Silat Melayu The Blog

DPM calls for continuous effort to promote silat

2012-04-30T13:46:00.000+08:00

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has called for a continuous effort to strengthen silat activities, saying the Malay martial art is capable of being a bulwark in defending the nation’s sovereignty and security.

He added that silat has an important role in the life and culture of the Malays not only in moulding their character but in the past, it had also been used by Malay warriors to defend their motherland.

“Silat, as a cultural heritage of the Malays, should continue to be promoted through various activities, combining the efforts of silat associations as well as members of the various silat disciplines,” he said at the Kuala Lumpur Badminton Stadium, here yesterday.

Muhyiddin also hailed the initiatives taken by the Malaysian National Silat Federation (Pesaka) in promoting the martial art.

He expressed the hope for such initiatives to be further intensified to ensure silat would continue to have a strong place in the society particularly among the young people.

Meanwhile, Muhyiddin also spoke about the gathering organised by an opposition-supported organisation on Saturday. He said the gathering was an effort by the opposition to poison the minds of the people ahead of the coming general election.

“We know what they are up to,” he said.

Muhyiddin also announced an allocation of RM150,000 to help Pesaka organise silat-related activities. On Pesaka’s request that a silat hall be set up in Kuala Lumpur, Muhyiddin said he would discuss the matter with their representatives. — Bernama

Sourced from: http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/04/30/dpm-calls-for-continuous-effort-to-promote-silat/

DPM welcomes Pesaka's intention as a defence frontline

2012-04-29T13:47:00.000+08:00

Kuala Lumpur: Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin welcomed the intention of the National Silat Federation (Pesaka) to be installed as one of the country’s defence frontline.

Muhyiddin said the idea was well received to further enhance the security measures of the country to combat subversive elements from threatening its solidarity.

“The silat plays an important role in the Malay culture and the local warriors of the yesteryears or pendekars had practiced it to defend the country in times of adversity.” Thus, Muhyiddin said silat needs to be further popularised to spread the importance of the heritage.

“I hope that Pesaka would continue to organise more activities which appeal to the younger generation while promoting the art,” he said in his speech at the closing of the 16th National Silat Championship, at the Kuala Lumpur Badminton Stadium in Cheras, near here.

Muhyiddin, who is also the Education Minister, said he saw silat as an art which stressed on high discipline and mental strength.

“I believe that silat can be used to shape positive values and building characteristics among the youths. “It allows for positive values to be instilled into our younger ones and can help to prevent them from getting involved in misdeeds of sorts in this fast paced and borderless day and age.”

Muhyiddin also urged the various silat associations, in the country, to defend the Malay values and culture as well as uphold Islamic teachings in the course. He also announced RM 150,000 allocation in addition to RM 238,000 which would be channeled to Pesaka to help its efforts to promote silat.

“It is my hope that silat, which is a valuable heritage, can be put to good use to defend our country as well.”

Sourced from http://www.nst.com.my/latest/dpm-welcomes-pesaka-s-intention-as-a-defence-frontline-1.78908

Rina defies doctor’s orders to regain national title

2012-04-29T13:44:00.000+08:00

KUALA LUMPUR: Former world champion Rina Jordana took her rightful place as the queen of silat olahraga after defying the doctor’s orders to regain her national title at the 16th National Silat Championships at the KLBA Stadium in Cheras.

The 32-year-old Rina last won the national title in 2006 before quitting in 2007 – the same year she was crowned world champion – due to work commitments.

Although she did not have high hopes prior to the tournament, Rina was a cut above her rivals and dominated Kedah’s Nur Adilah Abdul Hamid in the final of the women’s Class B (50-55kg).

The five judges scored 17-9, 13-8, 15-4, 14-9, 17-12 in her favour despite Rina fighting with a broken toe.

“I honestly did not expect to win here because I have not been training regularly,” said Rina, who has also represented Malaysia in futsal.

“I’ve been playing more futsal of late but silat remains my first love. That’s why I decided to compete in the national championship.

“Unfortunately, I had to change my style in the semi-final and final and I couldn’t go on the attack because of the injury and it was my experience which helped me overcome my opponents.

“I am not sure if I will return to the national team but if I am given a chance I will give it a shot,” added Rina, who won a gold medal at the 2002 Asian Games when silat was a demonstration sport.

Meanwhile, 18-year-old Nur Jannah Alias was a big winner after walking away with three gold medals in the silat seni category.

Sourced from http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.asp?file=/2012/4/29/sports/11199229&sec=sports

2 until 7 June 2011 National Junior Silat Championship at Melaka

2012-03-16T13:39:00.000+08:00

Over 400 pesilat from around the country expect to attend the National Junior Silat Championship-9 at Mini Stadium, organized in Ayer Keroh here, at 2 to 7 June.

President of the National Silat Federation of Malaysia (Estate), Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said the six-day championship will have 18 such categories and Jutsu Silat Tunggal.

"Championships are a vital field for the Estate pesilat young talent from around the country to be trained to be able to pesilat did the country some day," he told reporters after chairing the Exco meeting Estate in Ayer Keroh yesterday.

He is also Chief Minister said, the Estate now has four million members under the auspices of 372 universities across the country and they are important assets to bring martial arts into a new era.

2,083 Students Competed in Pencak Silat Championship

2012-02-28T11:19:00.001+08:00

A championship of pencak silat (Indonesia traditional martial art) is opened today (2/27) by Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo. In this event, as much as 2,083 students of junior high school (SMP), Madrasah Tsanawiyah (MTs) Islamic school, senior high school (SMA), and vocational school (SMK) from all over Jakarta will be competed in 2,015 matches. The championship itself is held by Jakarta Education Department and took place at Padepokan Pencak Silat Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII), East Jakarta, until Saturday (3/3).

According to Fauzi, pencak silat is one of nation’s cultural heritages. Therefore, it must be preserved. And one of the ways to preserve it is by holding championship like this. “Jakarta Provincial Government very much supports this competition. Because, it has strategic values as mentioned in the competition theme, which is pencak silat as means in creating Indonesia students and generations with characteristic, sportive attitude, and tough,” he stated, Monday (2/27).

Moreover he mentions that pencak silat for Betawi people is an effective means to create strong soul and tough mental. Therefore, he asks the students in this championship not to give up easily and must improve their martial art skill as well as respect their opponents by upholding sportsmanship.

“I’m happy that pencak silat championship is continuously being held. I was once led Jakarta Indonesian Pencak Silat Association (IPSI). Nowadays, pencak silat training is very amazing. Surely I hope this cultural heritage would be continuously preserved. Continuous training is needed, like this competition. And for the future I hope that Jakarta students can join the National Sports Week (PON), National Students Sports Week (Popnas), and Regional Sports Week (Popwil) and come out as the overall winner,” expressed Fauzi.

