THE ROLE OF WALISANGA IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ISLAM IN INDONESIA
Biography of Walisanga
For the Indonesian Muslim community, the term Walisanga gives
special meaning to the existence of figures who played an important role in the
development of Islam in the 15th to 16th centuries AD on the island of Java.
The presence of Walisanga with his teachings had a strong influence in Islamic
society in Java. Javanese people call Sunan to the Walisanga. The word Sunan or
Susuhunan comes from the word Suhun-Kasuhun-Sinuhun which means that which is
upheld / upheld above the head also means Your Majesty Your Majesty. The title
or designation of Sunan was used by the kings of Islamic Mataram to the present
day Surakarta kingdom.
For most Javanese people, Walisanga is considered to have sacred
values and abilities beyond the norm. Walisanga are nine ulemas who were
pioneers and fighters for broadcasting Islam in Java in the XV and XVI
centuries. There are still differences of opinion about the names of Walisanga.
However, what is commonly referred to as Walisanga are as follows:
1. Sunan
Gresik Maulana
Malik Ibrahim
2. Sunan
Ampel
Raden Rahmatullah
3. Sunan
Bonang Maulana
Makhdum Ibrahim
4. Sunan
Kalijaga Raden
Mas Syahid
5. Sunan
Giri Raden
‘Ainul Yaqin
6. Sunan
Drajat Raden
Qasim
7. Sunan Kudus Raden
Ja’far Shadiq
8. Sunan
Muria Raden
Umar Said
9. Sunan
Gunung
Jati Raden
Syarif Hidayatullah
Walisanga was well received by the community, because the arrival
of the guardians in the midst of Javanese society was not seen as a threat. The
saints used elements of the old culture (Hinduism and Buddhism) as a medium of
da'wah. Patiently, little by little Walisanga incorporated the values of
Islamic teachings into the old elements that had developed. Walisanga's
struggle in da'wah is almost without conflict, because Walisanga is very subtle
in teaching the community and everything is done in a peaceful way.
The strategy of Walisanga Da'wah
1. Maulana Malik Ibrahim
Maulana Malik Ibrahim at the beginning of his preaching used a
family approach by offering his daughter to be the wife of the King of
Majapahit. This effort did not seem to be successful, because it had not yet
reached its destination, the group was attacked by disease and many died.
However, this challenge did not seem to dampen Maulana Malik Ibrahim's
determination to preach to Islamize the Majapahit kingdom.
In the next step Maulana Malik Ibrahim took the path of education
by establishing a pesantren. Named pesantren because it is a place of learning
for the students.
Educational efforts in Islamic boarding schools by Shaykh Maulana Malik Ibrahim are intended to accommodate and answer socio-religious problems and gather students. Because of his commitment and consistency in preaching Islam, Maulana Malik Ibrahim is seen as the "Spiritual Father (Father) of Walisanga".
2. Sunan Ampel (Raden Rahmatullah)
In the early stages of his missionary mission, Sunan Ampel built a
boarding school in Ampel Denta, near Surabaya. At the boarding school that
Sunan Ampel took care of, he educated da'i cadres, which were then spread
throughout Java. Sunan Ampel has educated famous students including Sunan Bonang
and Sunan Drajat who are none other than Sunan Ampel's own son, Maulana Ishak,
Sunan Giri, and Raden Patah (Sultan Demak).
Sunan Ampel was known as a statesman, a figure who had the idea and planner of the establishment of the first Islamic kingdom in Java. According to historical evidence, Sunan Ampel was the person who confirmed Raden Fatah as the first sultan of the Demak Bintoro Sultanate.
3. Sunan Bonang (Raden Maulana Makhdum Ibrahim)
Sunan Bonang is very concerned about the traditions and culture of the community that has developed. At that time the Javanese people had a penchant for the art of wayang whose stories were taken from the teachings of Hinduism and Buddhism. The guardians tried hard to color and compose the teachings of the people at that time by creating songs or poems containing the teachings of monotheism and worship. Each stanza is always interspersed with the syahadatain (two sentences of the creed), so that we now know the gamelan sekaten, namely the Javanese pronunciation of the syahadatain. One of Sunan Bonang's songs is the durma song, a type of macapat that describes the tense, violent, and angry atmosphere in the life of the mortal world.
