ABSTRACT
SUBUD’s latihan (short for latihan kejiwaan, ‘spiritual practice’) came to the movement’s founder, Muhammad Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo, in 1925 as a revelation from God while he was still a young civil servant and student of a Naqsyabandi Sufi master. Late one night, Bapak (I., ‘Mr’, ‘father’) Subuh was struck by a marvellous ball of white light (wahyu), such as, in Javanese tradition, bestows supernatural power upon gurus and princes destined to assume authority. He surrendered to God (honouring the fundamental requirement of the Islamic faith) and felt his being fill with light. He was then mysteriously propelled to arise and perform two sets (rakaat) of the basic Muslim prayers.
