The Full Story of Sunan Gunung Jati Cirebon

Story of Sunan Gunung Jati Cirebon Indonesia

Sunan Gunung Jati or Syarif Hidayatullah is the only guardian who spreads Islam in West Java. Sunan Gunung Jati was born in 1448 AD. His father was Syarif Abdullah bin Nur Alam bin Jamaluddin Akbar, a missionary and great traveler from Gujarat, India who is well known as Sheikh Maulana Akbar for the Sufis in the country.

 Sheikh Maulana Akbar is the son of Ahmad Jalal Shah, the son of Abdullah Khan, the son of Abdul Malik, the son of Alwi, the son of Sheikh Muhammad Shahib Mirbath, a great scholar in Hadramaut, Yemen whose genealogy reaches the Prophet through his grandson Imam Husayn. Meanwhile, Mrs. Sunan Gunung Jati is Nyai Rara Santang (Syarifah Muda'im) who is the daughter of Sri Baduga Maharaja Prabu Siliwangi from Nyai Subang Larang, and is the younger sister of Kian Santang or Prince Wadirectsang who holds Cakrabuwana / Cakrabumi or Mbah Kuwu Cirebon Excited who studied at Sheikh Datuk Kahfi, a preacher from Baghdad whose real name is Idhafi Mahdi bin Ahmad.

 In his youth Sunan Gunung Jati studied with Sheikh Tajudin al-Kubri and Sheikh Ataullahi Sadzili in Egypt, then he went to Baghdad to study Sufism. At the age of 20, Syarif Hidayatullah went to Mecca to seek knowledge. After finishing studying in 1470 he went to Java to put his knowledge into practice. There, the young Syarif Hidayatullah and his mother were welcomed by Prince Cakra Buana. Syarif Hidayatullah and his mother Syarifah Muda'im came to the Caruban Forbidden State, West Java in 1475 after stopping first in Gujarat and Pasai to gain experience. The two people were warmly welcomed by Prince Cakra Buana and his family.  Syarifah Mada'in asked to be allowed to live in the Gunung Jati donation and there they built a pesantren to continue their business, Sheikh Datuk Latif, the teacher of Prince Cakra Buana. Therefore, Syarif Hidayatullah was called Sunan Gunung Jati. Then he was married to the daughter of Cakra Buana Nyi Pakung Wati then he was appointed prince of Cakra Buana in 1479 with his appointment as a prince of Islamic da'wah through diplomacy with other kingdoms. Then, in 1479, because of his advanced age, Prince Cakrabuana handed over the authority of the Caruban State to Syarif Hidayatullah with the title Susuhunan, meaning a person who is upheld. It is said that in the first year of his reign, Syarif Hidayatullah visited Pajajaran to visit his grandfather, Prabu Siliwangi. The King was invited to convert to Islam again but did not want to. Although Prabu Siliwangi did not want to convert to Islam, he did not prevent his grandson from broadcasting Islam in the Pajajaran area. Syarif Hidayatullah then continued his journey to Serang. There are already residents of Serang who converted to Islam because of the many merchants from Arabia and Gujarat who often stopped by that place. 

The arrival of Syarif Hidayatullah was welcomed by the Duke of Banten. Even Syarif Hidayatullah was betrothed to the daughter of the Duke of Banten named Nyi Kawungten. From this marriage, Syarif Hidayatullah was blessed with his sons, Nyi Ratu Winaon and Prince Sebakingking. At the age of 89 years, Sunan Gunung Jati resigned from his position to only pursue da'wah. The power was handed over to Prince Pasarean. In 1568 AD, Sunan Gunung Jati died at the age of 120 years, in Cirebon (formerly Carbon). 

He was buried in the area of ​​Mount Sembung, Gunung Jati, about 15 kilometers before the city of Cirebon from the west. How to Spread Islam Sunan Gunung Jati In spreading Islam in Java, Sunan Gunung Jati did not work alone. 

Sunan Gunung Jati often participates in deliberations with other members of the guardian at the Demak Mosque. It is even mentioned that he also helped build the Demak Mosque. 

From his association with the Sultan of Demak and the other Walis, Syarif Hidayatullah finally established the Pakungwati Sultanate in Cirebon and he proclaimed himself the first King with the title Sultan. In the era of Syarif Hidayatullah or better known as Sunan Gunung Jati, it can be said as the golden era ( Golden Age ) of Islamic development in Cirebon. Before Syarif Hidayatullah, Cirebon led by Prince Cakrabuana  (1447-1479 ) was a pioneer of government based on Islamic principles, and after Syarif Hidayatullah, the influence of the Cirebon rulers was still hiding behind the great name of Syarif Hidayatullah. With the establishment of the Sultanate, Cirebon no longer sent tribute to Pajajaran which was usually distributed through the Kadipaten Galuh. 

This action was considered as defiance by the King of Pajajaran. The King of Pajajaran didn't care who stood behind the Cirebon Sultanate, so he sent a selection of soldiers led by Ki Jagabaya. Their task is to capture Sunan Gunung Jati who is considered presumptuous to appoint himself as the rival king of Pajajaran. But this effort was unsuccessful, Ki Jagabaya and his men did not even return to Pajajaran, they converted to Islam and became followers of Sunan Gunung Jati. With the joining of selected soldiers and officers to Cirebon, the influence of the Pakungwati Sultanate grew. Other areas such as Surantaka, Japura, Wana Giri, Telaga and others declared themselves to be the territory of the Cirebon Sultanate. Moreover, with the expansion of the Port of Muara Jati, the influence of the Cirebon Sultanate grew. As a member of Wali Songo in his preaching, Sunan Gunung Jati applied various methods in the process of Islamization in Java. As for the various methods of da'wah, namely using the " maw'izhatul hasanah wa mujdalam billati hiya ahsan" method . In addition, the " Al-Hikmah" method  as a system and way of preaching the saints which is a way of wisdom that is held in a popular, attractive, and sensational way. They use this method in dealing with the general public. In a very wise manner, they face the general public en masse, sometimes it looks sensational and even odd and unique so that it attracts public attention. Third, namely the " Tadarruj" or "Tarbiyatul Ummah" method, which is used as a classification process that is adjusted to the level of education of the people, so that Islamic teachings are easily understood by the people and ultimately carried out by the community evenly. This method is considered at every level, level, talent. 

The material and curriculum, this tradition is still practiced in the pesantren environment. Sunan Gunung Jati in his community, apart from being a preacher, also acts as a politician, leader and also acts as a humanist. The choice of Cirebon as the center of Sunan Gunung Jati's da'wah activity cannot be separated from its relationship with trade routes, as well as social, political, economic, geostrategic, geopolitical and geoeconomic values ​​that determine the success of the subsequent spread of Islam.