The Shattariyyah emerged as part of an expansion worldwide of Sufi orders in the 17th century. A dynamic network of various important orders characterises this period. In Indonesia, the order gained followers not only in Sumatra but also in Java. Shaykh Abdul Muhyi emerged as a prominent figure in Java after ‘Abd al-Raûf al-Singkel. It is through his silsilah that followers in various places in Central and East Java also derive their intellectual chain.
The Shattariyyah tarekat, like any other tarekat, experienced fluctuations in its development. In Pamijahan and in other parts of Java, Shattariyyah followers were overwhelmed by other, later tarekat. These fluctuations have often been a consequence of the influences absorbed by pilgrims while undertaking the hâjj.
Beben Muhammad Dabas claims that his Shattariyyah still survives in the village of Pamijahan, and therefore the silsilah of the Shattariyyah in Pamijahan constitutes a true silsilah. The contemporary Pamijahanese see this tarekat genealogy not only in terms of Sufism but also as an instrument of legitimation for all the families in Pamijahan who claim to be related to Abdul Muhyi. All Pamijahanese claim that they have inherited the characteristics of Abdul Muhyi’s Sufism. Thus, the silsilah is not only used to legitimate Beben Muhammad Dabas’ Sufi group but also serves as an embedded identity for the Pamijahanese.
The various silsilah also come forth as a major means of continuing the cult of the wali. People believe that by reciting a particular formulaic chant, which is dedicated to the names listed in the silsilah, they will obtain their saint’s blessing, barakah.
What I have outlined above locates Pamijahan as an important place - and the events of its history as important events - in the story of Sufism in Indonesia, particularly in West Java. It also provides a simple but telling example of the fact that, as Azra (1995) has described so effectively, examining the genealogy of a Sufi order helps to reveal the network of clerics and ulama scholars behind the Sufi phenomenon.