Sunan Kalijaga
Encyclopedia
Sunan Kalijaga born as Raden Mas Said son of a Regent
of Tuban
in East Java
, Indonesia
, was one of the "nine saints" of Islam (Wali Sanga
). Initially a grass salesman, the "Kalijaga" title was derived from an orchard known as "Kalijaga" in Cirebon
. Other accounts suggest the name derives from his hobby of submerging himself in Kali ("river" in Javanese
). Others note that the name Kalijaga derived its nature from the Arabic notion of qadli dzaqa which means "holy leader" in the sultanate.
He was a close friend of Sunan Gunungjati
, and is said to have lived to the age of one hundred. He witnessed the downfall of Majapahit, the kingdoms of Demak, Cirebon, Banten
, and Pajang
which in 1546.
Among his missionary activities (dawah
), he built two mosque
s, Masjid Agung Cirebon and Masjid Agung Demak
. His main mentor was Sunan Bonang
, another of the Wali Sanga. Kalijaga's beliefs and teaching are more sufistic than salaf
, applying arts and culture as medium for his dawah. He was also tolerant to local tradition. His exegesis
from the Quranic perspective led him to believe that people will keep away from dakwah if their personality is questioned. In this premise one should consider a step by step approach to his people by the principle of following yet influencing. To him, if Islam is truly/fully understood, then people will gradually give up their old habits.
This method can be seen in Indonesian artworks, particularly in carvings, shadow puppets (wayang kulit), gamelan
(javanese traditional musical performance), and singing. From this idea he popularized Baju Takwa (a traditional dress custom for Indonesian Moslem), Sekatenan (a festivity), and Grebeg Maulud, amongst others.
Sunan Kalijaga was buried in Kadilangu southeast of Demak
.
, a chronicle of large Javanese
manuscripts, there are no formal signs of Sunan Kalijaga's conversion to Islam so it is not clear if Kalijaga is already Muslim at the time of his "conversion". In this legend, he is said to be the son of Tumenggung Wilatikta, and in the service of the Majapahit empire, and Kalijaga whose religion is unspecified but has the Arabic name "Said". Following gambling losses, Said resorts to highway robbery on the north coast of Java. Sunan Bonang
one day passes and is pulled up by Said. Bonang suggests it would be better for Said to rob a person who will later pass dressed in blue with a red hibiscus behind his ear. Three days later, this person passes, and is Bonang in disguise. Said attacks, but Bonang turns himself into four persons, traumatising Bonang such that he becomes an ascetic. He takes the name "Kalijaga", becomes a wali
and marries the sister of Sunan Gunungjati
.
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
of Tuban
Tuban
Tuban is a town located on the north coast of Java, in Tuban Regency, approximately 100 km west of Surabaya, the capital of East Java. Tuban is surrounded by Lamongan in the east, Bojonegoro in the south and Rembang, Central Java in the west....
in East Java
East Java
East Java is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the eastern part of the island of Java and includes neighboring Madura and islands to its east and to its north East Java is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the eastern part of the island of Java and includes neighboring Madura and...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, was one of the "nine saints" of Islam (Wali Sanga
Wali Sanga
The Wali Sanga 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" , while the word songo is Javanese for the number nine...
). Initially a grass salesman, the "Kalijaga" title was derived from an orchard known as "Kalijaga" in Cirebon
Cirebon
Cirebon is a port city on the north coast of the Indonesian island of Java. It is located in the province of West Java near the provincial border with Central Java, approximately 297 km east of Jakarta, at .The seat of a former Sultanate, the city's West and Central Java border location have...
. Other accounts suggest the name derives from his hobby of submerging himself in Kali ("river" in Javanese
Javanese language
Javanese language is the language of the Javanese people from the central and eastern parts of the island of Java, in Indonesia. In addition, there are also some pockets of Javanese speakers in the northern coast of western Java...
). Others note that the name Kalijaga derived its nature from the Arabic notion of qadli dzaqa which means "holy leader" in the sultanate.
He was a close friend of Sunan Gunungjati
Sunan Gunungjati
Sunan Gunungjati was one of the Wali Songo, or Nine Apostles of Islam. He founded the Sultanate of Bantam, as well as the port town of Cirebon on the north coast of Java...
, and is said to have lived to the age of one hundred. He witnessed the downfall of Majapahit, the kingdoms of Demak, Cirebon, Banten
Sultanate of Banten
The Sultanate of Banten was founded in the 16th century and centered in Banten, a port city on the northwest coast of Java; the contemporary English spelling of both was Bantam...
, and Pajang
Kingdom of Pajang
The Kingdom of Pajang was a short-lived Muslim state in Java. It was established by Hadiwijaya or Jaka Tingkir, Lord of Boyolali, after ending civil war in and as successor to Sultanate of Demak...
which in 1546.
Among his missionary activities (dawah
Dawah
Da‘wah or Dawah usually denotes the preaching of Islam. Da‘wah literally means "issuing a summons" or "making an invitation", being the active participle of a verb meaning variously "to summon" or "to invite"...
