This is an Indonesian, Malay style of martial arts that is backed with the foundation of Islamic spiritual thought and philosophy.
Si Pitung a legend that fought with cunning and tactical strategy to remove oppression and support morality. One man fighting like seven opponents, all by strength, tactics, and martial arts strategy.
Silat is a complete path towards human excellence.
The three interdependent aims are: Self-defense for oneself, the family, and the community, against any physical harm. Self-mastery, the discipline of the ego, impulses, and fears through physical exercises and spiritual training, based on the Islamic foundational spiritual words, remembrance, and concepts and themes. Righteous action: having moral courage to defend the oppressed and uphold justice as a religious duty.
The key attributes involved in the Silat martial art:
Fluidity, just like water—how it flows around and helps the practitioner in attacking, evading, and maneuvering around their opponents—and what is required. Economy, efficiency, so making use of the most efficient means within the martial arts, in the practice of physical exercises and spiritual development. Proximity, close-range combat when involved in a skirmish or a fight that requires the use of punches, kicks, elbows, blocks, stances, and so on. Stratagem that is based on feints, angles, and breaking rhythms to confuse the aggressor. Weapon integration, where the body is a weapon and external tools extend the intent, but do not replace it.
The Silat spiritual dimension, moving meditation or worship of the divine by improving oneself towards excellence. Zikir, the rememberance of Allah at all times of conflict and peace. Tazkiyah, purifying character through physical training and removing and purifying hidden aspects such as anger, fear, arrogance, hate, jealousy, greed, and cowardice. Tawakkul, reliance on Allah: training daily, but having reliance on Allah, not in your own technique, as this prevents pride and cultivates humility.
Fana, annihilation of the ego, the main spiritual aim of the Silat martial art, where the warrior does not act for personal desire but as a divine justice method, as Allah is the one removing the harm from the aspects of the ego.
Three attributes of the Silat practitioner: faith, land, and community. In which Silat is the martial art that is a trust from Allah, and having faith and reliance only on Allah. Protection of the land, that the land is a sacred trust which requires defense. For the community, where it prevents injustice. Stopping exploitation, defending widows and orphans, and upholding ethical trade.
Three aspects of spiritual development.
The first being the greater jihad, in which one defeats ego, laziness, anger, pride, and all the other harmful aspects of what a person is supposed to struggle against to master themselves, this struggle to attain righteousness is the greatest battle of humanity.
Balance in which there is no cause to strike unjustly, as that is zulum, or oppression. Having faith and not striking, when justice is required, is cowardice.
Self-accountability is the third aspect in which the martial arts practitioner reflects after every day’s and night’s training and sees where the shortcomings were, how to improve upon them, remove the weaknesses, and build upon their strengths.
A person has to develop physical competency, cultivate spiritual discipline, build community resilience, and attain righteousness. The will that lifts, the faith that guides, and the mercy that centers; you have to be ready for, but not seek, conflict when victory is deserved, which is only possible by the blessing of Allah. So, this is walking on the Siratul Mustaqim, the straight path, where you walk with the right words and your sweat, breath, and silent remembrance of Allah before movement.
The struggle of Si Pitung was a magnificent battle to support the weak poor and oppressed. The regular recitation of the seven helpers, the fatiha. And the remembrance of the greatest attribute of the Divine the Oneness of Allah that only Allah is worthy of worship.
This struggle continues wherever there is people who remember Allah. The seven helpers against injustice is the beginning of every Muslims devotion and struggle to attain righteousness.