Arrival of Islam in Philippines

Arabic influence and the spread of Islam in the Philippines starts from Sulu brought by a sheikh who later married the daughter of the King of Sulu in the early 8th or 14th century.

It was also cited that a descendant of the Arab sheikh named Maldhum Karim or Tuan Sharif 'Awliya ' arrived in Sulu in the mid-14th century. He established Islam in the country through trade in several regions of the island.

After that came an Arab preacher named Sheikh Abu Bakr or sharif al-Hashim from Makkah. He was known as knowledgeable in theology and shari’ah. His mission was to spread out the doctrines of one Abu Ishaq embodied in the book Darul Madlum (The House of Oppressed) within Malay world.

The Sheikh Abu Bakr initiated attempts to convert the inhabitants of the interior of Sulu (Buranuns) and is believed to have been successful. The coastal peoples and those of the interior of Sulu became slowly integrated into a political community under a central authority.

Sheikh Abu Bakr belongs to a sharif lineage, which is one of the descendants of Prophet Muhammad SAW. Later, he was inducted as the Sulu sultanate and ruled for 30 years in 1450-1480. The establishment of the sultanate assumes that a great number of the coastal inhabitants of Sulu had become Moslems and therefore responsive to such as Islamic institution.

Another sultanate had emerged in Mindanao by 1520 established by Sharif Kabungsuwan. Islam spread to Mindanao brought by 'Ali Zainal Abidin who was also known as "Kabungsuwan" which was a descendant of Syed' Awlawiyyah who have family ties with relatives king in Johor. 'Ali Zainal Abidin arrived in Cotabato in 1475.

All these sultanates from Sulu and Mindanao eventually lost their powers upon the establishment of a modern republican government set up by the Americans, and upon the birth of the Philippine state in 1946.
Arrival of Islam in Philippines

Silat in Southern Philippine

The art of silat, is believed to have been introduced by the Bugis native during the second half of the 19th century.

However many believed that Philippines fighting systems have strong historical roots from Malay martial arts such as silat which was arrived earlier than 19th century.

According to history Ferdinand Magellan was killed in the Battle of Mactan in 1521 by forces of the Mactan tribal who used as silat as their fighting systems.

It is also believed that the ninth century Tang dynasty brought goods to the Philippines from East Asia and Malay peninsula. This countries’ combat methods of Kuntau and silat had a great influence on the development of Kali, the mother art of the Philippines.

According to Moro people, it is a malayan word which means offensive and defense with bladed weapon. It is also refers to actual combat. In Philippine the term of silat means ‘kilat’ or lighting referring to the speed of execution.

The silat utilizes hand and foot strikes, throws and locks and attacks to vulnerable points in the body. The Filipino type of silat is often label as kuntau silat.

The silat lessons here are considered top secret by both teacher and students and not everybody can witness the exercise and play.

Silat in Southern Philippine