SALUTING THE PROPHET: Cultural and Artistic Expression in Javanese Society

Abstract

Puji-pujian (lit. praise poetry) has become a tradition for Muslims since the phase of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him until our modern phase. The contradiction between accepting and rejecting has also occurred since the apostle is still alive today. In Indonesia Puji-pujian became one of the tools to spread Islam and moral values. So these Puji-pujian became a tradition as religious song and literary art among Javanese Muslims. Uniquely, the form of Javanese literature is still tied to Arabic literature, such as Burdah, Diba’ and Barzanji. That’s why, Javanese poetry or prose of Puji-pujian are much influenced by Arabic literature and even abandon the rules of Javanese literature. And Puji-pujian also became the feature of Javanese Muslim culture since long ago. This research will reveal the culture and history of the formation of Puji-pujian, why it was integrated with Arabic literature, and to find the unique of both of Puji-pujian and Arabic literature in structure and rhyme, why it has the same formation.