Islamic revered saints in Java
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The
Wali Songo
(also transcribed as
Wali Sanga
,
English
: Nine Saints) are revered saints of
Islam in Indonesia
, especially on the island of
Java
, because of their historic role in the
spread of Islam in Indonesia
. The word
wali
is Arabic for "trusted one" or "friend of God" ("saint" in this context), while the word
sanga
is Javanese for the number nine.
Although referred to as a group, there is good evidence that fewer than nine were alive at any given time. Also, there are sources that use the term "Wali Sanga" to refer to saintly mystic(s) other than the most well-known nine individuals.
Each man is often attributed the title
sunan
in
Javanese
, which may derive from
suhun
, in this context meaning "honoured".
[1]
Most of the wali were also called
raden
during their lifetimes, because they were members of royal houses. (See "Style and Title" section of
Yogyakarta Sultanate
for an explanation of Javanese nobility terms.)
The graves of Wali Sanga are venerated as locations of ziarah (
ziyarat
) or local
pilgrimage
in Java.
[2]
The graves are also known as
pundhen
in Javanese.
Origins
[
edit
]
The earliest Wali Sanga was
Malik Ibrahim
.
[3]
: 241
He is thought to have lived in the first half of the 14th century according to "
Babad Tanah Jawi
" and other texts.
In a transcription by J. J. Meinsma, he is identified as Makhdum Ibrahim as-Samarqandi. The most generally accepted history, supported by a reading by J. P. Mosquette of the inscription at Ibrahim's grave, identifies his origin from Kashan, modern day Iran.
[5]
Syekh Jumadil Kubra and Malik Ibrahim are disciples of the
Kubrowi
Shafi'i
school. Whose jurist is
Mir Syed Ali Hamadani Shafi'i
(died 1384) of
Hamedan
, Iran.
[7]
[8]
Malik Ibrahim belonged to a highly educated family in Kashan. His great-grandfather migrated from
Samarqand
.
[9]
According to author
Martin van Bruinessen
of the history of Islamic Java: the Syekh Jumadil Kubra, to whom all the saints of Java appear to be related with. It appears that this name, which almost certainly is a corruption of Najmuddin al-Kubra, has attached itself to various legendary and mythical personalities, who have a common thought that they are the ancestors or preceptors of the founders of Islam in Java ? an oblique acknowledgement, perhaps, of the prestige of the
Qubrowi
in the period of Islamisation.
[10]
Tracing the lineage earlier than Malik Ibrahim is problematic, but some scholars believe that his lineages are of Chinese descent and not Arab.
[11]
Although his
silsila
are listed in various Javanese royal chronicles (such as
Sejarah Banten
) to denote ancestral lineage from erstwhile Hindu Kings, the term in
Sufism
refers to a lineage of teachers. Some of these spiritual lineages are cited by van Bruinessen in his study of the
Banten Sultanate
, particularly in regard to
Sunan Gunung Jati
who was an initiate of various
Sufi
orders.
[12]
Although popular belief sometimes refers to the Wali Sanga as "founders" of Islam on Java, the religion was present by the time the Chinese Muslim admiral
Zheng He
arrived during the first of his
Ming treasure voyages
in 1405?1407 CE.
[
citation needed
]
Many of the earliest Wali Sanga had
Chinese
ancestry both paternally and maternally; for example,
Sunan Ampel
(Chinese name Bong Swi Ho),
Sunan Bonang
(Ampel's son, Bong Ang), and
Sunan Kalijaga
(Gan Si Cang).
[13]
The theory of Chinese maternal ancestry of Wali Sanga was publicized for the very first time in the book entitled "The Collapse of Javanese Hindu Kingdom" (1968), which states that the Wali Sanga are descendants of
Chinese Muslims
.
[14]
Dewi Candrawulan, a Muslim Princess from
Champa
, was the mother of Raden Rahmat (Prince Rahmat), who was later known by the name of
Sunan Ampel
. Sunan Ampel was the son of Malik Ibrahim, and the ancestor or teacher of some of the other Wali Sanga.
[15]
[16]
Synopsis
[
edit
]
The composition of the nine saints varies depending on different sources. The following list is widely accepted, but its authenticity relies much on repeated citations of a handful of early sources, reinforced as "facts" in school textbooks and other modern accounts. This list differs somewhat from the names suggested in the
Babad Tanah Jawi
manuscripts.
