WHO IS THE CHIK TEACHING IN THE TIRO? INDONESIA HEROES
Teuku Chik di Tiro whose real name is Muhammad Saman, was born in 1836 in Cumbok Lamlo, Tiro, Pidie, Aceh. His father was named Shaykh Abdullah, a religious teacher in Garot, near Sigli. His mother, Siti Aisyah, is the younger brother of Teungku Cik Dayah Cut, a famous cleric at Tiro. Saman lived his childhood in two places, in Garot and in Tiro. In those places he mixed with the santri. The early religious lessons came from his father and then from his uncle. Her mother taught her to write Arabic letters. His considerable attention to the books of Sufism by Imam Ghazali. He grew up in a strictly religious environment.
When he performed the pilgrimage in Mecca, he deepened his religious knowledge. In addition, he did not forget to meet the Islamic leaders there, so he began to know about the struggle of these leaders in the fight against imperialism and colonialism. In accordance with the teachings of religion that diyakininya, Muhammad Saman able to sacrifice anything good property, position, and his life for the upholding of religion and nation. This belief is evidenced by real life, which later became known as the Sabil War.
With his war sabilnya, one by one Dutch fortress can be taken. Similarly, areas that had been occupied by the Dutch fell into the hands of his troops. In May of 1881, Muhammad Saman's army captured the Dutch fortress of Lam Baro, Aneuk Galong and others. The Netherlands is finally squeezed around the city of Banda Aceh by using the concentration line tactics (concentratie stelsel) which is to create a castle that surrounds the territory that still controlled.
Lessons learned from his father and his uncle are not enough. That's why he went to study at several other teachers, such as Teungku Cik at Yan on Ie Lebeu, Teungku Abdullah Dayah Meunasah Biang and Teungku Cik at Tanjung Bungong. Finally he studied at Teungku Cik in Lamkrak. Returning from Lamkrak, he helped his uncle teach at Tiro. His knowledge is wide enough. Teungku Cik Dayah Cut, his uncle, expects Saman to be able to replace him as a religious teacher in accordance with the family tradition of the Tiro cleric. After teaching for some time, Saman intends to perform the pilgrimage. Before leaving, he first visited his former teachers to ask for blessing, the last one he visited was Teungku Cik in Lamkrak, but the teacher was dead.
In Lamkrak Saman has witnessed a change. The santri only learn during the day, at night they also guerrilla attacked the posts of the Dutch army. Thus the atmosphere of Aceh war against Dutch oppression. Saman could not help joining them. For a long time he stayed in Lamkrak and almost had the intention to go on a hajj.
At that time the Aceh-Dutch war was entering a bleak period for the people of Aceh. The Aceh Besar area has all fallen in the hands of the Dutch. Many Acehnese fighters are hiding in the countryside, and still carry out small, less organized attacks.
The Aceh-Dutch War erupted in 1873. The background was the Dutch's desire to dominate the Aceh region. Although Aceh troops succeeded in thwarting the first Dutch expeditionary troops, even the expedition leader General Major Kohier was killed, but they were unable to dispel the second Dutch expedition. The palace fell into Dutch hands, but a few days earlier, the Sultan of Aceh was out of the way. He died on the way because of a cholera attack. His position was replaced by his young son. The new sultan and the entire royal family then fled to Keumala Dalam, deep in the interior.
Aceh's famous brave leaders gradually cease their activities. Polim Commander avoided and was not available to anyone. He was disappointed, because within the Acehnese themselves arose splits. There are also leaders who sided with the Dutch. The Resistance faded and that was what Saman saw in Lamkrak. Guerrilla attacks carried out by faithful fighters such as the santri in Lamkrak, but not much result. Instead it is miserable to the people. If one night a Dutch outpost was attacked, no doubt the next day the Dutch took revenge by burning the surrounding villages. Saman was aware of it and he began to think about the need to draw up a considerable force. For that it takes the unity of all groups, eliminating the difference of ideology and suspicious-suspect.
From Tiro came a barrage of messages for Saman to go home. At the urging of his uncle Teungku Cik Dayah Cut, Saman finally returns to Tiro. After everything was prepared, he went to Mecca. The opportunity to visit the holy land was used to exchange ideas with prominent scholars and increase knowledge. In the exchange of ideas he did not forget he talked about the problem of Aceh-Dutch war. He also busied himself reading books and magazines published abroad that describes the development and struggle of the Islamic world.
Returning from Mecca, Saman's attention was not fully spilled to the teaching tasks at the pesantren. His thoughts while guerrilla in Lamkrak now reappear. He also knew that the people's resistance was declining. Incidentally, one day some of the messengers from Mount Biram, where a small piece of Acehnese guerrilla was headquartered, arrived at Tiro. They hope that one of the Tiro scholars will lead them to rekindle the spirit of war against the Dutch. Teungku Cik Dayah Cut is old, and therefore he can not do the job. Saman seized the opportunity.