4. Sunan Kalijaga (Raden Mas Shahid)
Sunan Kalijaga is known as a guardian who is big-hearted,
broad-minded, sharp-minded, intellectual, intelligent, creative, ivovative and
dynamic, and comes from the original Javanese ethnicity. In spreading his
da'wah, Sunan Kalijaga did not settle in an area. Raden Mas Syahid always
travels from one area to another, so that Sunan Kalijaga's da'wah area is very
wide. Raden Mas Syahid is considered capable of implementing an intelligent and
actual da'wah system, many people from the aristocratic and intellectual groups
give respect and sympathy to him, are easily accepted by all circles of
society, from the lower class to the upper classes and even the rulers.
Sunan Kalijaga as the person who has the most merit in using a
cultural approach in preaching, including wayang and gamelan as a medium of
da'wah. Sunan Kalijaga composed various Islamic wayang stories, especially
those with the theme of morality or character. Sunan Kalijaga can use the
Javanese hobby of wayang as a medium for spreading Islamic da'wah.
Sunan Kalijaga is also famous as an artist, expert in sound art, carving, fashion literature, and sculpture. One of Sunan Kalijaga's works is in the art of batik, the batik pattern with a bird motif is the work of Sunan Kalijaga.
5. Sunan Giri (Raden 'Ainul Yaqin)
Sunan Giri founded a pesantren in the Giri area as a base in
spreading Islamic da'wah. And the majority of the students who are being cared
for come from economically disadvantaged communities. From this pesantren owned
by Sunan Giri, preachers were born, who later broadcast Islam outside Java, such
as Madura, Ternate, Bawean, Kangean, and Tidore.
Sunan Giri is famous as an educator who is able to apply the game method that is religious. His works are in the form of games or children's songs, including Gula Ganti, Jamuran, Jelungan, Jor, dan Cublak-cublak Suweng.
6. Sunan Drajad (Raden Qasim)
Raden Qasim (Sunan Drajat) carried out da'wah by making Islamic
learning centers in Lawang and Sedayu, Drajad hamlet, now in the Lamongan
district. In the arts, he composed the Javanese song macapat pangkur and also
played wayang as a puppeteer. Gamelan Singo Mangkok which is still stored in
the museum of the tomb of Sunan Drajad as evidence that he preached through
art.
In addition to the arts, Sunan Drajad is known to be very generous and has a high social spirit, he made the pepali pitu (seven teachings) which became the foundation of social life. First, memangun resep tyasing sasama (we always make other people happy). Second, jroning suko kudu eling lan waspodo (in a happy atmosphere you should always remember God and always be alert). Third, laksitaning Subrata tan nyipta marang pringga bayaning lampah. (in an effort to achieve lofty ideals do not ignore obstacles). Fourth, meper hardening pancadriya (always struggling to suppress the fluctuations of sensual desire). Fifth, heneng-hening-henung (in silence will be achieved silence in silence will reach the path of glory). Sixth, Mulya guna panca waktu (the inner and outer glory is achieved by performing the five daily prayers). Seventh, wenehono signed mawang wong kang wuto (give sticks to blind people), wenehono manganese marang wong kang luwe (give food to hungry people), wenehono clothes marang wong kang wuda (give clothes to people who have no clothes), wenehono ngiyup marang wong kang Kudanan (provide shelter for people who are raining).
7. Sunan Kudus (Raden Ja'far Sadiq)
Sunan Kudus became one of the guardians who had the experience of
studying at Baitul Maqdis, Palestine. When he was in Baitul Maqdis, he was
instrumental in eradicating diseases that claimed many lives.
Sunan Kudus in carrying out da'wah using a cultural approach, he also plays the role of a poet who creates various religious songs and stories. His most famous works are Gending Maskumambang and Mijil.
8. Sunan Muria (Raden Umar Said)
Sunan Muria in preaching has its own peculiarities and uniqueness, namely making remote villages as fields of Islamic da'wah. Sunan Muria is known as a guardian who prefers to be alone, lives in a remote village, and hangs out with the common people. Sunan Muria teaches the community around Mount Muria by holding courses for traders, fishermen, or other small communities.
9. Sunan Gunung Jati (Raden Syarif Hidayatullah)
Sunan Gunung Jati spent most of his time doing Jihad in order to
fight and expel the Portuguese from the Indonesian land. This was done by
combining the powers of Banten and Demak so that they had a calculated
strength, in the first war, the Islamic troops suffered a fatal defeat, but
next when the Portuguese landed back in Sunda Kelapa, the Islamic troops
succeeded in crushing the resistance of the Portuguese troops, so Sunda Kelapa
was changed to Jayakarta.
