As a Muslim santri who, although he has never recited the Koran in a modern Pesantren or madrasah, Syafii not only reads prayers taken from the books of Qishasul Anbiya’ and Riyadhus Sholihin, but he also transmits local mantras, typical of Pulau Tujuh, which are no different from other mantras. The mantra colours the poems of Ibrahim Sattah and Suardji C Bachri.
What is more interesting is his appreciation of Malay poetry which he equates with prayers and mantras. Routinely, chanting these poems is the same as reciting some prayers and mantras like the isya prayer. For some reason, the literary work that was transmitted at that time was a narrative story of a long journey of a dynasty presented in the form of nadham (poem), entitled Syair Juragan Budiman.
Narratively, the poem tells the story of the life journey of a sultan’s family who fell from their throne due to outsiders’ attacks and the rise of their descendants to lead a country. Thus, Syair Juragan Budiman wants to place the ups and downs of a dynasty as the cycle of life or the spinning wheel of destiny.
Syafii could not help it, although he often had doubts in his deepest heart, as is the general confusion of the Natunas: whether the ups and downs were a comedy from God or a tragedy for humanity.
Resistance Spell