TOK GURU NIK AZIZ NIK MAT

Nik Abdul Aziz B. Nik Mat was born in 1931 at Pulau Melaka, a village located about 7 km from Kota Bharu town. His father, the late Tok Guru Haji Nik Mat B. Raja Banjar is a famous Islamic Scholar at that time. Haji Nik Mat really serious about his sons Islamic education and this is one of the factor that contributed to the style of leadership perform by Tok Guru Nik Aziz.

Tok guru Nik Aziz had been sent to learn Islamic knowledge from To Khurasan, one of the most famous ‘Guru’ in Kelantan at that time. Later, Tok Guru Nik Aziz continues his study with a few other Islamic Scholar in Kelantan and Jertih, Terengganu with the late Tuan Guru Haji Abbas Haji Ahmad at Madrasah Ittifaqiah.

After 5 years studied at the school, in 1952 Tok Guru Nik Aziz went to India to further his study at the Deoband Darul Ulum in India. From India, Tok Guru Nik Aziz continues his Islamic Education at Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt. There, he took the Arabic Language and Islamic Law as main subject. After 4 years, this brilliant Tok Guru Nik Aziz managed to pass and finish his Bachelor Of Arts and Master of Art in Islamic law. Tok Guru Nik Aziz can speak a few foreign languages such as Arabic, Tamil, Urdu and English. 

After coming back from Egypt, Tok Guru Nik Aziz start his work as the full time religious teacher and become an Islamic preacher, to full fill his father ambition. In the middle of 1960, Tok Guru Nik Aziz was a part time teacher and teaches the adult class people for one year.

Tok Guru Nik Aziz seriously joins the Parti Islam Semalaysia or PAS after resigned as the adult class teacher. In a few months in 1967, he was offered as the candidate for by-election for Kelantan Hilir (now Pengkalan Chepa) parliamentary seat. He has won the by-election at Kelantan Hilir or Pengkalan Chepa parliamentary seat from the year 1967 and every time there was another election, he won the seat until 1986 when he was transferred to another parliamentary seat in Bachok, Kelantan.

Tok Guru Nik Aziz has been elected as the Central Ulamak Council Chief from 1968 until now. This position gives him authority to advice all matters pertaining to Islamic faced by the party and the followers.

At first, Tok Guru Nik Aziz did not want to accept that post. He felt that other PAS leader should hold that post, not him. As a humble leader, Tok Guru Nik Aziz keeps on telling his follower that he was not the right person. But after so many pressures given to him, at last he accept it based on a hadeeth (Nabi Muhammad words) that give guidelines on how a selected leader should not reject a good position if he (the potential leader) has the ability to lead compare to others.

Tok Guru Nik Aziz has been appointed as the 5th. Chief Minister of Kelantan Darulnaim on 22nd. October 1990. He got the biggest majority during the national election for Kelantan.

As an emerging Islamic and transformational leader, Tok Guru Nik Aziz has cut off 40% of his salary to be given to the savings of Kelantan PAS. He also did not accept any allowance provided for him during Hari Raya. Tok Guru Nik Aziz warned all the elected exco and state assembly members to reject any prize given to them by any people. He felt that the prize given can be considered as misconduct or bribery that could led to corruption.