting all! The last time I made a posting in this blogspot, I did mention it was made because the date then 13 November 2007 seemed auspicious (to me that is)... It is equivalent to 13/11/2007 and 131 is a number very dear to me for certain reasons.
Today might be the 23rd of November but in the Islamic calender, it is equivalent to 13 Zulkaedah 1428 Hijriah. Zulkaedah is the 11th month in the Islamic lunar calendar so you could also write it as 13/11/1428... Another 131 and thus the reason I feel like breaking the silence of the last 10 days with this new posting. Enjoy it!



On one side of Pulau Besar in Melaka right on the slopes of the beachside hill seen in the picture lies a certain unique place of much importance to the many visitors to the island who believe in many things magical and mystical...


But before that, one must pass through this stretch of beach which is my favourite place for swimming whenever in the island.



After the beach one must make a climb and trek across the slopes...


At the highest point along the trekking route to the unique place in question, one can climb on top a huge boulder and look down upon another huge boulder. Thus the view above...

Notice the bunch of bananas and what's one it? it seems there's some people who has done some prayers there albeit in an unIslamic way. Normally this sort of prayer where one use incense is done to invoke the spirits or some mystical force, the kind that might be able to assist you in some matters but could turn out to be evil and malicious in nature!


This is my friend Zaidi posing on the big boulder which lies at the highest point along this trek. Across the sea (actually the straits of Melaka) seen here lies the island of Sumatera in Indonesia. I believe this picture was taken facing the north-most tip of Sumatera which is in the province of Aceh, the land of my forefathers of yore...


This is the same view without Zaidi in it. I decided to included the picture with him in this posting because it happens to be 131th picture taken on the trip to and in Melaka made 3-4 November 2007... Remember, I have a "fetish" for the number 131?



Then we have to go down the boulder and down the slopes too...


And so we arrived at the this other big boulder... Notice the rope? It is the same boulder seen from on top the other boulder shown in a previous picture...


And next to the boulder lies this cave... A cave formed by some giant boulders heaped one upon another at certain angles.

Notice the green cloth in the picture with flower petals peppered on it? This signify that the spot is of high mystical signicance... The green denotes the connection with an older religious figure of saintly status...

So what's the story behind it? The locals call this place Gua (cave of) Yunus. They said, it is named after a great saintly person by the name of Yunus who used to medidate here, they just don't know when but it was a long long time ago.

So who is this Yunus? Whisper... Whisper... Let me tell you something which could be shocking.

In the holy Islamic book, the Al-Quran, there is mentioned the story of the Prophet Yunus who left his people after he got tired of their refusal to listen to him and follow his teachings. He decided to leave the country and hopped out on a boat. Ah... The story can be rather long so let me cut it short.

There was a big storm and he had to jump off ship. That's when he was swallowed by a big fish (some said it is a whale, in the Quran it is called the nun) and had to spent some time inside its belly before he was spitted out.

Do you recognise the story? Oh... In the bible, Yunus is known as Jonah. So is this the same Yunus who then arrived at Pulau Besar? Well, whisper... whisper... Some believe it is so. Gua Yunus was the place he meditated at after being spitted out by the big fish, before he returned to his country to continue preaching the right ways of God.


This is the view down from Gua Yunus. Perhaps the prophet Yunus or Jonah as he is popularly known in the Western world was indeed spitted out off the coast... And then he climbed up to rest and meditate at the cave...


This is a seaward view from inside the cave. Whoever this Yunus is, one thing's for sure. He enjoyed a superb view of the sea and the surroundings. This is already enough reason to consider this place as magical and mystical. Enough said!


7 comments:

syahir said...

gambar yang ke 4 tuh ada rupa lak macam kepala ikan paus eks?

Radzi Sapiee said...

Ya ke hehe!
Agaknya sebab tu orang letak pisang ngan colok kat atas tu. Agaknya kat situ le tempat lubang ikan paus tu nafas hehe!

Anonymous said...

i think you like travel alot and history also ,well very informative you have done a good job keep it up.

Anonymous said...

Mashallah! May Allah S.W.T. Blessed you with long life to continue doing this services of Waliyullah! Ameen!!

Radzi Sapiee said...

Just noticed the above comment after trying to find my old pictures of Gua Yunos to support and article I intend to publish tonight. Thank you!

Anonymous said...

Radzi, there is no such story. Sorry to cut you short. Back in 1983 the cave was known as 'Gua kapal'. I was told, Sultanul Ariffin came to 'Tanah Seberang'(Malaysia) quite frequently. It was during this fateful voyage that his ship rammed into Pulau Besar. There was no compass and the weather was bad. The impact of course shattered the ship and remnants of the ship imbedded into the wall of the hill. There were a lot of casualties. Sadly, seven ulama' and Sultanul Ariffin himself died in the incidence. Sultanul Ariffin body was found at the now known Gua Yunus and buried near the Pulau Besar mosque. Wah... I can see that the story of Pulau Besar is coming more interesting as time pass by.

Radzi Sapiee said...

Thank you for the story Joe. This is the first time I heard this version. Thanks...
There was another story. An ex-soldier named Yunus from Singapore ran to Pulau Besar and meditated at the cave. So it became known as Gua Yunus.
Betul le cakap orang... Jumlah 10 orang, 10 macam cerita boleh keluar pasal apa-apa tempat kat Pulau Besar. Macam-macam. Heh! :]