The History Of WaliSongo

Nine walis were Sufi teachers who spread Islam and did all variety of powerful and unusual acts
across Java. The histories of these men are not always clear. In fact, if you try to count all of
them, you will end up with more than nine. Some sources say that there was more than one group
of nine. The most probable explanation is that there was a loose council of nine religious leaders,
and that as older members retired or passed away, new members were brought into this council.

Symbolically, for later rulers on Java, the wali songo provided a link between the rulers of
Majapahit or earlier kingdoms, and the rulers of Mataram, and eventually the Sultans of Yogya
and Surakarta. They were both links in the dynastic family trees and cultural links, as they
adapted the old arts and traditions to the new Islamic reality.

In spite of the confusion, and some of the legends told about them, these were real men, and
some of them such as Gunungjati or Kalijogo were important figures who helped create the
Java--and the Indonesia--that we know today.

Here is an incomplete (or maybe too complete!) list of the Wali Songo. Most of them did their
work in the late 1400s to mid-1500s C.E.:

Sunan Gunungjati worked at Demak and Banten, and was the founder of Cirebon. Many stories
say that he was originally from Pasai in Aceh, others say that he was from Pajajaran in West
Java. He married the sister of Sultan Trenggono of Demak, and led military expeditions for
Demak against Banten (which was still Hindu at that time). As "Fatahillah" he defeated the
Portuguese when they tried to take Sunda Kelapa (now Jakarta) in 1527.

Sunan Kudus, (or Ja'far Shadiq), founder of Kudus, who is said to have originated the wayang
golek, and who founded the masjid at Kudus using (it is said) the doors from the palace of
Majapahit. Took the place of his father, Sunan Ngudung. He passed away in 1550.

Sunan Giri, (or Raden Paku), studied at Melaka, founded Islamic schools at Gresik, foretold
the rise of Mataram, and spread Islam to Lombok, Sulawesi, and Maluku. He was a proponent of
orthodox Islam, and disapproved of innovation (much like "modernist" Islamic scholars of the
1800s and 1900s). A traditional story says that he was the son of a Hindu princess of
Balambangan and Maulana Ishaq of Melaka, who had gone to Balambangan as a missionary.
The princess was forced to abandon him in a crisis and set him adrift on the ocean in a small
boat, from which he was rescued by sailors. He was later a student of Sunan Ampel, and married
the daughter of Sunan Ampel.

Sunan Giri II (or Sunan Delem)

Pangeran Sarif worked under Sunan Giri, and worked to convert the people of Madura.

Sunan Prapen

Sunan Kalijogo, (also Raden Sahid), was active at Demak, student of Sunan Bonang, advisor to
Senopati, father to Sunan Muria. He revived the Garebeg procession, added Islamic stories to the
wayang kulit repertory, and promoted the use of traditional rituals in a new Islamic context. The
IAIN (Islamic Institute) in Yogyakarta today is named after him. At times Sunan Kalijogo has
been called a proponent of innovation ("innovation" in orthodox Islam is generally considered
not proper).

Stories of Kalijogo also follow confused chrnologies. Some have him participating in the construction of the Masjid
at Demak in the 1470s; others have him active in the mid-1500s.

Sunan Bonang, son of Sunan Ampel, wrote a popular book on theology and good behavior for Muslims. As a
young man he studied with Sunan Giri in Melaka. He helped build the great masjid at Demak. A story says that he
converted the later Sunan Kalijogo to Islam. He is buried at Tuban.

Sunan Muria, (or Raden Umar Said), son of Kalijogo, after whom Mount Muria is named, and who used gamelan
and theatre to help promote his missionary activity. He preferred to work with common people and in isolated
villages.

Sunan Maulana Malik Ibrahim (also Syeikh Maghribi) was an Arab who arrived in Java in 1404 and worked at
Gresik and Leran until his death in 1419. He founded the first Islamic school or pesantren on Java. Cousin of Sunan
Ampel. His work was carried out before the time period normally associated with the wali songo, making him a kind
of pioneer for missionary activity on Java.
Sunan Ampel (also Raden Rakhmat) who did his work in Surabaya, and spread Islam in East Java. Sunan Ampel
was the original leader of the walisongo. He was a nephew of the King of Majapahit, and a cousin to Raden Patah,
first Sultan of Demak. He was actually born in Champa, an Islamic kingdom located where the southern part of
Vietnam is today. Sunan Bonang and Sunan Drajad were both his sons. Sunan Giri lived with him alongside his sons
as a young man.

Sunan Drajad was a son of Sunan Ampel. He built the masjid at Paciran (north of Surabaya) in 1502, and is known
for promoting social and charitable works. He also promoted the use of the gamelan orchestra.

Sunan Sendang worked at Paciran until 1585.

Sunan Ngudung (or Pengulu Rahmatullah) who did his work in Matahun, and died in battle against the Hindu
remnants of Majapahit in 1513. He was the father of Sunan Kudus.

Raden Hamzah (or Sunan Lamongan) who did his work in Lamongan.

