Pilgrimage prepares Muslims for Ramadhan<\/p>\n
Agus Maryono and Amin AA, The Jakarta Post, Purwokerto, Central Java<\/p>\n
Before the start of the fasting month, many Muslims -- especially
\nin Java -- make a pilgrimage to the graves of the nine Muslim
\nreligious leaders, the Wali Songo, to pray.<\/p>\n
The Wali Songo are nine ulemas who brought Islam to Java in
\n1404: Syeh Maulana Malik Ibrahim, Sunan Ampel, Sunan Bonang,
\nSunan Giri, Sunan Drajad, Sunan Muria, Sunan Kudus, Sunan
\nKalijaga and Sunan Gunung Jati.<\/p>\n
The Muslims visit the graves of the Wali Songo during the
\nmonth of Sa'ban, which falls ahead of Ramadhan in the Arabic
\ncalendar. During Ramadhan, which begins this year on Monday, the
\nMuslims fast, refraining from eating or drinking from dawn until
\ndusk in order to purify their spirits. At the end of this fasting
\nperiod is the Idul Fitri holiday, at which time Muslims begin
\ntheir year anew.<\/p>\n
Paying homage to the Wali Songo is a form of meditation before
\nentering the fasting month, said Syarif Nurkholis of the as-
\nSalafiyah Muslim boarding school in Karangwangkal, Purwokerto.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post recently joined a group of some 120 pilgrims
\nled by Nurkholis, who embarked on a five-day journey to several
\ntowns in Java to visit the graves of the Wali Songo.<\/p>\n
The first stop was Cirebon, West Java, where the grave of
\nSunan Gunung Jati is located. From Cirebon, the group visited the
\ngraves of Sunan Kalijaga in Demak, Central Java, of Sunan Kudus
\nin Kudus, also in Central Java, and then to the grave of Sunan
\nAmpel in East Java.<\/p>\n
Instead of staying at fancy hotels, the group slept at a
\nmosque or on the bus. If they arrived late at a grave, they would
\nsleep in the cemetery.<\/p>\n
It was a tiring journey, but the travelers looked happy; none
\nof them complained about fatigue.<\/p>\n
\"This is what we call a blessing -- of God for the Wali Songo
\nand the people who love them,\" Nurkholis told The Post.<\/p>\n
He said people visit the graves for different reasons, and
\nthat some pray for power and wealth.<\/p>\n
\"The correct reason, in accordance with Islamic teachings, is
\nbecause we love the ulemas. Because of them, we know the path to
\nthe righteousness, and we aspire to be like them.<\/p>\n
\"We express our feelings and our hope to God in front of the
\nulemas -- those who are close to God and who are loved by God.\"<\/p>\n
Nurkholis said even in death, the Wali Songo's spirits were
\nalive by God's side, and they were aware of those who prayed for
\nthem and visited their graves.<\/p>\n
\"Don't ever think that they are dead. They are more alive than
\nwe who live in this world. We are physically alive, but are our
\nspirits close to God? We need to approach these ulemas chosen by
\nGod, so that we can be close to God, like they are.\"<\/p>\n
Nurkholis criticized the many people who visited the graves
\nfor the wrong reasons.<\/p>\n
\"They pray to the ulemas, asking for power and wealth -- this
\nis clearly wrong.\"<\/p>\n
Before praying, these pilgrims repeatedly recite the Yasin,
\nthe prayer for the dead and for the afterlife in the Koran,
\nsometimes for hours. But those who come in groups usually recite
\nfor only 10 or 15 minutes at the most, because there is a long
\nqueue and people will complain if the group spends too much time
\nfor themselves.<\/p>\n
Nurkholis said pilgrims to the graves make ablutions first and
\nthen offer a greeting before beginning the recitation and
\nprayers.<\/p>\n
Some visitors prayed so solemnly that they cried during their
\nrecitation and prayers.<\/p>\n
\"I feel that I am very dirty and have committed so many sins.
\nThat's why I cried,\" said Tobrono, 35, from Pemalang, Central
\nJava. He said that he felt cleansed after praying at the grave.<\/p>\n
Another visitor, Waslam, 43, from Sumpyuh, Banyumas, said he
\nalso felt the same relief. \"That is why I pay a visit to the
\ngrave every year,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said he had saved Rp 400,000 to join the tour and to buy
\nsouvenirs for his family.<\/p>\n
According to Muhammad Nur, 48, the keeper of the grave of
\nSunan Kalijaga, 7,000 people on average visit the grave every day
\nduring the month of Sa'ban.<\/p>\n
\"On the last day of the month, there may be 10,000 pilgrims,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
The pilgrims mainly come from Java, but some make the
\npilgrimage from Sumatra and others, from as far away as
\nKalimantan.<\/p>",
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