Head of Jakarta Education Department Taufik Yudi Mulyanto told the 2,083 students in this championship are consist of 1,250 SMP/MTs students and 833 SMA/SMK students from 328 schools in Jakarta. “This championship aims for further training and development from extracurricular activity in school as well as to channel student’s talent and interest in martial art, beside to preserve nation character’s values through pencak silat. In addition, this championship is also to prepare candidate athletes for the 2012 Popwil event,” he explained.

Sourced from http://www.beritajakarta.com/2008/en/newsview.aspx?idwil=0&id=22512

Four die in extreme martial arts tests

2012-02-22T10:44:00.000+08:00

Four martial arts students have died while attempting to achieve invulnerability in extreme tests in separate incidents in Greater Jakarta, and East Nusa Tenggara.

Two men in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara died on Tuesday as a vehicle drove over their bodies. A third man remains in critical condition.

The trio, all assistant coaches at the Kera Sakti pencak silat martial arts school, were identified as Ebiridio Sarmento, 20; Elder Cruz, 21; and Abilio Fretes, 18.

The three performed their test at the Noelbaki bus terminal. Witnesses said they first took rat poison and survived.

When none of them fell sick, they proceeded to the next test.

“The three members later proceeded by laying down in the street while some motorcyclists drove over their bodies with their bikes a few times,” a fellow school member, Alberto Amaral, said on Tuesday.

“Nobody got injured,” he added.

The three then decided to allow a four-wheel vehicle carrying dozens of passengers to roll over their bodies.

Their request was granted. However, this time the results were gruesome.

“They screamed when the vehicles passed over their bodies. When the show was over, we found their bodies were crushed,” Alberto said.

Sarmento died at the scene, while Cruz died on the way to hospital.

Fretes is currently in critical condition at a hospital in Kupang.

Kupang Police criminal investigations chief Adj. Comr. Yohanes Kristian Tanau said they had named the school’s leaders, Egidius Sarmento and Antonio Tinto, as suspects.

Officers also took into evidence a car, two motorcycles and rat poison as evidence and were also questioning Brendo, the driver of the vehicle that passed over the men.

In a separate incident on Monday, two pencak silat enthusiasts from Cilincing, North Jakarta — brothers Slalindar Andri Wibowo, 24, and Dedi Supriyadi, 26 — died from severe burns after they were doused with acid in a test of their immunity against weapon attacks.

“[Andri and Dedi] learned to master a weapon-resistant skill. But when acid was poured on them, they were severely injured,” their sister, Lisa Faja Riana, said after viewing their bodies at the Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital morgue on Tuesday.

Lisa said her brothers and two friends, identified as Oman and Hendra, went to Serang, Banten, on Saturday evening to look for a master who could teach them immunity against weapons.

Banten is famous for a traditional performance called the debus in which a performer demonstrates his invulnerability to weapons and fire.

“Andri told his wife that he went to a prayer gathering to learn religion instead,” Lisa said as quoted by kompas.com.

Lisa said the family was informed about the incident on Sunday evening after one of the victims’ friends called to inform them that the brothers were dead and their bodies were in a hospital in Serang.

Sourced from http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/02/22/four-die-extreme-martial-arts-tests.html

PESAKA Aim To Defend Overall Champs Title At Belgium Open

2012-01-23T10:59:00.003+08:00

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 22 (Bernama) -- The national silat squad will be going all out to defend the overall champion title at the 24th Belgium Silat Open Championship which will be held from May 1-8.

National Silat Federation (Pesaka) coordinator Osman Nok said the squad, which won seven gold medals previously, needed to defend the championship to prepare for several other competitions this year.

Osman, who is also Pahang Pesaka secretary, told Bernama today that Pesaka would depend on both new and experienced exponents at the championship.

Sourced from http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v6/newssport.php?id=641726

PESAKA banks on Sea Games squad

2012-01-10T10:46:00.000+08:00

THE Malaysian National Silat Federation (Pesaka) is banking on its Sea Games gold medallists to deliver the goods at the inaugural Sydney Open Championships on Jan 23-30.

Pesaka coordinator Osman Nok said the federation will be sending four athletes to the tournament which is set to feature competitors from 17 nations but will, however, be without two big names in the sport-- Thailand and Indonesia.

Jakarta Sea Games gold medal winning trio Ahmad Sharil Zailudin, Mohd Al Jufferi Jamari, Mohd Fauzi Khalid and silver medallist Siti Rahmah Mohamed Nasir are the four athletes going to Australia.

"The four of them are only returning to centralised training today (yesterday) since we broke camp after the Sea Games but we do not expect that to be a problem as they are at a good level of fitness, having trained by themselves at state level," said Osman.

"We are confident of winning three gold medals at the event but do not expect things to be easy despite Indonesia and Thailand not competing.

"Vietnam will be our biggest rivals there but we expect the competition from Middle Eastern countries to be stiff as well.

"Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan also can't be ruled as we have seen them compete in the past and they have shown tremendous power, stamina and fighting spirit.

"We are not sure what they will bring to the table this year but we will not be taking them lightly as they are a definitely a threat to any team."

The tournament serves as part of the national exponents preparation for the Southeast Asian championships in Vietnam this July.

Written by FADHLI ISHAK
Sourced from http://www.nst.com.my/sports/other/silat-pesaka-banks-on-sea-games-squad-1.30215

Get a Jolt From Java

2011-12-21T12:12:00.000+08:00

When a pencak silat black belt throws a punch to an opponent’s groin, it doesn’t just look painful — it looks beautiful. The graceful Indonesian fighting discipline sure lives up to the name martial “art.” It’s been practiced in Southeast Asia since the sixth century, but you can try it a little closer to home.

What It Is: Traditionally used to battle outsiders, pencak silat is now being embraced by them. Over the past 40 years, the techniques culled from 800 various fighting styles from across the islands have been gaining popularity around the world as a way to stay in shape and hone self-defense skills. In the Washington area, classes have been available at the Indonesian Embassy since 1980 through the nonprofit Al-Azhar School of Pencak Silat, but Richard Subaran and Wona Sumantri opened Kliwon International Indonesian Martial Arts Center in Rockville in October to expose more people to pencak silat. “At the embassy, it’s pretty much been closed-doors and by referrals, so having our own studio allows us to open it up to the greater public,” Sumantri says.

Kliwon focuses on a form of pencak silat from Java that emphasizes rapid, fluid handwork and footwork. “[We’re] very circular in our movements as opposed to something like karate or tae kwon do, which is very linear — straight forward, straight backward,” Subaran says. Stances resemble how animals slink through the jungle and are often named after beasts, such as tigers and dragons.

Moves: The half-hour warm-up includes stretching (downward dog and cobra), strength building (push-ups and side planks) and cardio (kicks and punches combined with torso twists). For the next hour, the class divides up by experience level to practice positions and combine them into fighting sequences that students work on solo before attempting with a classmate. For example, keeping your arms level with your face to block punches, drop into a deep reverse lunge, shift your weight to the back leg and punch one fist up toward your adversary’s groin. Then immediately shift your weight forward so you can kick the back leg out and hook your knee around your enemy’s ankle as you simultaneously press the thigh with one forearm and push the kneecap with the other to bring him or her down.

