Islam is the most common religion in the Indonesian province of East Java, embraced by 96.7% of the whole population. [1] Throughout its history, East Java has been considered one of the heartlands of Islam in Indonesia; the province experienced one of the earliest proliferations of Islam, as well as the establishment of the largest Islamic mass organization in Indonesia, Nahdlatul Ulama.
Islam was first introduced in East Java in the 11th century. The earliest evidence of the arrival of Islam in East Java is the existence of Islamic graves on behalf of Fatimah bint Maimun in Gresik in 1082, [2] as well as numbers of Islamic tombs at the complex of Majapahit tomb in Troloyo. The spread of Islam in East Java is largely due to the role of Wali Songo, the legendary Sufi saints, during the 14th century. Five out of nine Wali Songo saints have played decisive roles in the propagation of Islam in East Java, namely Sunan Ampel in Surabaya, Sunan Gresik (Malik Ibrahim) and Sunan Giri in Gresik, Sunan Drajat in Lamongan, and Sunan Bonang in Tuban. Wali Songo were the descendants of Islamic scholars who originated in the Middle East, Central and South Asia; they came down to East Java after generations of proselytization throughout Southeast Asia in areas such as Champa. Malik Ibrahim was the first of the saints who moved across East Java for proselytization after the power of the Majapahit Empire weakened. These saints had certain skills and mercantile interests they could provide to the local populations, such as knowledge about irrigation, while also being able to guide and teach people regarding Islam at the same time. [3] [4] Among the first who converted to Islam were the fishermen in the port. These newly converted Muslims had founded their bases in mosques, such as Ampel Mosque in Surabaya which was completed in 1421, making it among the first mosques built in the archipelago.
Islam in East Java had been traditionally characterized by the preservation of local custom ( adat ) and the amalgamation of Islamic teaching with the practices of previous religions and indigenous cultures, resulting in the distinct style of Islamic tradition known as kejawen . Muslims who practice these syncretic forms of Islam are called abangan . [5] More recently, kejawen has been relegated to rural pockets following the proliferation of Islamic orthodoxy in the late 20th century. Meanwhile, there has been a formation of Islam Nusantara which is aimed at a pluralist and vernacular interpretation of the orthodoxy. [6]
Pesantren (or pondok pesantren) is the traditional Islamic seminary originated in East Java, in the form of gender-segregated boarding schools. According to statistics in 2008, as many as 5,025 pesantrens are spread across East Java. [7] Some of the famous pesantrens in East Java are Pondok Modern Darussalam Gontor in Ponorogo, Pondok Pesantren Tebuireng in Jombang, and Pondok Pesantren Lirboyo in Kediri.
Several cities and regions in East Java are known as kota santri or the "city of Muslim students" and the center of Islamic education. Among the well-known kota santri are Gresik, Jombang, Kediri, Pasuruan, Ponorogo, Probolinggo, and Situbondo. [8] [9] The term kota santri is often emphasized by the cities and regions to promote religious tourism. [9]
East Java is a province of Indonesia located in the easternmost third of Java island. It has a land border only with the province of Central Java to the west; the Java Sea and the Indian Ocean border its northern and southern coasts, respectively, while the narrow Bali Strait to the east separates Java from Bali by around 2.29 kilometres (1.42 mi). Located in eastern Java, the province also includes the island of Madura, as well as the Kangean islands and other smaller island groups located further east and Masalembu archipelagos in the north. Its capital is Surabaya, the second largest city in Indonesia, a major industrial center and also a major business center. Banyuwangi is the largest regency in East Java and the largest on the island of Java.
Pesantren, or pondok pesantren, are Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia. They consist of pondok, mosque, santri, teaching of classical Islamic texts and Kyai. According to one popular tradition, the pesantren education system originated from traditional Javanese pondokan; dormitories; ashram for Hindu or viharas for Buddhists to learn religious philosophies, martial arts and meditation. Institutions much like them are found across the Islamic world and are called pondok in Malaysia and Southern Thailand and madrasa Islamia in India and Pakistan and much of the Arabic-speaking world. The pesantren aim is to deepen knowledge of the Qurʾān, particularly through the study of Arabic, traditions of exegesis, the Sayings of the Prophet, law and logic. The term pesantren derives from the root word santri or student -- pe-santri-an or the place of the santri.
The Wali Songo 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 sanga is Javanese for the number nine.
Sunan Kudus, founder of Kudus, is considered to be one of the Wali Sanga of Java, Indonesia.
Sunan Giri, Muhammad Ainul Yakin (born 1442 CE in Blambangan is considered one of the Wali Sanga of Indonesia.
