Wayang as Da’wah Medium of Islam according to Sunan Kalijaga

Abstract

Wayang is tradition contains phylosophical values and great teachings . For Javanese people , wayang is not only as performance, but therein the life guidance. At the beginning , wayang was used as a media for worshipping to ‘Hyang’ (God) about 1500 BC. It was also used as medium for spreading the doctrine of Isla mic teachings . Because of the closeness of wayang performance in the people ’s heart, Walisanga made wayang as one of their da’wah medium . Among the famous preacher (da’i) that uses wayang was Sunan Kalijaga. In order to researcher used al -Nahl 16:125 as a cornerstone in looking at the method of da’wah according to Sunan Kalijaga, namely methods of da’wah bi al-h}ikmah, bi al- mauiz}ah al-h}asanah, and bi al-muja>dalah al-ah}san. The researcher found that da’wah performed by Sunan Kalijaga was to modificat e the figures and the stories of wayang to be filled by Islamic values and phylosophi cal teaching , as described in the five figures of Pandawa as the representation of five tenets of Islam, they are Yudhistira ( Syaha>dah ), Bima ( S}ala>t ), Arjuna (Fasting Ramadhan), Nakula ( Zaka>h ) and Sadewa ( H { ajj ), as well as the figures of Punakawan, which represented people’s life and the way to face its obstacles which has not been exist before in Hindu era . Its represented by Semar, Gareng, Petruk, and Bagong . Thus, the figures of Pandawa and Punakawan influenced the people to finally embraced Islam .