One theory about the variation of composition is: "The most probable explanation is that there was a loose council of nine religious leaders, and that as older members retired or died, new members were brought into this council".
[17]
However, it should be borne in mind that the term "Wali Sanga" was created retroactively by historians, and so there was no official "group of nine" that had membership. Further, the differences in chronology of the wali suggest that there might never have been a time when nine of them were alive contemporaneously.
At first, it was not easy for
Islam
to enter and thrive in the archipelago. Even in the historical record, in a span of about 800 years, Islam had not been able to establish a substantial presence. Notes from the time of the
Tang dynasty
of China indicated that merchants from the
Middle East
had come to the kingdom of Shih-li-fo-shi (
Srivijaya
) in Sumatra,
[18]
[19]
[20]
and Holing (
Kalingga
) in
Java
in the year 674 AD,
[21]
[22]
[23]
[24]
(i.e. in the transitional period of
Caliph Ali
to
Mu'awiya
). In the 10th century, a group of Persians called the Lor tribes came to Java. They lived in an area in Ngudung (
Kudus
), also known as Loram (from the word "Lor" which means North). They also formed other communities in other areas, such as in
Gresik
. The existence of the gravestone of Fatimah binti Maimun bin Hibatallah in Gresik, dated to the 10th century AD, is considered evidence of the incoming migration of the Persian tribes.
[25]
[26]
In his notes,
Marco Polo
relates that when returning from China to Italy in 1292, he did not travel via the
Silk Road
, but instead traveled by sea towards the
Persian Gulf
. He stopped in
Perlak
, a port city in
Aceh
. According to Polo, in Perlak there were three groups, namely (1) ethnic Chinese, who were all
Muslims
; (2) Western (Persians), also entirely
Muslim
; and (3) indigenous people in the hinterland, who worshipped trees, rocks, and spirits.
[27]
[28]
In his testimony, he said regarding the "Kingdom of Ferlec (
Perlak
)" ? "This kingdom, you must know, is so much frequented by the Saracen merchants that they have converted the natives to the Law of Mohammet ? I mean the townspeople only, for the Java hill-people live for all the world like beasts, and eat human flesh, as well as all other kinds of flesh, clean or unclean. And they worship this, that, and the other thing; for in fact the first thing that they see on rising in the morning, that they do worship for the rest of the day.
[29]
[30]
One hundred years after Polo, the Chinese Muslim Admiral
Zheng He
(鄭和) came to
Java
in 1405. When he stopped in
Tuban
, he noted that there were 1,000
Chinese
Muslim families there. In
Gresik
, he also found there were 1,000
Chinese Muslim
families, with the same amount reported in Surabaya.
[31]
On Zheng He's seventh (and last) visit to
Java
in 1433, he invited his scribe named
Ma Huan
. According to Ma Huan, the Chinese and the Arab population of the cities on the northern beaches of
Java
were all Muslim, while the indigenous population were mostly non-Muslim animists.
[32]
Multiple sources and conventional wisdom agree that the Wali Sanga contributed to the propagation of Islam (but not its original introduction) in the area now known as Indonesia. However, it is difficult to prove the extent of their influence in quantitative terms such as an increase in the number of adherents or masjids in the areas of their work in contrast to localities where they were not active.
[33]
[34]
[35]
[36]
Names of the Wali Sanga
[
edit
]
Some of the family relationships described below are well-documented; others are less certain. Even today, it is common in Java for a family friend to be called "uncle" or "brother" despite the lack of
blood relationship
.
- Sunan Gresik
: Arrived on Java 1404 CE, died in 1419 CE, buried in
Gresik
, East Java. Activities included commerce, healing, and improvement of agricultural techniques. Father of Sunan Ampel and uncle of Sunan Giri.
- Sunan Ampel
: Born in
Champa
in 1401 CE, died in 1481 CE in
Demak
, Central Java. Can be considered a focal point of the Wali Sanga: he was the son of Sunan Gresik and the father of Sunan Bonang and Sunan Dradjat. Sunan Ampel was also the cousin and father-in-law of Sunan Giri. In addition, Sunan Ampel was the grandfather of Sunan Kudus. Sunan Bonang in turn taught Sunan Kalijaga, who was the father of Sunan Muria. Sunan Ampel was also the teacher of
Raden Patah
.
- Sunan Giri
: Born in Blambangan (now
Banyuwangi
, the easternmost part of
Java
) in 1442 CE. His father Maulana Ishak was the brother of Maulana Malik Ibrahim. Sunan Giri's grave is in
Gresik
near
Surabaya
.