Maulana Ibrahim Asmoro was the father of Sunan Ampel. He is buried at Palang near Tuban. He was married to a
princess of Champa, in what is now Vietnam, and may have originally been from Central Asia.

Sunan Bayat who did his work around Tembayat, near Yogya. He was a student of Sunan Kalijogo.

Sunan Bejagung who did his work near Tuban.

Syekh Sitti Jenar (also Syekh Lemah Abang) who was sentenced to death for his strong religious convictions,
which were considered by some to be heretical.

Raden Patah, founder of Demak, is sometimes included in the list. Raden Patah was the son of Kertanegara by a
Chinese princess, and was brought up by Aria Damar, his half-brother, who had been sent to oversee Palembang
with the title of Adipati, and was said to be a Muslim in secret. He consulted closely with Sunan Ampel before
continuing on to found the city and power of Demak. Raden Patah is a "link" between the line of the old Javanese
kings (such as Airlangga or Hayam Wuruk), the later Sultans of Mataram (such as Agung), and the present-day
Sultan of Yogya and Susuhunan of Surakarta.

(Sunan Kuning came much later, was named Susuhunan of Mataram by rebels in 1742, is remembered in
Semarang).

Many stories of the Wali Songo are recorded in the Babad Tanah Jawa (Chronicles of the Land of Java), written in
the mid-1600s.
The History Of WaliSongo

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 passed away,
new members were brought into this council."[5] However, it should be borne in mind that the
term "wali songo" 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.

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.

 Maulana Malik Ibrahim also known as 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 songo: 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. 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: Buried in Kadilangu. 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 Banten Sultanate.

[edit] Additional Wali sanga

 Sunan Ngampel-Denta - (mentioned in the Babad Tanah Jawi)

 Sunan Sitijenar - (mentioned in the Babad Tanah Jawi)
 Sunan Walilanang - (mentioned in the Babad Tanah Jawi)
 Sunan Bayat (mentioned in Babad Tanah Jawi)
 Sunan Ngudung (son-in-law of Sunan Ampel and father of Sunan Kudus)[citation needed]
The Wali Songo - Islam Comes To The Indies
The Wali Songo are revered throughout Indonesia as the wise men who brought Islam
initially to Java but ultimately throughout the isles. Wali, which is used today to denote a
civic leader as in Wali Kota or Mayor, Songo means nine. History though likes to play tricks
with us and while their legacy is clear who they were and indeed how many there were is
less clear. They rose to prominence along the north coast of java as the Majapahit empire,
predominately Hindu, was fading.

Sunan Gunungjati

As well as being active in early Muslim entities such as Banten and Demak, Gunungjati is
credited as the founder of Cirebon, another port city on the north coast of Java, some 4
hours from Jakarta by rail. Some stories have him coming from the Bogor area, others from
Aceh. Some sources also call him Fatihillah who fought the Portuguese in the early 16th
century. His tomb lies north of Cirebon alongside the tomb of his first wife who was
Chinese.

Sunan Kudus

Kudus is in Central Java just to the east of Semarang. The town was founded by Sunan
Kudus who also built a mosque here called Masjid Al-Aqsa after the one in Jerusalem using,
rumour has it, doors from a Majapahit palace. His tomb lies behind the mosque and every
year on 10 Muharram in the Islamic calender the curtains round the resting place are
changed. The date is interesting, it is a holy day in the Shia calendar when they recall the
martyrdom of Hussain and maybe is a legacy of Persian traders in far off days.

Sunan Giri

This chap is believed to be the son of a Hindu Princess from Balambangan and a Melakan
missionary. He studied in Melaka and is credited with spreading Islam east to Sulawesi,
Lombok and Malaku. He also studied under Sunan Ampel and married his daughter. He
stayd in East Java and started schools in Gresik, just north of Surabaya.

Sunan Kalijaga

Just north of Kudus, nearer the coast, lies the town of Demak. It was Demak who finally
overthrew Majapahit and became the leading power in the region, rivaling Banten. Masjid
Agung here is reckoned to be the oldest mosque in java, built in 1466. Legend has it the
mosque was constructed in one night by the wali songo and one of the pillarfs was made by
Sunan Kalijaga using scraps of wood welded together. Many early Demak leaders are buried
by the Sunan Ampel

He was born in Champa somewhere in South Vietnam but found his way to Surabaya. He is
believed to have been the leader of the wali songo and his mosque, Masjid Ampel, is
considered one of the most important in Surabaya. Two other wali songo were Bonang and
Drajad who were sons of his while as we have seen he was close to Sunan Giri. He was
regally well connected with family ties to both Majapahit and the Sultan of Demak.
Sunan Muria

Thought to be a son of Sunan Kalijaga, Muria is seen as sympathetic t Javanese culture and
used traditional  methods like gamelan and wayang in his teachings which appealed to the
lower levels of javanese society where he spent much of his time.

Maulana Malik Ibrahim

The first of the wali songo, his origins are unclear. He died in Gresik in 1419 and his
tombstone was shipped in from Gujerat where it had been intricately carved from white
marble.