الرحلةThe Journey

رادين سعيد

Sunan Kalijaga (RH)

Sunan Kalijaga (Raden Said)

Also known as: Raden Said, Lokajaya

c. 854–c. 957 AH · c. 1450–c. 1550 CE

Da'wah Shafi'i Sufism

The best-known of the Wali Songo, who taught Islam through Javanese arts such as wayang and gamelan.

Sunan Kalijaga, born Raden Said, is said to have been the son of the regent of Tuban who, as a young man, turned from a life of robbery after meeting Sunan Bonang and became his student.

He is the most famous of the Wali Songo in Javanese memory. He taught Islam through the arts the people already loved: shadow puppetry (wayang), gamelan music and songs such as Lir-ilir, filling old forms with new meaning. Tradition credits him with one of the four main pillars of the Great Mosque of Demak, made of joined wood chips. He advised the rulers of Demak and is buried at Kadilangu, near Demak.

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Life journey

  1. c. 1450 CE Tuban توبن
    Born in Tuban, a son of its regent, by tradition.
  2. 1480 CE Demak دماك
    Died c. 1550 CE · c. 957 AH
    Settled at Kadilangu near Demak, where he is buried.

Teachers

  • Sunan Bonang (RH) c. 1465–c. 1525 CE
    By tradition, Raden Said became the student of Sunan Bonang, who turned him from robbery to the path of God.

Students

  • Sunan Muria (RH) c. 1480–c. 1551 CE
    Sunan Muria learned from his father and followed his way of teaching through Javanese arts.

Sources

  • M. C. Ricklefs, A History of Modern Indonesia since c. 1200 (4th ed., 2008)
  • Agus Sunyoto, Atlas Wali Songo (2012)
Draft, awaiting scholarly review.
Dates and many details come from later Javanese chronicles (babad) and local tradition, and differ between sources. Some traditions have him living past 100.