Mat Salleh(South-East Asian Islamic Leaeder)

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:sl: here's a biography of one of the greatest Muslims general in South-east Asia that had given his life to fight for his country(What I really think is, he fights for the ummah. But it doesn't say it in this history book)

Mat Salleh

There is a man named Mat Salleh. His full name is Mohammad Salleh bin Datu Balu. He was one of the few local leaders that were against the North Borneo Country Company. He is the ruler of a district called Tambunan and River of Sugut. However, the North Borneo Country company ignored his state of power. Not only did they lived under his territory, but they implemented the head tax and mail boat. The officers of the company acted rude towards the locals. Mat Salleh has gone to Sandakan to discuss with the NBCC in 1895, but was again ignored. As a result, the Gabenor of Beaufort has attacked and burned his hometown. In 1897, he and his followers has made a surprised attack towards the fort of NBCC in the island of Gaya. After this incidence, the NBCC offered a peace treaty to Mat Salleh, that is to give Tambunan to them. However, they broke their promise and made Mat Salleh to attack their fort again. This time, his attack was retaliated by the forces of NBCC by attacking his fort. He eventually got defeated and died on the 31st of Januari 1900.​

Now, I've heard lots of rumors about him. They say he couldn't die if he wore his armor, he had black magic(nauzubillah) and that he could kill a man in an instance with his kris. All I know is, he is one of the great leaders of Islam that tried to fight against the occupiers and died trying. Oh yea and another thing, foreigners from other countries are often referred to as Mat Salleh especially if it's a caucasian.(no idea why)

If you are interested, I can write more about Islamic Leaders from the south-east Asia. There's like hundreds of it here from Acheh to Melacca...(these two are like one of the best Islamic countries during their golden age)
 
:sl:

According to folklore Mat Salleh had a vest with Arabic words that made him invulnerable. And he was killed when he didn't wear his vest because he would take wudu. But as we know, people in Southeast Asia often exaggerate a story which make it far from the fact.

About why Caucasian men called Mat Saleh (actually not Mat Salleh) in Malaysia. There are few opinions about it, but maybe the most correct opinion is, it's started when European missionaries came to Malaya to spread Christianity, and Malayan people saw them as pious (saleh) people. That's why then European men called "Mat Saleh". (Mat is refer to male, which the female version of Mat is Minah)
 
:wa: uncle, yes I've heard that story before I can't believe the story reached Jakarta :). I also have heard many stories about people that can 'Move the boats' as individuals in the nusantara region, the legend of sultan of pagaruyung, nasakhtion and first sultan of Acheh. Though I forgot the details and it's usually being relayed by the elderly people. The sad thing is we don't even know where he was buried to visit his graveyard/tomb
 

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