Remembering the Late Raja Ratiatul Zahar, Eldest Daughter of Sultan Idris Shah II
Remembering the Late Raja Ratiatul Zahar, Eldest Daughter of Sultan Idris Shah II
Raja Ratiatul Zahar was the eldest daughter of Sultan Idris Shah II and Raja Perempuan Muzwin. She was born in mid-1944 and raised in the 'Rumah Berempat' (Four Houses) located in the area of the Main Entrance of Istana Iskandariah, Bukit Chandan, Kuala Kangsar. These four houses were royal residences situated near Istana Iskandariah.
However, tragedy struck when Raja Ratiatul Zahar fell ill due to an intestinal obstruction, which prevented her from processing food properly. At that time, the family doctor, Dr. Megat Khas, was unable to perform surgery due to the lack of adequate medical facilities during the Japanese occupation. Her condition deteriorated, and she eventually passed away at 10:40 AM on Thursday, January 8, 1945, corresponding to 4 Safar 1364, at the very young age of six months.
In her final moments, Raja Ratiatul Zahar managed to grasp her father's, Sultan Idris Shah II, little finger while whispering the word "Mak" (Mother). This event left a deep and sorrowful impact on both her parents. Following the passing of their firstborn, the royal couple was not blessed with another child for seven years, until the birth of Raja Nazhatul Shima in 1952. Raja Ratiatul Zahar was laid to rest at the Al-Ghufran Royal Mausoleum, Kuala Kangsar.
The short but meaningful life of Raja Ratiatul Zahar remains a bittersweet memory for the Perak royal family, especially for Sultan Idris Shah II and Raja Perempuan Muzwin. Her passing illustrates the harshness of life during the Japanese occupation, where the lack of medical facilities led to an unavoidable loss.
The late Sultan Idris Shah II once dreamt of his daughter and subsequently sketched a portrait of her as he saw her in his dream. On the sketch, he noted "Inspiration from a dream" and dated it May 23, 1973. This sketch also highlights the resemblance between Raja Ratiatul Zahar and her two younger sisters, Raja Nazhatul Shima and Raja Zarith Sofiah.
Sultan Idris entered his first marriage with Raja Noor Izah binti Raja Ali, who held the title of Raja Puan Besar throughout their marriage. Later, Sultan Idris married his cousin, Raja Muzwin, on August 12, 1943. Raja Muzwin was the daughter of Raja Ariff Shah bin Raja Harun. Their family ties were linked through Sultan Idris's grandfather, Sultan Idris Shah I, who was also the great-grandfather of Raja Muzwin. When Sultan Idris ascended the throne of Perak, Raja Muzwin became known as Raja Perempuan.
The couple was blessed with several children, including:
- Raja Radziatul Zahar (born 1944), passed away in infancy.
- Raja Nazhatul Shima (born 1952), who holds the title of Raja Puan Besar Perak. She married Raja Jaafar ibni Almarhum Raja Muda Musa, the Raja Muda of Perak, on January 12, 2019.
- Raja Iskandar Dzurkarnain (born 1955), who holds the title of Raja Di-Hilir Perak. He is married to Tunku Soraya (born 1960). Tunku Soraya is the adopted daughter and also the maternal niece of Sultan Abdul Halim of Kedah.
- Raja Zarith Sofiah (born 1959), Her Majesty the Raja Permaisuri Agong and the Permaisuri of Johor. She is married to Sultan Ibrahim of Johor.
- Raja Jamil Ariffin (born 1962), married Datin Seri Fazilah Hani binti Dato' Harun on February 18, 2021, following the passing of his first wife, Tengku Datin Seri Dato' Zalila binti Tengku Kamarulzaman, in 2020.
The family of Sultan Idris is one of the royal families renowned for their history and contributions to the state of Perak and Malaysia as a whole.
Such is the heartbreaking story of Raja Ratiatul Zahar, the eldest child of Sultan Idris Shah II who passed away in her infancy. May Allah shower blessings upon the soul of the late Raja Ratiatul Zahar and place her among the faithful. Amen.
Reference:
- Yang Mulia Syed Idris Alsagoff