He declared his willingness to meet the request of messengers from Mount Biram. His intention was approved and blessed by his uncle. At that time Mohammad Saman was 44 years old, fat and slightly myopic. People who doubt his ability, but Saman does not heed the taunts of people around him. Accompanied by several people, after first pawning rice fields for supplies, he went to Mount Biram.
To the members of the group and also to the messenger of Mount Biram he requested that his departure be kept secret. His first act was to contact some of the people he deemed capable of helping his cause. Thanks to the help of Tuanku Mahmud, the family of the Sultan of Aceh, he managed to contact Police Commander. This despairing character was unwilling to accept just anyone, but was finally willing to help Mohammad Saman. He promised to command the ulubalangs to help them struggle, or at least not hinder Saman's plan. In addition he also contacted other promising figures will provide financial assistance.
Subsequent action by Mohammad Saman is to gather the remaining fighters and spread in several places. With that power he formed an army called Sabil War Army. The announcement that the war to be waged was a war against the infidels.
Around Mereu erected fortresses The weapons are gathered and appointed also the person who will head each troop. Saman also invited Sheikh Pante Hulu to help him. The shaykh is famous for reading his own poem entitled "Hikayat Perang Sabil". Its contents, the suggestion that people fight against the Gentiles. The person who died in that war will be accepted by God in heaven. The influence of the poem is quite large and able to move the spirit of the people.
Meanwhile, in April 1881, in Banda Aceh, the head of the Dutch ruler of van der Heyden, the famous iron-handed, took over to the Pruys van der Hooven. This new official wants to solve the Aceh problem peacefully. The Sultan was persuaded to become king under Dutch protection. The plan was opposed by the military, while the government in Jakarta was not willing to increase the cost of the war.
In Pruys van der Hooven's report dated May 10, 1881, he said that the situation in Aceh was quite calm. The report proves that the Dutch were not aware of any preparations around Mereu. In that month also the Dutch fort at Indrapuri seized by the Armed Forces Sabil. The Dutch were shocked, while Samanh Saman's men became more excited. After seizing Indrapuri, they proceeded to attack Samahani which they managed to capture at the end of 1881. After that followed Aneuk Galong fortress. With the fall of this castle, it means that the Dutch have already retreated to the center of Aceh Besar.
Sheikh Saman planned that by the end of 1883 the Dutch had been expelled from the earth of Aceh. The plan was not reached, but in 1883 the vast majority of Sagi XXII and Sagi XXV areas could be cleared of Dutch troops, so the road to Ulehleh was open. The Dutch withdrew from Aneuk Galong to Lambaro, from Sagi XXVII retreated to Lamyong and from Sagi XXV retreated to Keutapang. Due to the progress of Sabil's troops, the Dutch then made a strong line of concentration or limits to resist the attacks of the people. The concentration line that extends from Kuta Pahama to Keutapang Dua is strengthened in such a way that the Sabil lineup is unable to penetrate it.
The power of the Armed Forces of Sabil has been a real force and which the Dutch must take seriously. Meanwhile Haji Saman changed his strategy with the intention of directly attacking Banda Aceh.
On 12 June 1882 the people's army was split into three parts and moved to Ulehleh, to Lok Ngha and at Lamtong. Of the three majors that Banda Aceh will be attacked, but the Dutch know the plan. They then exert great power to block the ranks of the people. Fierce fighting raged and Haji Saman besieged in Gle Tarom. When Major Rheumpol's troops want to set him up, Haji Saman and his troops have managed to escape to Krueng Pinang. Dutch troops then attacked Breuh Island, but suffered defeat. All his troops and commanders were killed. Then sent help under the command of Captain Segov, but the line of Haji Saman has left the island.
His attack on Kutaraja did not work. Overwhelmed, the Dutch changed the tactics by divisive and inciting. Teuku Aris was appointed a warlord to face Teungku Cik at Tiro, but the effort did not work at all.
The Sultan was instigated. He told the Sultan that he was no longer in power. Teungku Cik di Tiro is the one who controls the people. The Emperor was consumed by the incitement and in April 1884 he issued the edict, that he was still the reigning Sultan. In August 1884 Haji Saman was forced to make an announcement, that he did not intend to occupy the emperor's throne, but he fought to defend the religion of Islam and expel the "Dutch cafe". Such a message reached the Sultan, until Sultan Daud Shah finally realized it.
