The spread of Islam in the archipelago was inseparable from the role of traders who came to the archipelago. These traders came from various countries, such as Arabia, Egypt, Persia (Iran), and Gujarat (India). The first Islamic kingdom in the archipelago was Samudera Pasai on the island of Sumatra. Apart from trading, these traders also introduced and spread Islam.
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The Role of Wali Songo in Spreading Islam in Indonesia |
There are even marriages between traders and indigenous women. The existence of marriage made the development of Islam fast and to various regions, one of which was in Java. Quoted from the website of the Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemendikbud), the spread of Islam in Java was carried out by the Wali Songo . They spread Islam in various ways, such as through culture and education.
The Wali Sanga
Wali Songo is a propagator of Islam in Java. Literally “wali” means representative, while “songo” in Javanese means nine. They preach to people in Java in different ways and are scattered in various regions. The following are the Wali Songo:
Sunan Gresik
Sunan Gresik or Maulana Malik Ibrahim spread Islam in the Gresik area, East Java. He, preaching by socializing in the community. Character and kindness are always shown during daily interactions with the community. Sunan Gresik also teaches people how to match their hearts.
Sunan Gresik also established Islamic boarding schools and mosques as places to teach Islam. There are many sources if Sunan Gresik comes from the Middle East, namely Persia. Many are considered to be saints who first spread Islam on the island of Java.
Sunan Ampel
Sunan Ampel is also known as Raden Rahmat. He spread Islam through pesantren education in the Surabaya area. Sunan Ampel was also the planner for the establishment of the Islamic Kingdom of Demak.
Sunan Giri
Sunan Giri or Raden Paku not only spread Islam in Java but also reached Maluku. Sunan Giri spread Islam through the world of art and was very influential on the government in the Demak Kingdom which was the first Islamic kingdom in Java.
Sunan Bonang
Sunan Bonang, also known as Raden Makdum Ibrahim, spread Islam through art. He created the tombo ati song which is famous to this day.
Javanese gamelan, which is one of the Hindu cultures, was transformed with Islamic nuances. Where by including rabab and bonang as a complement to Javanese gamelan.
Sunan Drajat
Sunan Drajat or Raden Qasim uses social activities as a medium for preaching. He is the one who pioneered sponsorship for orphans and sick people. In the political field, Sunan Drajat is very supportive of the Demak Kingdom.
Sunan Kalijaga
Sunan Kalijaga or Raden Mas Syahid in his preaching using wayang media. Where to include stories about Islamic teachings. Not only through puppets, but also through carving or sound art. Some of the songs that were successfully composed were Lir Ilir or Gundul Pacul. This method is used to attract and ingratiate people. It even seems effective.
Sunan Muria
Sunan Muria or Raden Umar Said helped establish the Islamic Kingdom of Demak. He spread a lot of Islam around Central Java.
The means used for preaching are the same as those used by Sunan Kalijaga, namely through arts and culture.
Sunan Gunung Jati
Sunan Gunung Jati or Syarif Hidayatullah comes from Palestine. He studied religion in various countries from a young age. Sunan Gunung Jati is the only guardian who is the head of the government. He founded the Cirebon and Banten Sultanates. This position was used to spread and develop Islam. The method of preaching that is used tends to be like the Middle East which is straightforward and approaches the community by building infrastructure.
Sunan Kudus
Sunan Sunan Kudus or Ja'far Sadiq how to approach the community by utilizing Hindu and Buddhist symbols. It can be seen in the Masjis Kudus architecture which is unique. He came from Palestine and spread Islam on the coast of Central Java. He was once a Senapati or warlord of the Islamic Kingdom of Demak.
On another occasion I will discuss the Wali Songo characters in full