Sparring becomes more complex — and brutal — as you advance. “You have to be very aware of where your body is,” says Julie Fisher, 20, a student at American University who’s taking pencak silat to earn a credit within the school’s health promotion program.

After a year of sharpening their skills, students start incorporating various weapons, including the kerambit (a curved blade made to look like a tiger’s craw), the toya (a stick that’s made for more than just walking) and the kipas (a dangerous fan).

Workout: Learning how to not get your butt kicked can really kick your butt. Even the instructor winced his way through some of the warm-up abs work at a recent class. The quick pace will have you panting, and the rapid transitions from squats to lunges leave you feeling more like a jellyfish than a wild predator. “Doing just lifting or sit-ups, you’re working certain muscles. The conditioning here is more all-around,” says Raphaël Shepard, 24, who has taken classes at the embassy, too.

Crowd: Although men and women of all abilities take the 90-minute class, everyone takes the lessons equally seriously. There’s no time for chitchat, just focusing on the task at hand. Everyone is barefoot, and most attendees wear the traditional uniform — loose-fitting red shirts and white pants — but that’s optional.

Lingo: Instructors mix in a few Bahasa Indonesian words to give commands. Students had better pick up quickly on “kiri,” which means left; “kanan,” which means right; and “pukulan,” which means punch.

Adult pencak silat classes ($109 for three per week per month or $199 for an unlimited monthlong pass) meet at Kliwon International Indonesian Martial Arts Center (1609 E. Gude Drive, Rockville) weekdays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 1:30 p.m. New students can sample a month of classes for free.

Sourced from http://www.expressnightout.com/2011/12/get-a-jolt-from-java/

'I was wrong, but I didn't kelong'

2011-12-02T10:49:00.001+08:00

On his Facebook wall reads an ominous prayer, posted in malay, a week prior to the recent South-east Asia (SEA) Games, asking God to "shelter him from ridicule, criticism and dissatisfaction from the silat community".

Was it a sign of nerves before his refereeing assignment in Jakarta or was it a premonition of things to come?

Jasni Salam's worst fears were realised two Thursdays ago when one of the most bizarre sequence of events in the sport unfolded in the Class A 45-50kg final on Nov 17.

In a 51-second YouTube video that has attracted 352,000 views, Indonesian exponent Dian Kristanto employed unorthodox methods such as running around the competition arena, biting his opponent on the shoulder and hiding behind Jasni en route to beating Thailand's Anothai Choopeng 5-0 for the gold medal.

Jasni, a 52-year-old with over 20 years of refereeing experience, came under fire for his shambolic handling of the final and Singapore Silat Federation (PERSISI) chief executive Sheik Alauddin even went as far as calling him a "moron".

Efforts to contact Jasni had proved unsuccessful since his return from Indonesia.

When The New Paper finally tracked him down yesterday, he maintained his innocence when asked point-blank if he was under any influence to swing the match Indonesia's way.

"My conscience is clear... I made some poor refereeing decisions in the final, but there was no kelong," said the former national coach, who is an International Class One referee - the highest standard attainable - and was one of two Singaporean referees sent to the SEA Games by PERSISI.

"The Indonesian supporters were absolute fanatics, but I tried my best to be as fair as possible. No-one approached me to influence the game unfairly.

"I am clean. Before anyone accuses me of being corrupt, please show me the evidence."

In the two-hour long interview with TNP at the Eunos Community Club yesterday, he admitted that he turned in a poor performance.

So what were the "poor refereeing decisions" which he made?

Jasni said: "I reviewed the video of the entire fight with PERSISI on Friday and I realised I made a mistake when I failed to penalise the Indonesian after he committed a similar offence (of leaving the arena) for the third time."

In pencak silat, exponents must display proper technique as they mount an attack or defence and they are not allowed to run amok.

The referee is supposed to issue a warning when he thinks proper technique is not employed or if there's an infringement.

The third warning in each round would result in a one-point deduction, and the subsequent caution represents a two-point penalty. However, the foul counters are reset after each round.

Defending himself, Jasni said: "There were so many people who could have corrected my mistake, but nobody did.

"Unlike in football, the referee's decision is not final. In silat, it is not just the referee who officiates the fight. In fact, the referee doesn't award points, the five jury members seated around the arena do.

"Silat referees only indicate to the jury when there should be a point deducted for breaking the rules. The only case where he awards points is when there is a take down, which is worth three points.

"There were also the head of competition (from Malaysia), three members in the referees' council (from Brunei, Indonesia and Vietnam), as well as the international technical delegate (from Indonesia) and his assistant (from Singapore). Why didn't they do anything?"

Sources told TNP, however, that the referee council did highlight to Jasni his failure to award a penalty point to Dian, but the Singaporean did not heed their advice, and went on to miss other infringements in the third round.

When told of this, Jasni said: "If I made a mistake, the head of competition or the technical delegates have the right to stop the fight and hold a discussion. "If I was doing so badly, why didn't they substitute me with another referee, which is within their rights to do so?"

Ultimately, the gold went to Indonesia, although Thailand had every reason to feel aggrieved.

Sheik told TNP: "Yes, the Indonesian guy was leading after two rounds, but if you factor in the points deduction, Thailand could have won."

He explained by saying that the points difference awarded by each jury member was very narrow.

So despite the eventual scoreline of 5-0, any deduction for Dian could have swung the match in Thailand's favour.

He added: "The referees' council also activated the buzzer and lights twice to alert Jasni, which he didn't respond to.

"Analysing the video, there were behavioural changes compared to past matches in which Jasni was referee."

Jasni, who was national coach when the sport collected its best SEA Games haul of three gold medals in Brunei in 1999, admitted he had missed the council's attempts to get his attention.

He said: "It was so chaotic and noisy, I didn't see or hear the signal.

"That's also my mistake. But why didn't they persist to get my attention by blowing a whistle or by getting the competition secretary to announce 'referee, referee'?

"This is common practice which they didn't perform."

Jasni was summoned by PERSISI last Friday to explain the chain of events in Jakarta.

PERSISI general secretary Isiah Majid told TNP the matter has been handed over to the disciplinary committee.

Sheik added that if found guilty, the maximum sentence would be a life ban from refereeing silat competitions.

What looked like a dream assignment has turned sour for Jasni, who also works as a housekeeper at a local hotel to make ends meet.

He said: "I can understand how some people can claim that I kelong because they don't know the rules, but I am disappointed by Sheik's comments, calling me a moron.

"I am hurt and depressed because I tried my best and it ended up like this.

"I feel really sorry to my family for putting so much pressure on them. "I may just retire from refereeing and focus on coaching."

Former world silat champion Imran Abdul Rahman was one of those who spoke up for his former coach.

