Life History of Sunan Bonang: Islamic Da'wah Through Gamelan & Literature in Indonesia

Life History of Sunan Bonang: Islamic Da'wah Through Gamelan & Literature

Raden Makdum Ibrahim or Sunan Bonang was a member of the Wali Songo cleric who spread the symbols of Islam in Java in the 14th century AD. Sunan Bonang is also known as an artist who preaches using a number of art instruments, including gamelan, as well as literary works. It is said that Raden Makdum Ibrahim is the inventor of a type of gamelan with a bulge in the middle or what is often called a bonang. That's where the nickname Sunan Bonang was pinned to Raden Makdum Ibrahim.

Agus Sunyoto in Atlas Wali Songo (2016) wrote that Raden Makdum Ibrahim or Sunan Bonang was the fourth son of Raden Rahmat or Sunan Ampel from a marriage with Nyai Ageng Manila, daughter of the Regent of Tuban, Arya Teja.

Life History of Sunan Bonang

Raden Makdum Ibrahim was born in 1465 AD in Surabaya and grew up in the care of a religious noble family. Sunan Ampel is the founder and caretaker of the Ampeldenta Islamic Boarding School. Raden Makdum Ibrahim received Islamic education for the first time from his own father at the Ampeldenta Islamic boarding school. Since childhood, Sunan Ampel has prepared his son as the successor to broadcast the teachings of Islam in the archipelago.

As a teenager, Raden Makdum Ibrahim went to the country of Pasai, Aceh, to study with Sheikh Maulana Ishak, Sunan Giri's father. Since childhood, Raden Makdum Ibrahim's intelligence and tenacity have been seen in studying. Apart from being mentored by Sunan Ampel and Sheikh Maulana Ishak, Raden Makdum Ibrahim also studied with many other scholars. Until finally, Raden Makdum Ibrahim was recognized for his qualified knowledge in the mastery of fiqh, ushuluddin, tasawuf, art, literature, architecture, and martial arts. \

Later, Sunan Bonang's martial arts skills came in handy when he defeated a robber named Raden Said. Raden Said also submitted and repented, then participated in spreading Islamic da'wah and became a member of Wali Songo, known as Sunan Kalijaga.

The origin of the name Bonang

Sunan Bonang's da'wah started from Kediri, East Java. He set up a prayer room or prayer room on the banks of the Brantas River, precisely in Singkal Village. Told, Sunan Bonang had converted the Duke of Kediri, Arya Wiranatapada, and his daughter. After leaving Kediri, Sunan Bonang left for Demak, Central Java. 

By Raden Patah, the founder and first leader of the Sultanate of Demak, Sunan Bonang was asked to become the imam of the Demak Mosque. There is one more different version regarding the naming of Sunan Bonang which is attached to Raden Makdum Ibrahim apart from the story that he is the inventor of the bonang type gamelan. During his time as the imam of the Demak Mosque, Raden Makdum Ibrahim lived in the village of Bonang. The second version says that Sunan Bonang's nickname is based on the location where he lives.

Preaching Through Art and Literature

Like other Wali Songo, Raden Makdum Ibrahim spread Islam through the media of art and culture. He uses gamelan instruments to attract people's sympathy. It is said that Raden Makdum Ibrahim often played the bonang type gamelan, which is a round percussion instrument with a protruding circle in the middle. If the bulge is tapped or hit with wood, a melodious sound will appear. 

Raden Makdum Ibrahim alias Sunan Bonang plays this musical instrument which makes the locals curious and interested. Residents flocked to listen to the strains of the song from the gamelan played by Sunan Bonang. 

He composed a number of mid-macapat songs, such as Kidung Bonang, and so on. Until finally, many people are willing to embrace Islam without coercion.

Sunan Bonang is also adept at playing wayang as well as mastering Javanese art and literature. In the puppet show, Sunan Bonang added ricikan, namely horses, elephants, tigers, garudas, chariots, and rampogani to enrich the show. In the book History of Islamic Culture (2013), Hery Nugroho wrote that Sunan Bonang's other da'wah was through writing a literary work entitled Suluk Wujil. 

Currently, the original Suluk Wujil manuscript is stored in the library of Leiden University, the Netherlands. Suluk Wujil is recognized as one of the greatest literary works in the archipelago because of its beautiful content and rich content in interpreting religious life. Sunan Bonang was so focused on carrying out his role as a scholar and artist that he did not get married until his death in 1525 AD.