Abstract
Javanese Islamic Literature was connected to Islamic mysticism and written in poem to express delicate and sophisticated doctrines. Poem is deemed to be able to go beyond literal meaning for it expresses notion through figurative languages. Suluk Wujil is a good example of such early Javanese Islamic literary work that features spiritual quest and teaching. Suluk Wujil tells about Wujil, a convert who wanted to reach the essence of the ultimate Truth. Wujil is symbolic figure carrying an important sufistic teaching as well as the revealing socio-religious discourse in the early development of Islam in Java. This article is aimed to reveal the content of Suluk Wujil using three steps of semiotic reading, i,e, narrative schema, primary sign discovery and syntagmatic as well as paradigmatic analysis. The paper shows, firstly, that narrative scheme of Suluk Wujils is proceeded by a complaint of Wujil who failed to get into The Ultimate Truth after ten years of spiritual learning in Bonang. Ratu Wahdat or Sunan Bonang taught him the way to get spiritual enlightenment along with endorsing spiritual enlightenment of Seh Malaya (Sunan Kalijaga). Secondly, the primary sign of the Wujil Suluk is the phrase "Arriving in Mecca", in the last part of the text. The phrase affirms the spiritual characteristic of Suluk Wujil, with concern to a spiritual journey to very truth of Islamic spirituality. Thirdly, the paradigmatic analysis shows that there are various signs parallel and oppositional in the same time. The combination of signs forms a synthesis which leads to a deeper understanding of the significance of the signs. The syntagmatic analysis leads to an understanding of oppositional, but complementary signs.
Highlights
Acculturation of Islam and Javanese culture has given birth to the emergence of suluk works
Suluk Wujil as one of the earliest Islamic works found in Java reflects the nature of Islamic understanding prevalent at 16th to 19th Century
It shows that suluk work emphasizing on spiritual journey should not be considered neglecting Islamic law, rather it guides the different way of realizing God’s existence
Summary
Acculturation of Islam and Javanese culture has given birth to the emergence of suluk works. Suluk work represents a special genre of Javanese literature influenced by the teachings of Islam. It contains a spiritual teaching for attaining the universal truth of Islam. Palace or in the hinterland by official writers in Javanese courts of Kasunanan Surakarta, Mangkunegaran and Kasultanan Yogyakarta Both kinds of suluk literatures have nuances: the first emphasizes the appreciation of the Transcendent, while the second focuses on the dimension of human union with the God (Sedyawati, 2001: 300-301). Sunan Bonang and Seh Malaya altogether disclosed the ultimate spiritual teaching not by words, but by direct revealing of trance of both, expressed in “arriving in Mecca” as metaphorical depiction. The purpose of this paper is to uncover the content of Suluk Wujil through three semiotic readings: narrative scheme, primary signifier, and significance of the work through paradigmatic and syntagmatic analysis
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
