Editing Ayah Pin

{{Short description|Founder of Malaysian new religious movement Sky Kingdom}}
{{Malay name|Ariffin|Mohammed}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Ayah Pin
| image              = Ariffin Mohammed.png
| image_size         = 230px
| caption            = Ayah Pin standing in front of the large teapot and the vase in the Sky Kingdom compound prior to its demolition.
| birth_name         = Ariffin Mohammed
| birth_date         = {{birth date|1941|6|22}}
| birth_place        = Beris, [[Bachok]], [[Kelantan]], [[Unfederated Malay States]] (now [[Malaysia]])
| death_date         = {{death date and age|2016|4|22|1941|6|22}}
| death_place        = Kampung Batu 13, [[Besut]], [[Terengganu]], Malaysia
| occupation         = Cult leader, founder of [[Sky Kingdom]]
| spouse             = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|Che Minah Ramli|<!--unknown?-->|2012|end=died}}
* Jaharah Awang
* Rozilan Mokhtar
* Nik Kamariah Nik Pah
}}
| children           = 21
| relatives          = Abdul Rahman Mohammed (brother)
}}

'''Ariffin Mohammed''' (22 June 1941 – 22 April 2016), better known as '''Ayah Pin''' (Father Pin), was a Malaysian [[cult]] leader and founder of the [[Sky Kingdom]] ({{langx|ms|Kerajaan Langit}}) religious sect. His movement had a commune based in [[Besut]], Terengganu, which was demolished by the Malaysian government in August 2005.<ref>{{cite news|author=Levett, Connie|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/bulldozers-etch-boundaries-of-religious-freedom/2005/08/19/1124435143759.html|title=Bulldozers etch boundaries of religious freedom|publisher=The Age|date=20 August 2005|access-date=26 December 2007}}</ref> He claimed to have direct contact with the heavens and was believed by his followers to be the reincarnation of [[Jesus]], the [[Gautama Buddha|Buddha]], [[Shiva]], and [[Muhammad]].<ref name="Pemimpin kultus">{{cite news|url=https://www.projekmm.com/news/berita/2016/04/23/ayah-pin-pemimpin-kultus-kerajaan-langit-selamat-dikebumi/1105653|title=Ayah Pin, pemimpin kultus Kerajaan Langit selamat dikebumi|publisher=[[The Malay Mail|ProjekMM]]|date=23 April 2016|access-date=6 October 2016|language=ms|archive-date=9 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009031548/https://www.projekmm.com/news/berita/2016/04/23/ayah-pin-pemimpin-kultus-kerajaan-langit-selamat-dikebumi/1105653|url-status=dead}}</ref> Devotees of the Sky Kingdom believe that one day, Ayah Pin will return as the [[Mahdi]]. In addition, he was considered the king of the sky, and the supreme object of devotion for all religions.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://amazingnara.com/ingatkan-kerajaan-langit-dah-hapus-rupanya-pengikut-ayah-pin-masih-ada/|title=Ingatkan Kerajaan Langit dah hapus, rupanya pengikut Ayah Pin masih ada|publisher=AmazingNara|date=4 November 2019|access-date=6 October 2020|language=ms}}</ref>

==Personal life==
[[File:Isteri-isteri ayah pin.png|200px|thumb|Ayah Pin with his four wives]]
Ayah Pin was born as Ariffin Mohammed on 22 June 1941 into a Muslim [[Malay (ethnic group)|Malay]] family in Beris Kubor Besar, Bachok, [[Kelantan]]. His parents were Mohammed Merah and Saadiah Yaacob, both of whom were menial workers.<ref name="Wives chosen">{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2005/07/07/wives-were-chosen-for-me-says-ayah-pin|title=Wives were chosen for me, says Ayah Pin|author=K. Suthakar|work=[[The Star Online]]|date=7 July 2005|access-date=21 September 2010}}</ref> He had a younger brother named Abdul Rahman.<ref name="Lumpuh">{{cite web|url=http://sohoque.com/ayah-pin-pengasas-kerajaan-langit-lumpuh/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130405062849/http://sohoque.com/ayah-pin-pengasas-kerajaan-langit-lumpuh/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=5 April 2013|title=Ayah Pin, pengasas Kerajaan Langit lumpuh|publisher=Sohoque|date=28 March 2012|access-date=21 September 2012|language=ms}}</ref>