The Demak Sultanate was a Javanese Muslim state located on Java's north coast in Indonesia, at the site of the present-day city of Demak. A port fief to the Hindu-Buddhist Majapahit kingdom thought to have been founded in the last quarter of the 15th century, it was influenced by Islam brought by Muslim traders from China, Gujarat, Arabia and also Islamic kingdoms in the region, such as Samudra Pasai, Malacca and Bani (Muslim) Champa. The sultanate was the first Muslim state in Java, and once dominated most of the northern coast of Java and southern Sumatra.
Sunan Bonang was one of the Wali Songo, along with his father Sunan Ampel and his brother Sunan Drajat.
Sunan Ampel was one of the Javanese nine revered saints Wali Songo, credited for the spread Islam in Java. According to local history around Demak the mosque of Demak Masjid Agung Demak was built by Sunan Ampel in 1479 CE, but other source credited the construction of the mosque to Sunan Kalijaga.
Sunan Drajat was born in 1470 CE. He was one of the Wali Songo or "nine Saints", along with his father Sunan Ampel and his brother Sunan Bonang.
Raden Patah, also known as Jin Bun was the first sultan of the Demak Sultanate. Ascending to the throne in 1475, his remained a vassal of the Majapahit Empire until 1478. Raden Patah took the title Panembahan Jimbun after legitimizing the Sultanate of Demak as the successor state to the Majapahit Empire, with Wali Sanga appointing him as the Sultan of Demak.
The Duchy of Surabaya was a Javanese principality centered in Surabaya, on the northeastern coast of Java, that existed as an independent polity from c. 1546 to 1625. It became independent following the disintegration of the Demak Sultanate, and by the beginning of the 17th century had become the leading power in east Java and the most important port on Java's northeastern coast. Subsequently, it entered into decades of conflict with the Mataram Sultanate that ended in the victory of Mataram and the fall of Surabaya in 1625.
Pondok Modern Darussalam Gontor Ponorogo, also known as Pondok Modern Gontor, or abbreviated as PMDG, or simply Pesantren Gontor, is a pesantren in Ponorogo Regency, East Java, Indonesia. Since its founding in 1926, the pesantren has become famous for the application of discipline, heavy emphasis of foreign languages, and strong network and cadre of alumni. It also has been an educational institution known for not specifically tied to any political and social organization. The pesantren is considered a backbone of Muslim society in Indonesia, producing numerous leading figures of the history of Islam in Indonesia.
Sunan Ampel State Islamic University Surabaya, also abbreviated as UIN Sunan Ampel, is one of the state Islamic universities in Indonesia based in Surabaya which organizes multidisciplinary Islamic education as well as secular education including science and technology. The university has history of cultivating the intellectual background for Islamic movements and organizations, especially for Nahdlatul Ulama. UIN Surabaya is named after Sunan Ampel, one of Wali Sanga, the legendary Sufi figures who greatly contributed to the spread of Islam in Indonesia.
Kyai Hajji Zubair Dahlan was an Indonesian ulama of tafsir, fiqh, uṣūl al-fiqh, and tasawwuf from Rembang Regency, Central Java. Every year, in the month of Ramadan, Zubair always routinely teaches the Tafsir al-Jalalayn to his students. In addition, he also active in teaching branches of Arabic grammar and tawhid at the Pesantren Sarang. Zubair is the father of an influential cleric in Indonesia, Maimun Zubair, and a teacher of several Nahdlatul Ulama cleric such as Sahal Mahfudz, Bisri Syansuri, and others. Some of his students later became caregivers and leaders of famous pesantren in Indonesia, such as Pondok Pesantren Lirboyo, Pondok Pesantren Sidogiri, Pondok Pesantren Al-Falah Ploso, Pondok Pesantren Mranggen, and other pesantren.
KHR. As’ad Syamsul Arifin was an Indonesian ulama and co-founder of Nahdatul Ulama. In 2016, he was declared a National Hero of Indonesia.
Giri Kedaton was an Islamic kedatuan located in Gresik, East Java and existed in the 15th to 17th centuries, until Giri was conquered by the Mataram Sultanate in 1636.
Kota santri is an epithet used in Indonesia, predominantly in Java, given to a region historically important in the context of Islamic education. The term santri generally means a Muslim student who studies at pesantren, an Islamic boarding school indigenous to the Indonesian archipelago.
Kompang is a traditional Balinese and Javanese musical instrument part of gamelan in the percussion family originated from the Indonesian region of Ponorogo in East Java. Kompang has existed in Indonesia since at least the 8th century and has spread to various regions of Indonesia as well as the Southeast Asia in general, such as Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and Thailand, which later became known as Kompang Jawa.
