[2] By day he would study Islam and by night he would join his fellows in fighting against Dutch colonials.

[2] There, he met several Islamic leaders and other revolutionaries from Sumatra, Java, and Borneo; through discussions on imperialism and colonialism, di Tiro became more interested in fighting against the Dutch.

[5] Every time he stopped in a town, he would deliver lectures at a mosque about holy war and how it was their duty to fight against unbelievers.

[5][6] Soon di Tiro and the ulama had collected 6,000 soldiers to fight against the Dutch,[5] as well as the support of the Sultan of Aceh.

[7] In May 1881, di Tiro and his troops captured the Dutch fortress in Indrapuri, sparking the Aceh War.

[5] Through 1882 and 1883, the two sides continued to fight, with the Acehnese gaining ground and taking over the island of Breuh.

[8] As such, he sent an ultimatum to Assistant Resident Van Langen, offering peace if the Dutch would convert to Islam.

[7][14] On 6 November 1973, President Suharto declared di Tiro a National Hero of Indonesia through Presidential Decree number 087/TK of 1973.