The History of Walisongo

Another nusantara myth busted. During my journey to Islam, i was told many fairy tales stories by fellow Muslims about the mystical power that these walisongo individual has. How they could fly, how they could walk above water, how they could be at few places at the same time and whatnot.


As usual, i refused to believe and was sceptical about the mystical claims because one of my main intention of embracing Islam was to rid of superstitious and folklore illusory beliefs. My reasoning logic was simple, how could places like Makkah and Medinah where Islam was originated didn't produce such 'powerful being' as claimed by them; mystical power that the Companions of the Prophet (pbuh) and even the Prophet (pbuh) himself doesn't possessed, could exist here, in nusantara.


So, now we have it. Glad that some caring individual took the time and effort to dig into the history of walisongo and shed some light on the existence of these individuals. They are in fact the preachers (da'i) sent by the Uthmaniyah Caliphate to widespread the teaching of Islam here, in the nusantara. One of the significant way of preaching by the walisongo was the adaptation of local (uruf) customary to widespread Islam.


Walisongo are the 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" (guardian" in other contexts in Indonesia) or "friend of God" (saint" in this context), while the word songo is Javanese for the number nine. Thus, the term is often translated as 'nine saints.


One significant key-factor of the success of Dakwah of Walisongo is how they develop an abandoned civilization of Majapahit (Kapitayan), into a new civilization whose roots form the Majapahit but with Islamic characteristics. They created a new perspective in the cultural and society structure. From the cultural and society structure of "gusti and kawula" (master and slave), they introduce the new community structure which is so-called "Masyarakat", derived from the Arabic term of Musharaka, which means the community of equal and mutual cooperation.

This is the concept of society by the Walisongo, a society or community of equal and mutual cooperation, which does not possess any discrimination nor discriminate the terms of self designation between subject classes such "gusti and kawula"(master and slave) taught by Islam. In present days, the term of ambo, abdi, hamba, sahaya or saya, are still being used for the purpose of showing respect toward others.

During the earlier days in Java, if a man touches their head with his hand, or if there is a misunderstanding about money at a sale, or a battle of words when they are crazy with drunkenness, they at once pull out their knives and stab each other. He who is stronger prevails.


When a man is stabbed to death, the killer would run away and conceals himself for three days before emerging, then he does not forfeit his life; but if he is seized at the very moment of the stabbing, he too is instantly stabbed to death. This was the jungle law practiced in Jawa before the introduction of Islam.


The term of Carok in Madura is also derived from the ancient Javanese Tradition. Carok in Javanese Kawi means fighting; Warok means a fighter; and Ken Arok means the leader of fighters. Therefore, the walisongo introduced new terms such as "sabar" (patient), "adil" (fair), 'tawadhu', including "ngalah" or ngAllah to avoiding conflicts.

The walisongo also uses the customary Kapitayan's religious values to spread Islam towards the region. This was because the concept of tawhid in Kapitayan is basically the same with the monotheism concept of tawhid in Islam: the term of "Tan keno kinaya ngapa" in Kapitayan (can't be seen, can't be thought, can't be imagined, He is beyond everything), have the same equal meaning as "laisa kamitslihi syai'un" in Islam (There is nothing like unto Him; QS 42:11).


The walisongo even uses the Kapitayan local term "Sembahyang" (worshipping Sang Hyang Taya in Kapitayan) in introducing the term of 'Solat' in Islam. Even the word 'Puasa' was an adaptation from the word 'Upawasa' (posa) which meant fasting by the local Kapitayan, differing from the original word 'siyam' from al-Quran. The term of 'Poso Dino Pitu' in Kapitayan meant fasting on the day of the second and the fifth day in which is equal to seven days of fasting, is very similar with the form of fasting on Mondays and Thursdays in Islam.


In the rural areas, people can be considered as a Muslim if he's already stated the Islamic creed (2 kalimah syahadah), circumcised, and Slametan (kenduri doa selamat). Islam was then growing even faster because the people do not want their children get victimized as in Bhairawa Tantra. In the rituals of Bhairawa Tantra, men and women formed a circle and all naked. In the center is provided meat, fish, and wine. After eating and drinking, they have sexual intercourse (maituna). After satisfying various desires, they meditated.

The local people prefer to join Slametan (kenduri doa selamat) with the aim of "slamet" (safety in Islam as a Muslim). This is the way of Walisongo spreads Islam without violence. In conclusion, about 800 years Islam entered the archipelago, since the year 674 until Walisongo era in 1470, Islam has yet to be accepted by society en masse. It was then after the era of Walisongo, Islam developed so widespread in the archipelago. And until now, the teaching Walisongo is still run by the majority of Indonesian Muslims.

During the Dakwah of Walisongo, Islam was spread without any force of arms, not even a single drip of blood was spilled. Only after the Dutch period, especially after the Diponegoro War, the Dutch really run out of funds, they even owe millions of Goldens because of it. And even after Prince Diponegoro arrested, his remains were never subject.


The Dutch deconstructed the stories about Walisongo and fabricated lies about them in Babad Kediri manuscripts. From this Babad Kediri manuscripts, it was then emerged the book, 'Chronicle of Darmo Gandul and Suluk Gatholoco'. The one who authored the books is named Ngabdullah, a person from Pati East Java, who because of poverty, making it lapsed and leaves Islam. He later renamed it with 'Ki Tunggul Wulung' and settled in Kediri.


The Dutch whitewashed their defeat by fabricating many false stories that contradicted with historical fact. Just like how the British uses the term 'wahhabi' to hide their shameful defeat in the Ottoman dynasty. Due to the fact that the walisongo involvement with the local Kapitayan beliefs, it was easy to sway the communities to believe in mystical power that the walisongo inherited through certain religious practices to weaken the iman and akidah of the Muslims.


And this was exactly how the fairy tales stories about the mystical power of the walisongo got widespread. Please bear in mind that believing the mystical unseen power (perkara ghaib) beside what was taught by Allah SWT and His Messenger (pbuh) is deem as syirik in Islam. Therefore, please be very-very careful what you believe, if you really love Islam.

(Other reference: WALI SONGO UTUSAN KHALIFAH)

(other info: Hempher, the father of Wahhabism)


Wallahu'alam