Imran said: "I've watched the video of all three rounds and made calls to people who watched the bout in Indonesia, and I feel justice needs to be done.

"Officiating a silat fight is not just a one-man show. I know it is easy to watch the clip and say that it is fixed, but people need to know the rules before passing judgment.

"I hope he will not quit refereeing, but bounce back to prove he can still do a good job."

Written by DAVID LEE & SAZALI ABD AZIZ
Sourced from http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Sports/Story/A1Story20111130-313637/3.html

Indonesia Pencak Silat Contingent Came Out as Overall Winners

2011-11-18T13:09:00.001+08:00

Indonesia pencak silat contingent finally reached the target to become SEA Games XXVI overall winners. They successfully collected 9 gold medals, 5 silver medals, and 2 bronze medals.

The runner up is Vietnam with 6 gold, 7 silver, and 5 bronze medals. Whereas Malaysia is on third position with 3 gold, 1 silver, and 7 bronze medals.

The certainty of Indonesia becomes the overall winners for this sport was confirmed after three Indonesian fighters defeated their opponents in the final match at Padepokan Silat Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII), Thursday (11/17). The last three gold medals were presented by Rosmayani (class C female), Amelia Roring (class E female), and Dian Kristianto (class A male).

All three Indonesian fighter defeated their opponents with same score 5-0 each. Rosmayani represented gold medal after defeated Thailand fighter Jutarat Noytapa, while Amelia won against Malaysia fighter Siti Rahmah Mohamed Nazir and Dian Kristianto defeated Anothai Choopeng from Thailand.

Edhy Wibowo as Indonesia Pencak Silat Team Manager admitted proud with this achievement. He said that training and hard work done by Indonesian athletes are finally resulted. “We are able to reach two targets, namely be the overall winners and collected nine gold medals, although initially we only targeted five gold medals,” he stated, Thursday (11/17).

Sourced from http://www.beritajakarta.com/2008/en/newsview.aspx?idwil=0&id=21168

Unshakeable silat exponents deliver three golds

2011-11-18T13:05:00.004+08:00

JAKARTA: The Malaysian silat exponents overcame their rivals and the boisterous home fans, to capture three gold medals at the Indonesia Indah Mini Park yesterday.

The gold medals came from the combat events – through Ahmad Shahril Zailudin (men’s Class D 60-65kg), Mohd Al Jufferi Jamari (men’s Class E 65-70kg) and Mohd Fauzi Khalid (men’s Class F 70-75kg).

Shahril delivered the first gold by defeating Indonesia’s Sapto Purnomo 5-0 in the final before Jufferi made sure the team met their two-gold target when he defeated Vietnam’s Nguyen Duy Chien 4-1.

Fauzi then made sure the silat team would surpass the target by adding another gold medal after trouncing Katahat Raksapon of Thailand 5-0.

Malaysia had another finalist on the last day of the silat competition but Siti Rahmah Mohd Nasir could only bag a silver after losing 5-0 to Indonesian’s Amelia Roring in the women’s Class E bout.

Team manager Ismail Syed Mohamed described their efforts as courageous because they also had to put up with the hostile home crowd.

“There was never an easy fight today, especially against the Indonesian exponents,” he said.

“But our athletes stayed calm under pressure and that was the key to their success.”

Ismail also urged his team to be aware of the great strides made by exponents from Vietnam and even the Philippines.

“They are catching up fast,” he said.

“We could have won more gold medals if our top exponents – Emy Latip and Mohd Hafiz Mahari _ had qualified for the finals.

“Overall, it was a good performance.”

Emy lost to Vietnam’s Ngyen Thi Gang in the quarter-final of the women’s Class C (55-60kg) while Hafiz, the gold medallist in Laos two years ago, went down to Thailand’s Anothai Choopeng in the men’s Class A (45-50kg) semi-final bout.

Sourced from http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.asp?file=/2011/11/18/seagames/9931432&sec=seagames

SEA Games: Al Jufferi step away from surprise gold

2011-11-17T14:16:00.001+08:00

Al Jufferi Jamari is within striking distance of winning a silat gold medal in his maiden appearance at the Sea Games in Padepokan today.

The 19-year-old exponent from Kuantan is one of four Malaysians contesting the sparring finals today as the sport looks to deliver its targeted two gold medals.

Al Jufferi was not expected to even be in the final and should he win today, it will be a pleasant surprise.

"It's my first time here at the Sea Games and now that I'm in the final, I'm not going to let this golden opportunity slip away.

"It would be the sweetest achievement of my career in silat if I were to win tomorrow (today)," said Al Jufferi, who meets Nguyen Duy Chien of Vietnam in the men's Class E final.

Earlier, he edged Indonesia's I Komong Wahyu 3-2 in the quarter-finals before beating Wattara Thammachut of Thailand 5-0 in the semi-finals.

The other Malaysian exponents attempting for gold are Ahmad Shahril Zailudin (men's Class D), Fauzi Khalid (men's Class F) and Siti Rahmah Nasir, the only Malaysian woman exponent to make a final in Class E.

Malaysia already have six bronze medals in the bag following the semi-finals on Monday.

Sourced from http://www.nst.com.my/sports/other/sea-games-al-jufferi-step-away-from-surprise-gold-1.7151

Ahmad Sharil Lands First Gold In Silat

2011-11-17T13:13:00.000+08:00

JAKARTA, Nov 17 (Bernama) - Ahmad Sharil Zailudin landed Malaysia's first gold in silat in the final day of the silat competition at the 26th SEA Games in Indonesia Thursday.

Competing in the mens D 55-60kg category at Taman Mini Indonesia, Padepokan, East Jakarta, about 50 km from the city centre, Ahmad Shahril, 30, ignored the hostile reception from the home crowd to sent the hosts; Sapto Purnomo packing 5-0.

"It is a good feeling, to be able to win before such hostile fans. I really wanted the 'Negaraku' (national anthem) to be played in this hall," he told Bernama.

It was the former three-time world champion's second gold in the SEA Games. He won the first at the Manila Games in 2005.

The silat contingent also captured three bronze through Mohd Hafiz Mahri in the A 45-50kg category, Noor Farahana Ismail (B 50-55kg) and Mastura Sapuan (D 60-65kg).

Written by AHMAD ERWAN OTHMAN
Sourced from http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newssport.php?id=627689

Silat hang on to three-gold target, after duo reach last four

2011-11-15T13:18:00.000+08:00

JAKARTA - Singapore's pencak silat team captain Shakir Juanda and Saifullah Julaimi gave the squad's sagging spirits a lift after winning their respective quarter-final bouts in the 'I' and 'E' classes yesterday.

The team had a shaky start to the competition with losses in the previous two days, but with the pair advancing and the artistic competition scheduled to start today, the team have not lost hope of meeting their three-gold target.

Things had looked gloomy in the team's quarter-final clashes in the morning, with veteran Saiedah Said ('C' Class) falling to Thailand's Jutarat Noytapa and Nur Zulaikha Zakaria ('D' Class) losing out to Mariati of Indonesia.