Ayah Pin was illiterate,<ref name="I don't fear">{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2005/07/06/i-dont-fear-isa-says-ayah-pin/|title=I don't fear ''Isa'', says Ayah Pin|author=S. Suthakar|work=[[The Star Online]]|date=6 July 2005|access-date=8 October 2010}}</ref> attending primary school until Year 2 following his family's financial problems.<ref name="I don't fear"/> He was also involved in small part-time businesses, eventually working in scrap iron and buffalo trading, and even worked as a sub-contractor.<ref name="Wives chosen"/>

Ayah Pin had four wives and 21 children, 11 sons and 10 daughters.<ref name="Wives chosen"/> He also had 83 grandchildren and 34 great-grandchildren. His first wife, Che Minah Ramli died in 2012. He later married an 18-year-old woman.<ref name="Lumpuh"/> After he remarried, he suffered from a stroke.<ref name="Lumpuh"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/193381|title=Kerajaan Langit Ayah Pin kembali aktif|publisher=[[Malaysiakini]]|date=28 March 2012|access-date=6 October 2012|language=ms}}</ref>

==Spiritual career==
In 1953, Ayah Pin became seriously ill and he alleged that an {{sic|angel}} visited him. Twenty years later, the angel returned and he began his spiritual career. Whether Ayah Pin was the founder is unclear, but during this phase, he may have been a follower of Hassan Yaacob (also known as Anak Rimau), apparently another claimant to divinity.

After Hassan died, Ayah Pin and his four wives developed the Sky Kingdom teachings. Since then, he managed to gather many followers. The Sky Kingdom does not believe in a doomsday and Ayah Pin allegedly would become the Prime Minister in the afterlife.

Around the mid-1980s, the Sky Kingdom commune was formed in Besut. Some reports state that the Office of Islamic Affairs declared the group to be deviant at this time. In 1995, the Sky Kingdom's signature building projects began, as per divine revelation. Two years later, the Terrenganu Local Religious Affairs council (''Jawatankuasa Fatwa Majlis Agama Islam dan Adat Melayu Terengganu'') issued a [[fatwa]] against the group. Around this time, four adherents were arrested for renouncing [[Islam]], but they were later freed on the grounds that as ex-Muslims, Malaysia's [[Sharia]] court no longer enjoys jurisdiction over them.<ref name="Pemimpin kultus"/>

In 2001, Ayah Pin renounced Islam.<ref name="Pemimpin kultus"/> The Sharia court accused him of contravening Section 25 of the ''Enakmen Pentadbiran Hal Ehwal Agama Islam, 1986'' (Administration of Islamic Religious Affairs, 1986), stating that his teachings and beliefs were false, deviant, corrupting, and threatening to public peace (''membawa ancaman kepada ketenteraman orang awam serta merosakkan akidah''). He pleaded guilty to the charge of "insulting Islam" (''menghina Islam''), and was jailed for 11 months and fined RM 2,900. The Religious Affairs Office hoped that Ayah Pin's arrest would prevent the Sky Kingdom's growth. However, the movement continued to attract new followers, mostly from university students and the [[Orang Asli]].<ref name=thesun>{{cite news|author=Danny Lim and Tong Yee Siong|publisher=The Sun, Malaysia|title=Pie in the sky (Feature and interview)|url=http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=10057|access-date=26 December 2007|date=8 July 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070219062618/http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=10057|archive-date=19 February 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On 18 July 2005, a group of masked [[vigilantes]] vandalised the Sky Kingdom's headquarters, smashing windows and torching buildings.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=The Sun, Malaysia|url=http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=10213|title=Masked group attacks Ayah Pin commune|access-date=26 December 2007|date=18 July 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090912033201/http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=10213|archive-date=12 September 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> Two days later, 58 followers were arrested,<ref>{{cite news|publisher=The Sun, Malaysia|date=21 July 2005|url=http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=10254|title=58 followers of Ayah Pin arrested|access-date=26 December 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090912190159/http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=10254|archive-date=12 September 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> and on 31 July, three of Ayah Pin's four wives were also arrested in [[Kelantan]].<ref>{{cite news|publisher=Bernama|url=http://www.religionnewsblog.com/11861/three-wives-of-ayah-pin-detained|date= 31 July 2005|access-date=26 December 2007|title=Three Wives of Ayah Pin Detained}}</ref> Ayah Pin escaped arrest and became a fugitive wanted by the Malaysian authorities. Forty-five members face charges of failing to observe the government [[fatwa]] (i.e. for continuing to be members of a sect declared as deviant), which carries a fine of up to RM 3,000 or two years in prison. One of those arrested faced an additional charge of "insulting Islam". Court cases promise to revolve around the issue of religious freedom, which is theoretically guaranteed by the Malaysian constitution.

