الرحلةThe Journey

جمال الدين الأكبر الحسيني

Jamaluddin al-Kubra (RH)

Shaykh Jamal al-Din al-Akbar al-Husayni

Also known as: Syeikh Jamaluddin al-Kubra, Jumadil Kubra, Syekh Jumadil Kubro, Jamaluddin Akbar al-Husaini, Husain Jamadil Kubra

c. 709–c. 857 AH · c. 1310–c. 1453 CE

Da'wah Shafi'i Sufism

A preacher of tradition, remembered as forefather of the Wali Songo, with graves attributed to him in Java and Sulawesi.

Shaykh Jamal al-Din al-Akbar al-Husayni, remembered in Malaysia as Syeikh Jamaluddin al-Kubra and in Java as Syekh Jumadil Kubro, is known from tradition and genealogy rather than firm record. Genealogies trace him to the Prophet ﷺ through al-Husayn and give his origin variously as India, Samarkand or Champa. Kelantan tradition says he reached Kelantan in 1349, and many families there and in Patani trace their descent to him.

Javanese and Malay genealogies make him the forefather of several of the Wali Songo, among them Sunan Ampel. Graves are attributed to him at Trowulan in East Java, at Semarang, and at Tosora in Wajo, South Sulawesi, where Bugis tradition says he died in 1453. Historians treat these accounts with caution: the traditional dates imply a very long life, and Wajo itself is recorded as accepting Islam only in the early 17th century.

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Life journey

  1. c. 1310 CE Champa چمڤا
    Traditions variously give his origin as India, Samarkand or Champa.
  2. 1349 CE Kota Bharu كوتا بهارو
    Kelantan tradition says he arrived in Kelantan in 1349.
  3. 1370 CE Trowulan (Majapahit) تروولن
    Javanese tradition places him at Trowulan, by the Majapahit capital, where a grave is also attributed to him; the year is approximate.
  4. 1440 CE Tosora (Wajo) توسورا
    Died c. 1453 CE · c. 857 AH
    Bugis tradition says he died and was buried at Tosora in Wajo; the year he arrived is approximate.

Sources

  • Martin van Bruinessen, 'Najmuddin al-Kubra, Jumadil Kubra and Jamaluddin al-Akbar: Traces of Kubrawiyya influence in early Indonesian Islam', Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde 150 (1994)
  • Agus Sunyoto, Atlas Wali Songo (2012)
Draft, awaiting scholarly review.
Dates and places follow the best-known tradition (c. 1310–1453, died at Tosora in Wajo), chosen by the owner; they imply a life of about 143 years. Javanese tradition has him die in 1376 at Trowulan. Wajo accepted Islam only in the early 1600s.