But with at least two medals now assured - the losing semi-finalists will share the bronze - team manager Sheik Alau'ddin feels it will spur the team on to do well.

"We hope that Saiedah's loss gives the newcomers a stronger desire to win for Singapore," he told Today.

"Our hopes are now pinned on Saifullah and Shakir."

For Saiedah, it was not how she had expected to mark her fifth and final SEA Games campaign.

Said the 26-year-old: "My target was to qualify for the final for my last shot at SEA Games gold, and this was not the best way for me to end my career."

"Morale was a bit low after the first two days of losses, but our spirit remains strong," added Saiedah, who has two Games bronze medals to her name.

Assistant team manager Sa'adiah Sanuse was rather happy with the whole team's performance so far and feels the artistic competition could possibly give them a further boost to meet their three-gold target.

"Saifullah and Shakir have lifted hopes, and by the end of (today) we'll know if we will be on track for our target," she said.

As for Saiedah, it is the end of her fighting career, but she wants to continue contributing to silat.

She said: "I have dedicated my life to silat and will continue to do so, now focusing on being a coach with the Singapore Silat Federation."

Written by SHAMIR OSMAN
Sourced from http://www.todayonline.com/Sports/EDC111115-0000081/Silat-hang-on-to-three-gold-target,-after-duo-reach-last-four

SEA Games: S'pore win 2 bronze in Silat

2011-11-15T13:15:00.007+08:00

Mohd Saifullah Mohd Julaimi (photo: Singapore Sports Council)

Mohd Shakir Juanda (photo: Singapore Sports Council)

INDONESIA: The Singapore men's Silat team won two bronze medals in Jakarta, earlier Tuesday.

Twenty-four-year-old Mohd Saifullah Mohd Julaimi claimed the bronze in the Silat Men's Tanding E event.

He lost in the semi-finals to Vietnam's Nguyen Duy Chien.

His team mate Mohd Shakir Juanda, who competed in the Men's Tanding I category, also won a bronze medal.

This was after his loss to Dang Minh Le of Vietnam.

The Singapore athletes' win gave the sport its first medals at this SEA Games.

Written by NABIL RUSYDI
Sourced from http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1165581/1/.html

When silence is golden for silat team

2011-11-12T13:42:00.000+08:00

JAKARTA: There are a few things about the silat competition that bothers team manager Ismail Syed Mohamad.

But he will not lodge a formal complaint for fear that the national exponents will receive unfair treatment.

Ismail said he could lodge an official complaint but experience has taught him that it would only do more harm than good to the silat team.

“One of my major grouses is that the organisers are bringing in three judges from countries not competing in the Games,” said Ismail.

“There will be a judge from Japan, Germany and Holland each and this is against the rule.”

The silat competition will start today with the combat events, but Ismail said he had yet to receive the full schedule yesterday.

“We should have the schedule by now, but there is nothing so far. We will all go to the venue tomorrow (today) morning to avoid anyone missing his or her events,” said Ismail.

At the 2007 Korat Games, the Malaysian silat contingent made a formal complaint, which Ismail refused to disclose in detail, with the organisers.

The result, according to Ismail, was that the national team were given unfair treatment.

The silat exponents returned home with no gold medals from the Korat Games.

They only had a silver and six bronze medals to show.

Sourced from http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.asp?file=/2011/11/12/seagames/9890553&sec=

Pencak silat medal hopes fade

2011-10-31T10:36:00.002+08:00

HA NOI — Changes to the pencak silat event at this year's SEA Games in November could seriously reduce Viet Nam's medal-winning hopes.

Viet Nam are the world champions.

At the Singapore Asian Pencak Silat Championship in April, Viet Nam managed to win 11 gold medals, despite half the team coming down with chronic diarrhoea, while Indonesia grabbed just five.

Indonesia has deleted five weight categories – the men's 80kg, 85kg and 95kg and women's 50kg and 75kg – in which Viet Nam are unrivalled. Indonesia's decision to reduce the number of weight categories is designed to favour the host nation, who have set themselves the target of winning up to 10 golds, which would give them the top podium.

In Jakarta, Viet Nam will compete in all six seni (performance) and 12 in tanding (combat) events. Viet Nam's three main gold medal hopes are Tran Van Toan in the men's 60kg, Nguyen Ba Trinh in the men's 65kg and Tran Thuy Luyen in women's 70kg.

Two years ago in Laos, Viet Nam won six SEA Games golds.

Coach Huynh Ngoc Minh Tien said the team would find it hard to secure this year's target of just three golds.

Viet Nam are also facing the likelihood that a number of their more experienced athletes may retire, while others might have to miss the tournament through injury.

World and SEA Games champions Huynh Thi Thu Hong, Nguyen Thi Phuong Thuy and Le Thi Hong Ngoan said they wished to spend more time with their families, while Nguyen Thanh Quyen said she wanted to concentrate on her studies.

Meanwhile, Le Ngoc Tan and Vu Thi Thao are unlikely to recover from serious injuries in time for the tournament.

As a result, 15 new members have been called to the national team.

"They are strong rivals with great technique but they lack international competition experience," said Tien, after the team returned from a short training course in Indonesia.

Viet Nam finished the Southeast Asian Pencak Silat Championships in Malaysia in August in second place with seven gold medals.

The pencak silat event will run from November 10-17.

Sourced from http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/Sports/217088/Pencak-silat-medal-hopes-fade.html

Senior citizen pwns a robber with silat

2011-10-24T17:32:00.000+08:00

JERTIH: A senior citizen had to use his silat skills for 20 minutes before successfully chasing off bandits armed with machetes who broke into his house in the incident in Kampung Gong Nangka, Apal,here, yesterday.

In the incident at 11 pm, Abdul Ghani Jusoh, 65, was asleep with his 68-year-old wife when he was awakened by the sound of falling objects in the kitchen. He left his bedroom to investigate.

According to him, he at first thought the sound was caused by his pet cats chasing mice when he surprised a man armed with a knife in his kitchen.

"The man was holding a knife and tried to grab me and but we struggled for 20 minutes which resulted in several injuries to my chest and right shoulder.

"Although I am old but I'm still able to use my experience in silat, a martial art I was very active in during my teenage years," he said when met at police headquarters Loka (IPD) Loka in Kampung Raja, here, yesterday.

According to him, the man ran away while he was himself rushed to Hospital Besut by Loka residents before referred to Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM), Kubang Kerian. He was released home around 10 am yesterday.

Abdul Ghani, who was wounded in the chest and shoulders as a result of the struggle received 10 stitches.

"My wife is paralysed and we never thought thieves would break into our house because we do not have valuables," he said.

Meanwhile, the Loka police chief, Superintendent Kamaruddin Zakaria said police acted swiftly after being informed of the incident. They managed to detain the suspect with the help of residents and the Kampung Bukit Kenak Security Unit here at 8 am today.

