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

Mahaguru Omardin Haji Mauju - Founder of Silat Lincah

Haji Omardin bin Mauju was born on 29th May 1941 in Puchong and was raised Kampung Puah, Gombak. This true blue Selangor born suffered greatly in his youth because of polio induced paralysis, a condition which was difficult to treat at the time.

However, the pain did not stop him from constantly searching for someone who could cure him of it until he met a silat master, Syed Abdul Rahman at Pulau Besar in Melaka. He advised Omardin to study Silat Tarah in his efforts to cure his disease. Thus, began Omardin's internal journey in silat.

His interest in silat developed and deepened when he realised his condition showed signs of improvement. However, he was also forced to accept the fact that the damage to his legs would be permanent. Throughout his treatment and silat studies, Omardin was buried to waist level fifteen times on the beach during the full moon.

Omardin faced each test with courage, even though he was still 18 years of age. He studied every silat technique including attacks, blocks and takedowns using his whole body, including his damaged legs. He was fortunate enough to be trained not only by Syed Abdul Rahman but the master was also assisted by seven of his students, Omardin's colleagues in the style.

After four years of numerous tests of Omardin's patience, perseverance and effort in studying Silat Tarah, it was a dream come true for the once incapacitated teenager to finally be appointed as a Guru Muda (Junior Master) at the young age of 22. His successes did not end there as a few months later, after several evaluations and intensive testing by his master, Omardin was appointed as Mahaguru and permitted to teach Silat Lincah by Syed Abdul Rahman.

The status of Mahaguru was not attained without difficulty. Omardin proved that his handicap posed no problems when facing the most intensive of spiritual tests, among them being hacked with a sharp blade, showered in boiling oil and buried in the ground for two days and two nights.
The ceremony to install Omardin as the Mahaguru took place at the tomb (maqam) of Sheikh Ismail Sultan Ariffin in Pulau Besar, Melaka.

In the ceremony, he also received his master's instruments as a symbol of inheriting all of Syed Abdul Rahman's knowledge. Once the ceremony was completed, Omardin was bathed at a well named Perigi Nenek Kebayan and underwent a lime bath at the Makam Tujuh Beradik as a conclusion to the installation.

After concluding his studies with Syed Abdul Rahman, Omardin was entrusted by his master to study from four other masters. To fulfil his wishes, Omardin delved into silat and spiritual studies with Kiyai Haji Nong Lias at Rantau, Negeri Sembilan. Following this, he turned to Wan Alang from Bukit Selambau, Kedah while the third master was Syed Mohammed Al-Qadri and the fourth Tuan Haji Salleh Patani.

He then left for Mekah together with 37 of his instructors to 'confirm' his studies. Upon his return, Silat Lincah began making strides in the local silat scene. With only five of his original students, Omardin established several gelanggang within Selangor and Wilayah Persekutuan.
From then on, Silat Lincah spread far and wide throughout the country until it became a legally registered association, the Pertubuhan Seni Silat Lincah Malaysia (PSSLM).

Omardin has also organised several series of overseas Silat Lincah demonstrations including in Indonesia, Singapura, Thailand, Philippines, Brunei, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Pakistan, India and Mekah.

The success of Silat Lincah in spreading its wings internationally began after 4th December 1976, when a World Silat demonstration was organised by PSSLM in Kuala Lumpur. It was after this historic date that two young men, one from England and one from Belgium, Glenn Lobo and Christopher Bogaerts came to Kuala Lumpur to study Silat Lincah. This was the first step for Silat Lincah's overseas invasion.

In the midst of these achievements, Omardin's exhortations began to attract several silat bodies to confederate at a regional ASEAN level. It was even due to his ideas and efforts that the Malaysian National Silat Federation (PESAKA) was established, which has now become the backbone to all silat activities in Malaysia.

Silat Lincah once again made a name for themselves when Omardin and hundreds of his students were involved in producing a film documentary titled One Step Into The Beyond or Selangkah Ke Alam Batin which was not only publicly screened but also opened a new page in the history of Silat Melayu, and was Silat Lincah's ultimate achievement that cemented Omardin as a vanguard of Silat Melayu.

Translated by MOHD NADZRIN WAHAB

Ustaz Hanafi Haji Ahmad: The man behind Silat Cekak

To all practitioners of Silat Cekak Hanafi, the late Ustaz Haji Hanafi Haji Ahmad is a supreme leader in the realm of Silat Melayu. This title is given to commend his efforts in giving new life and meaning to a Melayu martial heritage.

