GM Prof Dr Zahalan Man

Grandmaster Zahalan bin Man was born on January 14, 1947 in Arau, State of Perlis, Malaysia. His involvement in martial arts spans over 53 years.

He was introduced to Silat martial arts at the age of seven (7) in an attempt to keep him occupied since he was a hyperactive child. At the age of nine (9), he received his Junior Black Belt and was able to knock out bigger, heavier and more aggressive exponents in local junior challenge championships.

For the next ten (10) years he moved to different schools learning and perfecting his martial art competencies and prowess while accepting challenges from different grandmasters.

In 1967, at the age of twenty (20), he enrolled in Silat Kalam Ikatan Utama Malaysia and received tutelage from the late Grandmaster Pak Guru Haji Yahya Said.

Silat Kalam originated from the times of Prophet Muhamad where the art was taught as a form of being defensive in the face of aggression and was practized by Muslim missionaries.

Silat Kalam came to the shores of Malaysia through the first Islamic missionary Sheikh Tajrid who was the trade emissary from Arabian peninsular to South East Asia, during the time of the prophet.

Grandmaster Zahalan Man introduced the lethal martial art of Silat to Army Generals, Parlimentarians, celebrities and royalties in the 1970's and inherited Silat Kalam when he was appointed as the 40th Generation Grandmaster of Silat Kalam Ikatan Utama Malaysia, upon the transition of his teacher the late Pak Guru Haji Yahya Said.

Over the last 30 years, Grandmaster Zahalan Man had personally taught Silat Kalam to over forty thousand from Malaysia and neighbouring countries.

In recognition of his works, Camden University, USA had conferred a honorary PhD in Islamic Martial Arts in 2005. In the same year, the Head of Family Sokeship Council (WHFSC) had granted the recognition of GRANDMASTER OF THE YEAR in Florida, USA. Grandmaster Zahalan bin Man also sits as a council member in WHFSC.

The United Nations NGO, International Association of Educators for World Peace (IAEWP) had appointed Grandmaster Zahalan bin Man as the National Chancellor of Malaysia for a two year period to propogate United Nations Peace Charter in Malaysia. In 2007, he was elevated as the International Special Consultant of IAEWP, one of the thirty council members worldwide.

IAEWP has national charters in about a hundred countries since 1967. The IAEWP also awarded Grandmaster Zahalan bin Man, its prestigious DIPLOMA OF HONOUR in 2007 in Alabama. In 2008, he become the WORLD PEACE AMBASSADOR of IAEWP ( NGO-UN ) and received the prestigious Diploma of Leadership.

In 2007, Grandmaster Zahalan bin Man, founded the MALAYSIAN MARTIAL ARTS GRANDMASTER ASSOCIATION and the association became the national affiliate of WHFSC. For his continued contributed to the martials arts fraternity, he was conferred CONTINUED EXCELLENCE AWARD by the WHFSC in 2007.

In 2008, the WHFSC confered the HISTORICAL MEMBER AWARD in San Antonio, Texas, USA.

Grandmaster Zahalan bin Man is also an author and written three (3) books on the Goverment and Politics of Malaysia. In 1992, he was the editor of his own successful weekly tabloid “Warisan Nasional”. His latest book on DAULAT UMNO, a reference guide on Malaysian ruling party has been named as the Reference Guide of the future generations by the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

In 2007, Jupiter Entertainment, USA filmed Silat Kalam Malaysia for its documentary “Human Weapon” @ Discovery Channel.

In 2008, he gained his non academic PhD in Islamic Martial Arts from Wisconsin International University. Grandmaster Zahalan bin Man was been appointed as an Adjunct Professor of Islamic Martial Arts and Islam Hadhari at Wisconsin University, USA for its Asian Campus in Malaysia.

Sourced from http://www.pikum.org.my/grandmaster-biography.html