Arsyad Thawil al-Bantani

Close relationship with Sheikh Nawawi For five years (from 1868 to 1873), Thawil was a disciple of the Meccan cleric who also came from Banten, Sheikh Nawawi al-Bantani.

Activity In Mecca On February 27, 1879, Thawil was made a Sheikh (taking care of the hajj who came from Indonesia), and since there were two Arsyads from Indonesia, he was called Arsyad "Thawil" (arabic: tall) and one more was Arsyad "Qasir" (arabic: short). When take care of Hajj he then often visited the Dutch consulate office in Jeddah and became acquainted with Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje who eventually became his friend in discussing the teachings of Islam.

In the place of exile After the defeat in the Cilegon War he was caught along with 100 other fighters. He was put in prison in Serang, then moved to Batavia. When imprisoned in Batavia Snouck Hurgronje met him, but that friendship did not changing his status as a prisoner. Not long after being imprisoned in Batavia, he then dumped to Manado, North Sulawesi.

Sheikh Arsyad Thawil actively teaches peoples in his exile place, Manado. He teaches in the field of Islamic sciences, among them are fiqh, nahwu-sharaf, tasawwuf, hadith and others. No less hundreds of scholars from Manado, Gorontalo, Ambon, Ternate, Poso Regency, Tolitoli Regency, Donggala Regency and other areas studied to Sheikh Arsyad. He was also recognized as one of the carriers of Islam to region of the Christians majority in Indonesia. Even, he married the girl of pastor who had converted to Islam, named Magdalena Runtu.

Thawil died in Manado, North Sulawesi, on Monday, 14 Zulhijah 1353 AH or 19 March 1935 AD. The Imam of his Janazah prayer is al-Habib Hasan bin Abdur Rahman Maula Khailah al-'Alawi.

Appreciation The name Arsyad Thawil then enshrined into the name of a mosque in Komo Luar, Wenang, Manado by the name Kyai Hajji Arsyad Thawil mosque. The Commemoration of the day of his death is always held every year in this mosque.

On the 79th anniversary of his death, the Provincial Office of Social Affairs of North Sulawesi will file Arsyad Thawil as a national hero.