On 1 August 2005, officials of the Besut Land and District Office destroyed the Sky Kingdom's various buildings, citing Section 129 of the National Land Code (which punishes unauthorised construction with land confiscation). The titular landowner is Ayah Pin's first wife, who apparently failed to appear in court for a hearing on the matter. On 1 September 2005, at a hearing, a trial date for 45 followers accused of violating the government fatwa was set for three days beginning 18 December that year. All of the accused were represented by Wan Haidi Wan Yusoh of Ubaidullah Aziz and Co., who unsuccessfully petitioned the court to order his name blacked out by the media. The group had previously experienced great difficulty in attracting legal representation, presumably owing to attorneys' fear of reprisals or negative publicity.<ref name=nst>{{cite news|publisher=New Straits Times|date=1 September 2005|access-date=26 December 2007|url=http://www.religionnewsblog.com/12121/lawyer-to-represent-all-45-sky-kingdom-sect-followers|title=Lawyer to represent all 45 Sky Kingdom sect followers}}</ref>

As of 2007, after wide media coverage, the original Hulu Besut commune, now down to 24 members, had reportedly chosen a new leader, who turned out to be a former police chief inspector in his 30s. The group is suspicious of visitors, and routinely turns off the commune's lights whenever a car approaches at night in order to conceal itself.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=Harian Metro|language=ms|access-date=26 December 2007|url=http://www.carigold.com/portal/forums/showthread.php?t=9060|title=Pemimpin baru 'Kerajaan Langit'}}</ref> From 2009 onwards, Ayah Pin was believed to have been residing in exile in [[Narathiwat]], [[Thailand]] until his death.

==Death==
On 22 April 2016, Ayah Pin died at the home of his third wife, Che Jaharah Awang, in Kampung Batu 13, Hulu Besut due to natural causes. He was 74 years old. Prior to his death, it was reported that he had been suffering from various illnesses since fleeing from the authorities in 2005. His remains were laid to rest at Batu 13 Cemetery, Hulu Besut, Kuala Terengganu.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=109076|title=Cult leader Ayah Pin dies|publisher=Daily Express|date=24 April 2016|access-date=24 April 2016}}</ref><ref name="Pemimpin kultus"/>

==See also==
* [[List of people claimed to be Jesus]]
* [[List of Buddha claimants]]
* [[List of Mahdi claimants]]
* [[List of messiah claimants]]
* [[Freedom of religion in Malaysia]]
* [[Messiah complex]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2016/05/05/ariffin-mohammed-cult-leader--obituary/|title=Ariffin Mohammed a.k.a. Ayah Pin, cult leader – obituary|publisher=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]|date=5 May 2016}}

[[Category:1941 births]]
[[Category:2016 deaths]]
[[Category:Critics of Sunni Islam]]
[[Category:Prophets]]
[[Category:Founders of new religious movements]]
[[Category:Islam-related controversies]]
[[Category:Converts to new religious movements]]
[[Category:Malaysian former Sunni Muslims]]
[[Category:Malaysian religious leaders]]
[[Category:Malaysian people of Malay descent]]
[[Category:People from Kelantan]]
[[Category:Angelic visionaries]]