This was proven on the 5th of Ramadhan 1385 Hijriah coinciding with the 28th of December 1965 AD, when after much effort on his part, Ustaz Hanafi learned this art from Yahya Said.

Served posthumously, this title also credits his innovative teaching system and silat method whereby its benefits and martial qualities could be scientifically and logically valued as a method of self-defence by the public. He was also the first silat teacher to succeed in placing Silat Melayu on par with a modern professionally-managed organization.

Ustaz Hanafi Haji Ahmad hailed from Kedah; born in Kampung Sungai Baru, Mukim Gunung, Alor Setar in 1923. Following the norm of the day, he received his early education in a Melayu-vernacular school in Kampung Gunung, Alor Setar, Kedah and continued his religious studies at a few Religious Schools with a few Islamic scholars in Kedah.

Searching for true understanding towards Allah and following the Holy Prophet’s example, Ustaz Hanafi Haji Ahmad decided to sacrifice his youth to deepen his religious knowledge with a few famous scholars throughout the country, going as far as Singapore. The learning process to become a true servant of Allah, required him to support himself by selling pastries, traditional medicine and travelling throughout Malaysia to find a true teacher.

As a result of his patience and perseverance, it was Allah’s Will that Ustaz Hanafi met with Pak Haji Zain Abdul Rahman, who succeeded in explaining and summarizing for him the reality of divinity towards Allah using the book Al-Hikam written by Ibni Ataillah Al-Iskandari as a guide.

The struggle for independence of British rule struck a chord in the nationalistic soul of Ustaz Hanafi Haji Ahmad to fight for the rights of the Melayu people. The field most suited to him as a true Melayu was Silat Melayu. Ustaz Hanafi was sure that the Melayu people had a combat form that was no less powerful than the martial arts of other cultures.

A detailed research into many Melayu martial arts was carried out. The process of searching for one silat that could truly be effective for self-defence once again required that Ustaz Hanafi travel, becoming a servant to teachers, learning many different silat, and selling traditional medicine all around Malaysia. Finally, with the Will of Allah, he met Yahya Said.

Yahya Said practiced Silat Cekak and for 40 years, had sought a replacement worthy of the art itself. With his impressive knowledge of the Malay language, Ustaz Hanafi encapsulated Silat Cekak in simple but accurate verses, now immortalized in the Silat Cekak poems and philosophy.

He was also the man responsible to breathe new hope and faith to Silat Melayu as an art worthy of study by the Malay people. He revived the respect of the masses towards an art tarnished by ignorance and superstition; an art that has withstood the riot of rain and the sear of shine. As a dynamic pioneer in organizational management, he provided a new image to Silat Melayu in a silat organization.

It is clear that a huge part of the success of Silat Cekak’s popularity among the Malay masses today is the result of the vision of Ustaz Hanafi; the supreme leader of Silat Cekak. Now, Silat Cekak Hanafi is available to be learnt at most learning institutions. Friend or foe, respectful or disrespectful students, acknowledge and appreciate him as a Principal with caliber, courage and perseverance.

Ustaz Hanafi Haji Ahmad passed away on the 13th of August 1986 at Kuala Lumpur at the age of 63 years leaving behind a widow Maimunah Haji Othman and six children. His vision continues to this day as led by his fourth son, Md. Radzi Haji Hanafi.

"His speech and actions were always in concert. In all things, he practiced it first before teaching it. His speech and opinions were easy to understand and in line with the purpose of life. He was also a master of many situations. There were times, he would be a teacher, times he would be a father and others he would be a friend.” -The opinion of the Silat Cekak Hanafi Principal, Md. Radzi Haji Hanafi, of Silat Cekak’s supreme leader, the late Ustaz Hanafi Haji Ahmad.

Education
1929 - Received early schooling at Sekolah Melayu Gunung, Alor Setar, Kedah.
1933 - Enrolled in a religious school at Kampung Alor Gonchar, Mukim Gunung, Alor Setar, Kedah under the supervision of Haji Osman bin Lebai Zain.
1936 - Enrolled in the Guar Chempedak Religious School, Gurun Kedah. Religious education was led by Haji. Abdul Majid and Arabic language was taught by Yahya bin Jonid.