In 1885 Cik di Tiro recorded victory by successfully seizing the fort Aneuk Galong. The castle at Lambaro is only 8 km away. from Banda Aceh was attacked too, but it did not work. The Dutch soldiers retreated to their strongholds and dared not go out. Banda Aceh is maintained with a fortified fortress system, which is to build a multi-layered fortress. To seize Banda Aceh, Sabil's forces had to seize several fortresses that had been defended at their best.
Haji Saman then decided on another strategy. The roads to Banda Aceh are closed. People are prohibited from entering the city. People are prohibited from entering food. In addition, several troops dared to die infiltrated so that in the city occurs several times people rage and kill the Dutch.
In December 1885 Cik troops at Tiro landed again on Breuh Island and Kuala Cangkul to attack Banda Aceh, but this time it failed again. In 1887 Shaykh Saman was forced to leave the field of struggle and return to Tiro because his uncle and teacher who loved him, Teungku Cik Dayah Cut, returned to rakhmatullah. He made a pilgrimage to his grave and then returned to the front line of the battle. With the death of his uncle, Haji Saman has the right to hold Teungku Cik title in Tiro.
It seems that the Dutch are unlikely to break Cik's resistance at Tiro by force of weapons. This Acehnese hero is only willing to make peace when all the Dutch convert to Islam. Terms were exploited also by the Dutch. Some Dutchmen went to Teungku Cik in Tiro to declare their willingness to convert to Islam, but in fact they came solely to spy on the power of the Armed Forces of Sabil. Teungku Cik di Tiro gets angry after knowing the cunning ploy. At the height of his anger he said: "I want to kill all the Dutch people in this country."
Hearing the threat the Dutch became horrified. With all their efforts to make an approach while confining themselves in the fortresses. Meanwhile, in 1884 the Dutch sent Dr. Snouck Hurgronye to Mecca by posing as an ophthalmologist and a portrait artist named Abdul Gafur. His job is to gather as much material as possible about Acehnese abroad and to seek connections with as many as possible to Aceh and the congregation to weaken the spirit of war in Aceh.
Upon his return from Mecca, in 1885, he was appointed advisor to the Dutch East Indies government. His disguise resulted in three books used by the Dutch as a guide for dealing with the Acehnese: books:
- Het Mekaansche feest
- De Atjehers
- Nederland en de Islam
By all means the Dutch approach, because the people of Aceh can not be faced with war alone. The sultan approached him until he was eager to make peace with the Dutch and tried to influence Tungung Cik at Tiro, but the Sabil Commander was still unavailable and said, "Peace means defeat." Teungku Cik at Tiro is erect as steel can not be subdued by anything and anyone. Against the strong man the Dutch searched deceitfully. They found the ambitious person to be the head of Sagi XXII Mukim. Incidentally Sagi's head, Commander Young Polim Kuala, is elderly. His son who lives with the Sultan promised the Dutch would be his successor as long as he could kill Teungku Cik in Tiro.
The traitor borrowed someone else's hand to carry out the murder. When Teungku Cik di Tiro arrived at Tui Suilemeng fort he went to the mosque. There he was hosted by Nyak Ubit, a woman who was replaced by Sagi XXII's chief replacement to poison the Great Commander of the Armed Forces of Sabil. Nyak Ubit served to Teungku food that had been mixed with poison. After eating the dish unsuspectingly, Teungku Cik di Tiro feels ill. He was taken to Aneuk Galong fortress to be treated, but his life was not helped. Teungku Cik di Tiro died in January 1891. Not long after the Police Commander died. With the death of these two powerful and fanatical leaders. Aceh lost its struggle.
Aceh struggle temporarily extinguished until the appearance of Teuku Umar in the field of struggle with equally persistent, but different way.Teungku Cik di Tiro in essence not be defeated by the Dutch. His death was due to the cunning and cruel Dutch way. His struggles and services are recorded in history all the time. The RI Government appreciates it and based on the Presidential Decree No. RI. 87 / TK / Year 1973 dated 6 November 1973, Teuku Cik di Tiro was awarded the title of Heroes of Struggle for Independence.
Teungku Chik di Tiro is a figure who re-invigorated the Aceh War in 1881 after the decline in attacks against the Dutch. Proof of his greatness can be seen from the many changes of Dutch governor for Aceh during his struggle (1881-1891) 4 times, namely:
- Abraham Pruijs van der Hoeven (1881-1883)
- Philip Franz Laging Tobias (1883-1884)
- Henry Demmeni (1884-1886)
- Henri Karel Frederik van Teijn (1886-1891)
The overwhelmed Dutchman eventually wore a "wicked tactic" by sending food that had been poisoned. Without any suspicion he ate it, and finally Muhammad Saman died in January 1891 at Aneuk Galong fortress. One of his grandchildren is Hasan di Tiro, the founder and leader of the Free Aceh Movement.