Pilgrimage prepares Muslims for Ramadhan

Agus Maryono and Amin AA, The Jakarta Post, Purwokerto, Central Java

Before the start of the fasting month, many Muslims -- especially in Java -- make a pilgrimage to the graves of the nine Muslim religious leaders, the Wali Songo, to pray.

The Wali Songo are nine ulemas who brought Islam to Java in 1404: Syeh Maulana Malik Ibrahim, Sunan Ampel, Sunan Bonang, Sunan Giri, Sunan Drajad, Sunan Muria, Sunan Kudus, Sunan Kalijaga and Sunan Gunung Jati.

The Muslims visit the graves of the Wali Songo during the month of Sa'ban, which falls ahead of Ramadhan in the Arabic calendar. During Ramadhan, which begins this year on Monday, the Muslims fast, refraining from eating or drinking from dawn until dusk in order to purify their spirits. At the end of this fasting period is the Idul Fitri holiday, at which time Muslims begin their year anew.

Paying homage to the Wali Songo is a form of meditation before entering the fasting month, said Syarif Nurkholis of the as- Salafiyah Muslim boarding school in Karangwangkal, Purwokerto.

The Jakarta Post recently joined a group of some 120 pilgrims led by Nurkholis, who embarked on a five-day journey to several towns in Java to visit the graves of the Wali Songo.

The first stop was Cirebon, West Java, where the grave of Sunan Gunung Jati is located. From Cirebon, the group visited the graves of Sunan Kalijaga in Demak, Central Java, of Sunan Kudus in Kudus, also in Central Java, and then to the grave of Sunan Ampel in East Java.

Instead of staying at fancy hotels, the group slept at a mosque or on the bus. If they arrived late at a grave, they would sleep in the cemetery.

It was a tiring journey, but the travelers looked happy; none of them complained about fatigue.

"This is what we call a blessing -- of God for the Wali Songo and the people who love them," Nurkholis told The Post.

He said people visit the graves for different reasons, and that some pray for power and wealth.

"The correct reason, in accordance with Islamic teachings, is because we love the ulemas. Because of them, we know the path to the righteousness, and we aspire to be like them.

"We express our feelings and our hope to God in front of the ulemas -- those who are close to God and who are loved by God."

Nurkholis said even in death, the Wali Songo's spirits were alive by God's side, and they were aware of those who prayed for them and visited their graves.

"Don't ever think that they are dead. They are more alive than we who live in this world. We are physically alive, but are our spirits close to God? We need to approach these ulemas chosen by God, so that we can be close to God, like they are."

Nurkholis criticized the many people who visited the graves for the wrong reasons.

"They pray to the ulemas, asking for power and wealth -- this is clearly wrong."

Before praying, these pilgrims repeatedly recite the Yasin, the prayer for the dead and for the afterlife in the Koran, sometimes for hours. But those who come in groups usually recite for only 10 or 15 minutes at the most, because there is a long queue and people will complain if the group spends too much time for themselves.

Nurkholis said pilgrims to the graves make ablutions first and then offer a greeting before beginning the recitation and prayers.

Some visitors prayed so solemnly that they cried during their recitation and prayers.

"I feel that I am very dirty and have committed so many sins. That's why I cried," said Tobrono, 35, from Pemalang, Central Java. He said that he felt cleansed after praying at the grave.

Another visitor, Waslam, 43, from Sumpyuh, Banyumas, said he also felt the same relief. "That is why I pay a visit to the grave every year," he said.

He said he had saved Rp 400,000 to join the tour and to buy souvenirs for his family.

According to Muhammad Nur, 48, the keeper of the grave of Sunan Kalijaga, 7,000 people on average visit the grave every day during the month of Sa'ban.

"On the last day of the month, there may be 10,000 pilgrims," he said.

The pilgrims mainly come from Java, but some make the pilgrimage from Sumatra and others, from as far away as Kalimantan.