Nationalism rooted in Wali Songo's era

Yogyakarta, NU Online
Vice Chairman of the Yogyakarta's Regional Board of Nahdlatul Ulama (PWNU) M. Jadul Maula said that the frame of national awakening could be traced back to early kingdoms in the archipelago (Nusantara) for it has culturally been built by the so-called Wali Songo (the nine saints who brought Islam to Java).<>

"The roots of our nationalism are from the kingdom of Demak in repelling invaders. The nationalism of our nation was born of religion and is different from (that of) Europe for separating itself from religion," he said in a discussion to commemorate the National Awakening Day, held at the second floor of the PWNU office, Jln MT Haryono, Wednesday (20/5).

Jadul continued, Islam and culture could brilliantly be harmonized by the Wali Songo, and result in the Islamic teachings that form typical Nusantara Islam. Therefore, the unity has been encouraged by the sultans with religious and cultural languages.

"The frame of awakening is inseparable from one another and independent of the past history of the (early) kingdoms," the leader of Pesantren Kaliopak Yogyakarta, said.

The roots of our cultural heritage, Jadul added, contained three elements, namely the unity of God and man, man and man, and man and nature. It was the result of preaching carried out by the Wali Songo in disseminating the teachings of Islam in the archipelago.

The presence of the invaders could not be fought with weapons and physical resistance. The very strong fortress to fight them is culture and spirituality. The Wali Songo had prepared it to fight the invaders, Jadul said.

The participants attending the scholalrly meeting were the students and younger generation of Nahdliyyin. The meeting moderated by Muhammadun was also attended by Mukhtar Salim, the would-be doctor of the Islamic University of Indonesia (UII) Yogyakarta. (Masdar)