), he built two mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
s, Masjid Agung Cirebon and Masjid Agung Demak
Masjid Agung Demak
Masjid Agung Demak is one of the oldest mosques in Indonesia, located in the center town of Demak, Central Java Indonesia...
. His main mentor was Sunan Bonang
Sunan Bonang
Sunan Bonang, whose real name was Raden Maulana Makdum Ibrahim, was born in Tuban, East Java in 1465 CE and died in 1525 CE at Pulau Bawean.He was one of the Wali Songo, along with his father Sunan Ampel and his brother Sunan Drajat....
, another of the Wali Sanga. Kalijaga's beliefs and teaching are more sufistic than salaf
Salaf
A Salaf is an early Muslim of the first three generations of proponents of the religion.-First generation:* See: List of SahabaThe Salaf are the first generation of Muslims, which included Muhammad's companions and followers at the time....
, applying arts and culture as medium for his dawah. He was also tolerant to local tradition. His exegesis
Exegesis
Exegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially a religious text. Traditionally the term was used primarily for exegesis of the Bible; however, in contemporary usage it has broadened to mean a critical explanation of any text, and the term "Biblical exegesis" is used...
from the Quranic perspective led him to believe that people will keep away from dakwah if their personality is questioned. In this premise one should consider a step by step approach to his people by the principle of following yet influencing. To him, if Islam is truly/fully understood, then people will gradually give up their old habits.
This method can be seen in Indonesian artworks, particularly in carvings, shadow puppets (wayang kulit), gamelan
Gamelan
A gamelan is a musical ensemble from Indonesia, typically from the islands of Bali or Java, featuring a variety of instruments such as metallophones, xylophones, drums and gongs; bamboo flutes, bowed and plucked strings. Vocalists may also be included....
(javanese traditional musical performance), and singing. From this idea he popularized Baju Takwa (a traditional dress custom for Indonesian Moslem), Sekatenan (a festivity), and Grebeg Maulud, amongst others.
Sunan Kalijaga was buried in Kadilangu southeast of Demak
Demak, Indonesia
Demak is a main town in Central Java, Indonesia. It is the capital of Demak Regency and the location of the former Sultanate of Demak, briefly the strongest power on the island of Java....
.
Babad Tanah Jawi ("History of the land of Java")
In the Babad Tanah JawiBabad Tanah Jawi
Babad Tanah Jawi , is a generic title for a large number of manuscripts written in Javanese language. Their arrangements and details vary, and no copies of any of the manuscripts are older than the eighteenth century....
, a chronicle of large Javanese
Javanese language
Javanese language is the language of the Javanese people from the central and eastern parts of the island of Java, in Indonesia. In addition, there are also some pockets of Javanese speakers in the northern coast of western Java...
manuscripts, there are no formal signs of Sunan Kalijaga's conversion to Islam so it is not clear if Kalijaga is already Muslim at the time of his "conversion". In this legend, he is said to be the son of Tumenggung Wilatikta, and in the service of the Majapahit empire, and Kalijaga whose religion is unspecified but has the Arabic name "Said". Following gambling losses, Said resorts to highway robbery on the north coast of Java. Sunan Bonang
Sunan Bonang
Sunan Bonang, whose real name was Raden Maulana Makdum Ibrahim, was born in Tuban, East Java in 1465 CE and died in 1525 CE at Pulau Bawean.He was one of the Wali Songo, along with his father Sunan Ampel and his brother Sunan Drajat....
one day passes and is pulled up by Said. Bonang suggests it would be better for Said to rob a person who will later pass dressed in blue with a red hibiscus behind his ear. Three days later, this person passes, and is Bonang in disguise. Said attacks, but Bonang turns himself into four persons, traumatising Bonang such that he becomes an ascetic. He takes the name "Kalijaga", becomes a wali
Wali
Walī , is an Arabic word meaning "custodian", "protector", "sponsor", or authority as denoted by its definition "crown". "Wali" is someone who has "Walayah" over somebody else. For example, in Fiqh the father is wali of his children. In Islam, the phrase ولي الله walīyu 'llāh...
and marries the sister of Sunan Gunungjati
Sunan Gunungjati
Sunan Gunungjati was one of the Wali Songo, or Nine Apostles of Islam. He founded the Sultanate of Bantam, as well as the port town of Cirebon on the north coast of Java...
.
See also
- Islam in IndonesiaIslam in IndonesiaIslam is the dominant religion in Indonesia, which also has a larger Muslim population than any other country in the world, with approximately 202.9 million identified as Muslim as of 2009....
- The spread of Islam in Indonesia (1200 to 1600)The spread of Islam in Indonesia (1200 to 1600)Islam was brought into Indonesia by traders from Gujarat, India during the eleventh century, although Muslims had visited the archipelago early in the Muslim era. By the end of the 16th century, Islam, through conversion, had surpassed Hinduism and Buddhism as the dominant religion of the peoples...