Independently sought learning from the following teachers:

• Haji Bukhari Hassan of Batu 4 1/4, Kampung Pinang, Mukim Pengkalan Kundur, Alor Setar, Kedah.
• Hj. Hanafiah – His own uncle from Anak Bukit, Alor Setar, Kedah.
• Haji Lah from Chegar, Pantai Johor, Kedah.
• Studied with Pak Ngah Shariff, known to be a powerful man in Kedah at the time. In order to study, he had to serve his teacher beforehand, doing heavy work such as chopping wood, gardening and fieldwork. It was during times of leisure that Pak Ngah Shariff would teach self-defence and spiritual knowledge.

Gained experience through travel, involved in discourses with:

• Che Salleh bin Haji Abdul Rahman Limbong in Terengganu.
• Kiyai Muhammad Fadlullah Suhaimi from Singapura whom he met in Pahang.
• Sheikh Osman Cincin from Perak who was reportedly famous for his knowledge of invulnerability.
• Abdullah Salleh – known as Che Lah Keramat; famous for his traditional medicine in Terengganu.
• Met a teacher named Pak Haji Zain Abdul Rahman. The teacher who managed to summarise his knowledge of the Divine Unity (Ilmu Tauhid). Pak Haji Zain guided his education using the book Al-Hikam written by Ibni Ataillah.

Experience

• Sold medicine throughout the country.
• Active in politics in the 1940s. Joined the Parti Seberkas and Parti Negara led by the late Dato' Onn Jaafar.
• Zakat Director in 1963 at the Kedah State Religious Office.
• Sold apam balik in Yala, Thailand and Pekan Rabu, Alor Setar, Kedah.
• Led Seni Silat Cekak from 1965 to August 1986.

Translated from Cekak Hanafi Dunia Digital http://cekakhanafi.com/

Silat Kegayungan Acheh Helang Putih

FOR a man who can cause a lot of damage with his bare hands, Raja Abdul Aziz Mohd Ali certainly has an unassuming air about him. He’s even uncomfortable being called a mahaguru, or grandmaster, of the silat style he teaches.

“‘Maha’ means godlike, and I am not like that!” said the 56-year-old in his affable manner during a chat at his house in Kampung Dusun Tua in Hulu Langat, Selangor.

Friends said the man had squirmed sheepishly when meeting them after they had read a magazine article that had bestowed the title on him. But the article wasn’t too far off the mark. Raja Aziz has, almost single-handedly, formalised and spread the teachings of Silat Kegayongan Acheh Helang Putih, an ancient style of fighting that belongs to his family. His is one of the most popular silat organisations in the country with a membership of about 35,000. Currently, there are Silat Helang Putih organisations in 10 states in Malaysia and one each in France and Canada.

In 2001, Raja Aziz was invited, along with 21 other grandmasters, to the residence of the then Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad in Wisma Perdana, Putrajaya, to give a pledge of loyalty to the Government.

That moment on March 10 when he took the pledge has spurred Raja Aziz to work even harder to propagate Silat Helang Putih. Not that he needs much encouragement. He’s been almost obsessed with taking this ancient “way of the warrior” nationwide and even worldwide. So focused has he been since he took up the art when he was 12 years old that his 10 older siblings all prophesied that he would angkat sampah (“carry garbage” – become a garbage collector) when he grew up!

According to legends handed down within the family, Silat Helang Putih was taught to an ancestor by a celestial warrior who, after committing an impropriety, had been cursed into taking the form of an eagle. The ancient form of Silat Helang Putih was a killing art, said Raja Aziz. The modern version is more moderate and can be safely demonstrated to the public. Students practice stylistic moves, and piercing shouts, screams and shrieks that are reminiscent of an eagle.

Raja Aziz himself has reportedly taken the form of an eagle. He is supposed to have demonstrated to a sceptical Caucasian martial artist the “internal” (kebatinan) aspects of silat, in the process transforming himself into a giant white eagle simply by mouthing incantations. Displaying typical modesty, Raja Aziz didn’t want to talk about the incident as it is “not good form to flaunt one’s ability”.

Not that Raja Aziz was always this modest. It seems that when he was in his 20s, he was rather taken with his own abilities. He was studying under an elderly silat master in Johor when he decided to issue a challenge – but the master knocked the young man’s lights out with a deft gesture even Raja Aziz “the young terror” didn’t know!