- Sunan Bonang
: Born in 1465 CE in
Rembang
(near
Tuban
) on the north coast of
Central Java
. Died in 1525 CE and buried in
Tuban
. Brother of Sunan Drajat. Composed songs for
gamelan
orchestra.
- Sunan Drajat
: Born in 1470 CE. Brother of Sunan Bonang. Composed songs for
gamelan
orchestra.
- Sunan Kudus
: Died 1550 CE, buried in
Kudus
. Possible originator of
wayang golek
puppetry.
- Sunan Kalijaga
: His born name is Raden Mas Said, and he is the son of Adipati
Tuban
, Tumenggung Harya Wilatikta. Buried in
Kadilangu
,
Demak
. Used
wayang kulit
shadow puppets and
gamelan
music to convey spiritual teachings.
- Sunan Muria
: Buried in
Gunung Muria
, Kudus. Son of Sunan Kalijaga and Dewi Soejinah (sister of Sunan Giri), thus grandson of Maulana Ishak.
- Sunan Gunung Jati
: Buried in
Cirebon
. Founder and first ruler of the
Cirebon Sultanate
. His son, Maulana Hasanudin, become the founder and the first ruler of Banten Sultanate.
Additional
Wali Sanga
[
edit
]
Sources of information
[
edit
]
Information about
Wali Sanga
is usually available in three forms:
- cerita rakyat
: usually written as school texts for children to understand the lives and teaching of the holy men who propagated Islam in Java and Sumatra. Some have been made into TV series, segments of which are available on YouTube.
- kraton
(palace) manuscripts with 'sacred' connotations: in verse and subject to limited access.
- articles and books about the historical personages: by Indonesian and non-Indonesian writers who attempt to ascertain historical accuracy, sometimes by seeking corroboration from non-Indonesian accounts of history or religion.
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
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- ^
Schoppert, P., Damais, S.,
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ISBN
962-593-232-1
- ^
Cœdes, George
(1968).
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ISBN
9780824803681
.
- ^
Anafah, Naili (February 3, 2017).
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- ^
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July 26,
2019
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- ^
the sufis light, sufism academy publication (Delhi) 1962, p.120
- ^
the Sufis light, Sufism academy publication (Delhi) 1962 p. 122
- ^
Bruinessen, Martin (January 1, 1994). "Najmuddin al-Kubra, Jumadil Kubra and Jamaluddin al-Akbar; Traces of Kubrowiya influence in early Indonesian islam".
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- ^
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- ^
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- ^
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- ^
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ISBN
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- ^
Sejarah Indonesia: Wali Songo
- ^
Agus Sunyoto
[1]
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- ^
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.
- ^
Azyumardi Azra (2006).
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ISBN
9781780399225
. Retrieved
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2016
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- ^
Eric Tagliacozzo (2009).
Southeast Asia and the Middle East: Islam, Movement, and the Longue Duree
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ISBN
9789971694241
. Retrieved
February 4,
2016
.
- ^
T.W. Arnold
(1896).
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. Retrieved
February 4,
2016
.
- ^
Eko Sukoharsono.
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(PDF)
: 4
. Retrieved
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.
- ^
"The Preaching of Islam"
. Forgotten Books. p. 294 (313)
. Retrieved
February 4,
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.
- ^
James Clad; Sean M. McDonald & Bruce Vaughn (2011).
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. National Defense University Press. p. 44.
ISBN
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- ^
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. Retrieved
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.
- ^
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.
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- ^
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- ^
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.
- ^
Eko Sukoharsono.
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(PDF)
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- ^
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.
- ^
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.
- ^
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- ^
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.
- ^
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- ^
Amelia Fauzia (2013).
Faith and the State: A History of Islamic Philanthropy in Indonesia
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.
- ^
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- ^
"Napak Tilas Sayyid Hussein Jumadil Kubro, Bapak Wali Songo"
. travel.detik.com. July 8, 2015
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.
- ^
"Sunan Ngudung | IndonesiaTravelTime.Com"
.
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.
- ^
"Sunan Ngudung"
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.
Bibliography
[
edit
]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to
Walisongo
.
- Sunyoto, Agus (2014).
Atlas Wali Songo: Buku Pertama yang Mengungkap Wali Songo Sebagai Fakta Sejarah
. 6th edition. Depok: Pustaka IIMaN.
ISBN
978-602-8648-09-7
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