The Art of Cindai: A Piece of Cloth that Can Save Your Life
By Muhammad Amirul Naim Rosmi
July 2025 FEATURE
PAINFUL AND TERRIFYING. That was exactly what I thought of it the first time I was training in the cindai technique in Silat. The pain cannot be avoided—but like an addiction, the more it hurts, the more exhilarating it is. In Malay martial tradition, cindai refers to the technique of using a piece of fabric as a weapon. Most commonly practised using everyday garments worn by the Nusantara Muslims, such as sarong, pelikat or batik, cindai is easily accessible and...
Muhammad Amirul Naim Rosmi
holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Sciences from the International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM). His areas of interest encompass social history, intellectual history and political thought.
