Pilgrimage prepares Muslims for Ramadhan

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.