"He was found in the bushes in Kampung Bukit Kenak, about two miles from the scene, along with two parang believed taken from the house broke into the victim in the house," he said.

By MOHAMMAD ISHAK
Translated from http://www.hmetro.com.my/myMetro/articles/Bersilat20minithalaupenyamun/Article

Rosmah Learning Silat Beneficial To Women

2011-10-22T11:42:00.000+08:00

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22 (Bernama) -- While women may be synonymous with being gentle, they could also show firmness by learning the martial art of silat, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor said today.

The prime minister's wife said silat was beneficial in developing an active mind and body, apart from fostering inner confidence in women.

She said, although women were able to take care of themselves, there were people who took advantage of their trusting and caring nature.

"While silat can prepare one to be ready for unexpected threats in life, its beautiful moves help a woman achieve physical strength, without compromising her decency and grace," added Rosmah.

She said this when launching the Women's Silat Lincah Movement at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) here.

Rosmah noted that learning the silat could be more difficult for women than men as it demanded more physically.

"However, it teaches us to get up, even when we are down. It also teaches us to be patient as anything we learn needs patience and perseverance to achieve perfection," she said.

At the ceremony, Rosmah was honoured with the first Selendang Tun Fatimah Award from the Malaysian Silat Lincah Association, as a symbol of upholding today's women.

Sourced from http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=621873

Creating cultures for the pocket

2011-10-14T15:07:00.004+08:00

The pitch was heartfelt, and the message clear: “I want to make Malaysians aware of their heritage, and I’m doing it for free”.

Peter hopes to educate
fellow Malaysians.

There sat Peter Ho, his heart out on the table as he picked through his spaghetti. He was telling me about his new life’s work, which included writing a cultural booklet on the Keris.

Passed on by one of my silat teachers, Peter called me to get my input on his efforts. A 3-minute phone call was all I needed to dispel whatever notions I had of the selflessness of his intentions.

A 90-minute meeting totally blew me away.

A well-built man, who himself could have been a martial artist (although throughout our conversation, he never volunteered that information), Peter is a man of vision with objectives that spanned the breadth of every Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage policy I’ve ever heard of.

“Although I’m ethnically Chinese, but I consider myself Malaysian first and Chinese second,” he said, answering my unasked question when he first proposed to do the Keris booklet.

“I’ve always been fascinated by the little things in our culture that people take for granted such as the betel nut, the Keris, fireflies, cincalok, Malaysian ants and more. People might have heard of them, but can any Malaysian honestly tell me what they’re about?”

“For example, just the other day, I sat under a tree while eating some rojak and I was surprised that the tree shaded me coolly from the heat. I asked the mamak about the tree, and he said it’s a cherry tree. I remember this tree from my youth, because a lot of stalls would set up under or near one. We see it every day, but how much do we know about it?” he asked with sheer incredulity.

Peter smiled and passed me some samples of the booklet he wants to produce. I asked him if he was doing this full time, to which he replied that he was a one-man graphics designing company and supported himself with various jobs. However, this project was now his life.

The sets were beautifully designed and a slipcase contained two booklets (“subjects” he calls them), effectively making it a full colour, glossy, culture in your pocket shorthand. The Keris subject was paired with Sirih Pinang, while the Kelip-Kelip with the Geragau (strange combination, but being curious about it was a great effect) and the Semut Temenggung with the Periuk Kera.

The Culture, Tradition & Heritage series.
You can't buy it, but you'll have to find it when it's out.

He has produced working mock ups of these three series so far and is actively seeking sponsors to print them and distribute to schools, higher learning institutions, tourist spots and point of sale customers for free. Allow me to repeat that. For free.

“I normally get curious glances from the representatives of the companies I approach. They ask me if I’m asking for a donation,” Peter laughed. “It seems no one can believe that someone like me would do this for the sake of doing it”.

“However, I find that I identify with the little people, and they are the ones who, even without money, go out of the way to help me achieve this goal. I’ve had friendly secretaries who listen to my pitch and tell me the best way to approach their boss. I’ve had security guards guide me on how to send in a proposal to their administration. I don’t feel frustrated in my task, because I get to meet so many beautiful people, the real people of Malaysia.

I asked him, what his future plans are and how many more series he would be doing.

“I believe that we have a rich heritage to explore and be proud of. Every time I think of a subject to write about, I do deep research and I surprise myself with how much I didn’t know about my own country. There will always be something new to uncover. For me, it’s a journey for myself. It will never end”.

If you would like to contact Peter regarding connecting him with potential sponsors, please call him at 012-302 8138.

This writer has also committed to writing a booklet on Silat Melayu and needs a volunteer writer to match with enough material for a Wushu booklet. Please email me at nadzrin@silatmelayu.org if you're interested.

Fauzi not comfortable with favourite tag in SEA Games

2011-10-13T10:51:00.001+08:00

KUALA LUMPUR: Jakarta has been a good hunting ground for silat exponent Mohd Fauzi Khalid.

Last year, the Penangite defied the odds to beat an Indonesian exponent in the final to win the men’s below 75kg category in the World Championships in Jakarta.

The 24-year-old Fauzi will surely start as the favourite when he features in his third SEA Games, based on his achievements this year.

He won gold in all the three competitions he featured in this year – the Asian meet in Singapore (March), Belgium Open (April) and South East Asian meet in Kuala Lumpur (July).

Gold act: Silat exponent Mohd Fauzi Khalid will start as the favourite when he features in his third SEA Games. — S.S.KANESAN/ The Star

Fauzi, however, is not comfortable with the fact that the Malaysian Silat Federation are banking on him to deliver one of the two gold medals targeted for the SEA Games.

“Although Jakarta is a good hunting ground for me, I am already feeling the pressure of having to retain the gold medal in the Games,” said Fauzi, who won a silver in the world meet in Jakarta in 2007.

“I am afraid that I might not live up to expectations as I am not too pleased with my techniques in the combat sport.

“I am in good physical shape but I need to improve on my techniques.

“I also expect strong challenges from exponents from Vietnam, Singapore and Indonesia.”

At the last SEA Games in Laos two years ago, Malaysia returned with four golds – out of the 12 at stake – and six bronzes.

Although the number of gold medals have been increased to 18 for the Indonesian SEA Games, the MSF have only set a modest target of two golds.

Faizal Abdullah, who won the gold medal in the below 80kg in the Laos Games, will not defend his title because of a knee injury.

The MSF have named 24 exponents – 13 men and 11 women – for the SEA Games. The silat competition is divided into two categories – sparring and demonstration.

The Malaysian squad
Men: Mohd Hafiz Mahari, Mohd Taufek Abdul Latif, Mohd Helmi Abdul Aziz, Ahmad Shahril Zailuddin, Mohd Al-Jufferi Jamari, Mohd Fauzi Khalid, Azrul Abdullah, Mohd Firdaus Sabaruddin, Mohd Faiz Abdul Malek, Mohd Taqiuddin Hamid, Ahmad Tajul Zaman Tajuddin, Hanif Ismail, Mohd Hafiz Mohd Arif.