It’s not surprising, though, that the young man was a little overconfident. After all, he was still in his teens when he was instructed by his then master to begin teaching the art. Still training under different masters himself, Raja Aziz had only a handful of students, but he went ahead and opened a gelanggang (silat school) where his parents were living in Kampung Pandan, Selangor.

He ruffled quite a number of feathers with that move. One 80-year-old master of a different style of silat confronted Raja Aziz and insisted the young man pass a test or accept the master as his teacher. The old master wanted the young upstart to escape from his infamous “death lock” hold. Though Raja Aziz politely declined, the old man, a Javanese master with many gelanggangs in the area, kept insisting on the test. Finally, with his father’s blessings, Raja Aziz accepted the challenge.

“The master approached me and I allowed him to apply his lock on me. After he had done so, I asked him to confirm whether he had completed applying his lock as I did not feel uncomfortable at all. The man became angry and dared me to free myself if I could after I queried him for the third time.

“With a few swift movements, I easily freed myself. He applied three different locks on me but I easily escaped from each.

“Many of the master’s schools closed when word (about the test) got around,” Raja Aziz added.

In those early days, Raja Aziz struggled not only to teach his art but also to learn other styles of silat as well as other martial arts – and to do all this while holding down a regular job to support his wife and, eventually, 11 children! He studied Silat Sheikh Baginda Ali, Silat Harimau and Silat Sendeng Kuno in Johor and in Indonesia, juggling his silat with work in an electronics firm in Brunei and then a period of study at an electronics institute in Finland while in his early 20s.

Returning from Finland, Raja Aziz gave up his job in Brunei and moved to Kuala Lumpur where, among other jobs he held, he moonlighted as a cleaner at a sports club in Jalan Hicks. There, he had the opportunity to watch judo and tai chi classes. Of course, with his background in silat, it wasn’t long before he was interested enough to try out the movements he had seen after everyone was gone.

One day, the Japanese master, one Mr Hirakawa, caught Raja Aziz practicing judo moves and was so impressed that he ordered the young man to attend classes – for free and with a uniform thrown in, too! Raja Aziz went on to win medals at tournaments and achieve the rank of second dan in judo. He also fared well at tai chi and received a teacher’s certificate.

“Yes, I studied other arts but I have decided to focus on silat since it is from my own culture. I also find silat stances superior in strengthening the waist and other relevant muscles.

“Silat incorporates all the fighting distances with wide use of the hands for gripping, chopping, hitting and blocking,” he said.

But among Malays, silat is not faring very well, reckoned Raja Aziz: “ Malays are slow to take up silat as they look down on their own culture and favour imported arts.”

As for the art’s sometimes unsavoury reputation, Raja Aziz said that silat practitioners have only themselves to blame: ”Many young practitioners can’t wait to teach silat although their skills are below par, and some practice black magic while others impose unreasonable conditions.

“If foreigners can appreciate silat, I do not see why we cannot make silat known to the world,” he said, referring to the two foreign students he has taught, Joseph J. Vanrooy and Ta’am Kamal, who are now teaching the art in Canada and France respectively.

“It is up to the Malays to take up silat to popularise their own culture as promotion efforts for the art is almost negligible,” said Raja Aziz ruefully.

He’s certainly doing his bit for silat despite suffering all sorts of set backs over the years – from teachers who don’t pay him to teach his art to students who learn from him and then “steal” his techniques and claim them for their own.

Since he set up his organisation in 1967 when he was only 19, Raja Aziz has performed for Prime Ministers and royalty as well as ordinary folk all over the country and produced a book, Teknik Bela Diri Helang Putih (Siri 2), and a VCD of the same name in his bid to popularise this art.

For all that he has done for silat, especially in his home state of Selangor, he was given the title of Raja Aziz Laksamana Hojak Andak by the late Tengku Khalid, the Orang Kaya Maha Wijaya of Selangor in the 1980s.

Not bad for the kid they said would become a garbage collector when he grew up!

For enquiries about Silat Helang Putih and to order Raja Abdul Aziz Mohd Ali’s book (RM30) and VCD (RM20), contact him at 013-668 2523 / 03-9021 2714 / No. 589, Batu 15 1/2, Dusun Tua, 43100 Hulu Langat, Selangor.

Sourced from http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2004/8/8/features/8490103&sec=features