Women: Noor Farahana Ismail, Emy Latip, Siti Rahmah Moh Nasir, Siti Khadijah Hassan, Matsura Sapuan, Maslinda Zakaria, Kamilah Sulong, Siti Arfiyah Abdul Jalil, Nurnaema Nayan, Nor Afizah Ariffin, Nurul Hidayah Sobri.

Sourced from http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.asp?file=/2011/10/13/sports/9686584&sec=sports

Response to Sandalwood in The Huffington Post

2011-10-03T12:10:00.001+08:00

Daliah Merzaban recently interviewed me for the The Huffington Post article Martial Arts & The Journey To Islam. One of the commenters, Sandalwood commented on the original article in The Huffington Post with this:

"... Silat, a martial art practised in Malaysia and Indonesia, rooted in Islam."

Silat is derived from Indian and Chinese roots, as this article states... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silat

Its interesting that now in Malaysia, Silat is considered to be "rooted in Islam", as this stance parallels what has been happening to school history textbooks, where Malaysia's pre-Islamic history is barely mentioned, in favour of turning the curriculum into a biased one, as this article indicates... http://www.malaysianmirror.com/media-buzz-detail/41-opinion/51319-softening-up-students-to-islam-with-history-syllabus

Lastly, if bowing to each other is supposed to be rooted out of this practise, so as to make it more Islamic, please be aware also that the dozens of hand movements in this and other Martial Arts throughout Asia are Mudras derived from Hindu and Buddhist influences from the pre-Islamic era, as the wiki article states.

---

Due to the length limit of the comments section, I was forced to cut my reponse short. I reproduce here the full response to his comment:

Salam hormat Sandalwood,

Silat Melayu in Malaysia is one of the youngest martial arts on Earth, and despite some teachers' assertions, there is no evidence that it spontaneously came into being as a complete art. Each style was developed independent of each other due to historical inter-state rivalry and family rivalry.

As such, silat continues to grow and adapt just as the Melayu culture adapts to new forces. The Melayu culture today bears very little resemblance to the Melayu from 200 years ago. Even silat has been open to influences from Indian, Chinese, Korean and Japanese fighting styles. However, the foundations of silat remains the same.

According to Prof Phil Davies, a Pencak Silat Kuntao Matjan master in Canada, one of the most difficult foundations to master in silat by non-Melayu peoples (Even "Chinese" and 'Indians") is the power generating "gelek" which is unique to their cultural physiology.

Merdeka and nationalisation has crystallised that 'silat' belongs to the Melayu and in a backward step, has caused a lot of silat styles to be freeze framed into space, claiming to have reached their evolutionary pinnacle. Meanwhile, other fighting styles around the world continue to evolve. (However, there are forward thinking traditional silat masters who have taken this head on).

This was the whole issue Bruce Lee had with the Chinese styles. He managed to prove that they had become ineffective shadows of themselves because they wanted to maintain the Chinese-ness of their arts. He effectively called them out on their racism and ethnocentrism. Neither the Chinese nor the Melayu are the centers of the world (although the current economy might suggest otherwise for the former).

The Wikipedia article you quoted doesn't say that silat was derived from Indian and Chinese roots, but it says it was "influenced by". It goes on to provide such evidence as "Many of the region's medicinal practices and weapons originated in either India or China, and silat's thigh-slapping actions are reminiscent of Hindu wrestling"

First off, a cursory glance to the traditional medicine of the Melayu sees more in common with the Orang Asli (most Melayu herbalists agree that their culture's foundation in medicine come from the aborigines). Many of the rainforest remedies the Melayu aren't even available in India and China.

Secondly, another cursory glance at the Keris, Rencong, Tumbuk Lada, Kerambit (a localised Jembiah), sees no comparison with "Indian" or "Chinese" weapons. Read "The Keris & Other Malay Weapons", a collection of articles by the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society where the origins of Melayu weapons are discussed.

Thirdly, the only reference to "thigh slapping in Hindu wrestling" is from this one line in Donn F. Draeger's "Weapons and Fighting Arts of Indonesia" : "Hindu culture gave pentjak-silat a vast heritage of combative ideas. Many of the grappling tactics used stem from Indian origins; the thigh slapping antics of various pentjak-silat styles smack of Hindu wrestling rituals in Hindu culture."

As any up to date martial artist can attest, Draeger sensei's research in those early years when silat was closed off to outsiders should be taken with a bag of salt, as his error in even naming silat as "bersilat" has propagated onto the internet, despite thousands of attempts to correct it. Be careful of believing everything you read on the internet (including my reply :). I don't think "smack" is an academic term.

That being said, any martial art that doesn't incorporate superior methods from other cultures or adapt to new threats will become Latin or Sanskrit, nice to look at, but effectively dead.

You said "Its interesting that now in Malaysia, Silat is considered to be 'rooted in Islam'" and provided a link to the current trend of Melayu-Islamisation by the government. Do not confuse the government’s initiative to further deny true history with Silat Melayu’s intrinsic link with Islam. Just because it’s not on Wikipedia or no one has bothered to do deep research into it doesn’t mean it’s not there.

When Islam arrived in the Peninsula, the process of Islamisation (not Arabisation, as is currently rife) was done through the route of tariqat. Missionaries’ primary goal was to realign Melayu thought and spirit toward Allah and Islam. The Melayu being a very spiritual and natural people found it easier to reconcile Allah with Sang Hyang Tunggal (the one God), their current diety than with anything they found in Hinduism and Buddhism.

And since fiqh was adapted to the local culture along the lines of the principles of Fiqh ‘Urf, a local flavor of shariah came into being. It was this set of laws that radiated outwards into all facets of Melayu life in the states where Islam took hold. One of those that was affected was silat, which back then was just termed “gawang” (avoidance), “Ilmu bertikam” (stabbing knowledge) or “ilmu penjuritan” (warrior knowledge). Most of the change happened internally, as unIslamic spiritual practices and thought processes were realigned to ad-Din.

Finally, bowing to each other as a mark of respect is alright, but not to the point of sujud in salat. I might also mention that the example of Aikido given by myself to Daliah is of Jun Yamada sensei, a Japanese Aikido master who reverted to Islam after teaching in Malaysia. He follows the lineage of O Sensei Morihei Ueshiba, founder of Aikido, an adherent of Omoto-kyo. Any modifications he made to his own teaching was his choice. You might want to take this up with him.

Again, thank you for reading the academically accurate Wikipedia article with a sharp eye. This is what was actually written: “The vast majority of silat exponents use the Hindu-Buddhist namaste in which the palms are pressed together at chest level. This represents the balance of two opposing forces such as light and dark or hard and soft.”

It’s a form of greeting, nothing more. Nowhere does it mention mudras, and I have not encountered any Silat Melayu that employs mudras in their styles. If there were, they might have already fallen victim to the trend that you allude to.

Salam persilatan,

Martial Arts And The Journey To Islam

2011-10-02T12:00:00.003+08:00

A close friend introduced me to the idea that practicing martial arts has the potential to assist a Muslim in achieving a higher spiritual connection with God. Since I had always associated martial arts with Asian culture and Eastern religions such as Zen Buddhism, the connection with Islam did not immediately occur to me.

But after sitting in on one of my friend Imran's aikido and karate classes at a dojo in the United Arab Emirates last month, the correlations began to unfold before my eyes. The mood was set when, just before starting two hours of rigorous and meticulous training, a number of students and the sensei assembled to pray Islam's sunset prayer, known asmaghrib.

Each technique they practised during the sessions that followed was precise, demanding mastery of the subtle movements of leg, arm, hand and back. Students of various backgrounds and faiths exhibited tremendous patience as they repeated these motions, striving to take any tiny step closer to precision of combat technique.

Aikido, which originated in Japan, is typically done in pairs and practitioners learn to defend themselves while protecting their attackers from injury. Karate emphasises hard training and precise movement using a series of punches, kicks, and knee and elbow strikes.

• • • • • • • • • •

Students in Aikido training at Shudokan Aikido Dojo, Seremban, Malaysia. (Courtesy of Asma Faizal)

While learning defensive fighting skills is the core purpose of training, interactions between students were remarkably cordial. A deep sense of equality filled the room; no matter how advanced in skill an apprentice, young or old, happened to be, s/he made an effort to enrich the experience of peers. Whether the belts they wore around their waists were black, brown, purple or white, everyone appeared to derive some value from the session.

This was inspiring for me because of the commonalities I saw with Islam. Muslims at varying stages along the spiritual path share a common ambition: to forge an intimate bond with the one Almighty God. Islam embodies an undeviating path to peace of mind, attained by aligning one's physical, mental, financial, family and community affairs to this primary goal, which we should help each other work toward.

For a martial artist, the journey of perfecting technique doesn't end with a black belt, it demands continual dedication and training. Imran told me later than evening, "Karate is like a pot of boiling water, and constant training is the fire that keeps the water boiling," citing wisdom from a prominent karate instructor that can underlie both martial arts and Islamic devotion.

The comment brought to mind the concept of Al Insan Al Kamil in Islamic theology, describing the perfect being who has achieved unity with God in mind, body and soul. Attaining this level of consciousness demands a series of traits, such as steadfastness (istiqamah), self-inventory (muhasabah), improvement (tahsin) and humility -- each honed to perfection.

Such traits are at the heart of martial arts as well, although a practitioner need not be driven, as Imran is, by a desire to please God. There are, furthermore, a few martial arts practices that go against sharia which, for instance, discourages blows to the face and bowing to other human beings.

To bridge gaps inherent in some martial art forms and supplement his training, Imran added an exercise technique known as Senaman Tua, native to his homeland Malaysia, to his martial arts regimen. Most-easily understood as an Islamic form of yoga, Senaman Tua requires that in addition to physical development, students take a journey toward self-realization.

One who trains in Senaman Tua will eventually have all the core skills to learn and master Silat, amartial art practised in Malaysia and Indonesia, rooted in Islam. The goal of each Silat practitioner is to improve their art for the sake of God, explained Mohd Nadzrin bin Abdul Wahab, Imran'sSenaman Tua instructor, who has offered Silat training in Malaysia since 2003.

"The basic idea behind silat is softness is strength," said Nadzrin, 34. Based in Kuala Lumpur, Nadzrin was drawn into Silat after seeing how Islam was woven into each lesson of his first guru, Muhammad Radzi Haji Hanafi. "Every other word" he uttered was an Islamic principle, related Nadzrin.

Silat teaches practitioners that they should dedicate their whole self, mind, body and soul to the intention of performing the art for the sake of God in order for the goal to be worthwhile. Apprentices should strive to be truthful, keep promises and act with strong conviction without disrespecting their parents and teachers.

"Every martial technique depends on a preset, pre-thought movement of the human body," explained Nadzrin, who has written extensively on Silat on a series of blogs. "A possible stumbling block to spiritual development is the practitioner's ascribing of his development or prowess to himself... Thus, we are taught in Silat that all gerak (movement) belongs to Allah, The Mover, in every sense of the word."

While certain varieties of Silat became controversial because they deviated from Islam, most Silatstyles in Malaysia are sharia-compliant, he said. Some schools, meanwhile, have modified techniques used in other martial arts like aikido and taekwondo to ensure they comply with Islam by, for instance, including bows that do not reach the level of sujud, prostration in Islamic prayer.Silat and Senaman Tua styles are now offered in many countries, including the United States, Europe, South Africa, Canada and Singapore.

Yet Silat on its own is no replacement for a Muslim's intellectual training in religion. It is rare to find instructors who are also qualified religious scholars, which had been commonplace between the 11th-19th centuries, Nadzrin said.

"I have discovered that the only way to learn Islam is to learn Islam directly, not going through the goggles of a martial art. Some martial arts teachers aren't qualified to teach or misrepresent it. However, in martial arts, you get to see the practice of Islam in muamalat (interactions)," he said.

Islam, Arabic for 'submission to God', embodies an entire lifestyle whereby followers integrate acts of worship into everything they do, such that expressions of gratitude to God become the goal of each activity, even beyond the five daily prayers.

In the area of fitness, we are encouraged to live in a healthy, beneficial way, consistently keeping our egos and impulses in check. In one Hadith, Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, advised Muslims: "Teach your children swimming, archery and horse-riding".

Martial arts help people attain these goals, according to Nadzrin, because with proper training they encourage alignment and coordination between mind and body. He said participants gain many benefits, including equilibrium, muscular strength, stamina, cardiovascular maintenance, hormonal balance, improved kinesthesis and their senses become more receptive.

When a Muslim's body is healthy and fit, s/he is better equipped to, for instance, apply greater focus in prayer. In this context, one's pursuit of fitness is not driven by a desire to feed one's vanity and ego by attaining a toned figure or buff muscles, but rather to strengthen one's body to be better able to practise faith.

Reflecting back to Imran's training, I am impressed at how the mastery of combat techniques actually moves martial artists away from negative energies like anger and closer to the serenity inherent to the Islamic state of mind.

"Martial arts teach us awareness," said Imran. "The more we train, the more aware we become. The more aware we become, the less likely we would get involved in a situation of conflict. So ironically, the more we train, the less use we will have for our violent techniques. We attain peace."

Special thank you to Asma Faizal for providing photographs for this article.

Written by DALIAH MERZABAN
Sourced from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daliah-merzaban/martial-arts-and-the-journey-to-islam_b_983142.html

Silat Panglima Ulung

2011-09-29T10:44:00.001+08:00