The Role of Wali Songo in the Islamization of the Nusantara: A Cultural Da'wah Approach in the History of Indonesian Islam
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64420/ijris.v3i2.572Keywords:
wali Songo, cultural da’wah, Islamization, local culture, religious moderationAbstract
Background: The Islamization of the Nusantara represents a complex process of socio-cultural transformation that extends beyond religious conversion to deeply engage with existing local traditions. Objective: This study aims to analyze the cultural da'wah strategies employed by the Wali Songo in Java, focusing on their use of cultural media, processes of acculturation, community acceptance, and the contemporary relevance of their peaceful approach. Method: The study utilizes a qualitative library research method by conducting a content analysis of historical literature, authoritative books, and peer-reviewed journal articles concerning Wali Songo's proselytization methods. Results: The findings reveal that Wali Songo's success stemmed from integrating Islamic values into local traditions through cultural adaptation, social negotiation, and community participation. Rather than replacing indigenous customs, they reinterpreted local arts, language, rituals, and educational institutions into media for Islamic teachings, thereby fostering gradual acceptance, cultural continuity, and social cohesion. Conclusion: Wali Songo's cultural da'wah operates as an integrated framework encompassing cultural adaptation, community acceptance, religious communication, educational development, and socio-religious transformation. Originality/Value: This review article offers distinct conceptual and historiographical novelty in the fields of Islamic history and sociology of religion by synthesizing scholarly literature on Wali Songo's cultural da'wah strategies, which have frequently been treated within fragmented or semi-mythological narratives. By bridging current theoretical and methodological gaps, this study serves as a strategic reference contributing to the development of an integrated conceptual model of transformative acculturation and guiding future agendas in culturally responsive religious moderation across pluralistic societies.
References
Abdullah, A., Asdam, M., & Alimbagu, A. (2025). The reciprocal acculturation of Islamic culture and local culture in the Nusantara: A historical review. JAWI, 8(1), 77–90. https://doi.org/10.24042/00202582704000
Adib, M. (2023). Kerangka berpikir Wali Songo dan Islamisasi Jawa pada peralihan abad XV dan XVI. Jurnal Penelitian Ilmiah Intaj, 7(2), 231–250. https://doi.org/10.35897/intaj.v7i2.1332
Afandi, A. J. (2023). Islam and local culture: The acculturation formed by Walisongo in Indonesia. Indonesian Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 4(1), 103–124. https://doi.org/10.33367/ijhass.v4i1.4135
Alfaruq, M. S., & Rozaq, A. (2025). The Walisongo’s Abangan and Putihan da’wah methods in the land of Java: Comparative study of the da’wah methods of Sunan Kalijaga and Sunan Giri. Jurnal Educatio, 11(1).
Busetto, L., Wick, W., & Gumbinger, C. (2020). How to use and assess qualitative research methods. Neurological Research and Practice, 2(1), Article 14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42466-020-00059-z
Choirin, M., Dwijayanto, A., Yumna, L., & Muaz, Y. A. (2024). Nurturing moderate Islam: Strategic da’wah communication in the digital era for Generation Z. International Journal Ihya’ ’Ulum Al-Din, 26(1), 108–118. https://doi.org/10.21580/ihya.26.1.20008
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2017). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Falakhuddin, F. (2017). Dakwah Wali Songo dan Islamisasi di Jawa. Misykat Al-Anwar: Jurnal Kajian Islam dan Masyarakat, 28(1). https://doi.org/10.24853/ma.28.1
Farobi, Z. (2019). Sejarah Wali Songo. Anak Hebat Indonesia.
Firman, A., Nasri, M. H., & Syamsir. (2024). Efektivitas budaya wayang kulit dalam penyebaran agama Islam di Nusantara oleh Wali Songo. Journal of International Multidisciplinary Research, 2(6), 259–265. https://doi.org/10.62504/jimr573
Fuadi, S., Safitri, A. R., Audia, A., Dalimunthe, R., Dewi, N. S., Ramadhan, A., Tullah, F. H., Syahputra, A., & Hanum, A. (2025). Peran Walisongo dalam peradaban Islam Indonesia. Journal Sains Student Research, 3(4), 1048–1060. https://doi.org/10.61722/jssr.v3i4.6065
George, M. W. (2008). The elements of library research: What every student needs to know. Princeton University Press.
Hartoyo. (2017). Nyadran: Strategi dakwah kultural Walisongo: Sebuah kajian realitas sosial (Cetakan 1). Kaukaba.
Hibatulkhoir, H., & Khoyrunnisa, G. (2025). Relevance and strategy of Walisongo in Islamic da’wah and education in Java. Singularity in Islamic Education Journal, 2(2), 124–132. https://jurnalsingularitas.org/index.php/jurnalsi_1/article/view/529
Husniyah, N. I., & Sodik, M. (2024). Sunan Kalijaga da’wah media in the spread of Islam in Java. Educatio: Journal of Education, 9(2), 208–217. https://ejournal.staimnglawak.ac.id/index.php/educatio/article/view/1619
Ibnu Aminim, M., & Maria, G. (2025). Theology and culture: Walisongo’s strategy of Islamic enculturation in Java. Aqlania, 16(1), 73–98. https://doi.org/10.32678/aqlania.v16i1.26
Idham, N. C. (2021). Javanese Islamic architecture: Adoption and adaptation of Javanese and Hindu-Buddhist cultures in Indonesia. Journal of Architecture and Urbanism, 45(1).
Ihsan, Khafidzin, Z., & Zuhri, A. (2024). Religious moderation education model in Islamic boarding schools based on the teachings and strategies of the Walisongo’s da’wah. Edukasia: Jurnal Penelitian Pendidikan Islam, 19(2), 191–206. https://doi.org/10.21043/edukasia.v19i2.29545
Indriyani, R., & Putra, D. R. (2025). Revitalisasi nilai toleransi Islam dalam sejarah penyebaran Islam di Indonesia studi kasus pendekatan Wali Songo. Ghaitsa: Islamic Education Journal, 6(2), 180–193. https://doi.org/10.62159/ghaitsa.v6i2.1579
Kholid, A. I. (2016). Wali Songo: Eksistensi dan perannya dalam Islamisasi dan implikasinya terhadap munculnya tradisi-tradisi di tanah Jawa. Jurnal Tamaddun: Jurnal Sejarah dan Kebudayaan Islam, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.24235/tamaddun.v1i1.934
Mahfudh, M., & Susetiyo, A. (2025). Islamic da‘wah of Wali Songo: Religious moderation through cultural acculturation in a pluralistic society. Jasna: Journal for Aswaja Studies, 5(2), 215–230. https://doi.org/10.34001/jasna.v5i2.8675
Maula, N., Shufyamalia, A. L., & Arif, M. M. (2025). Kiprah Wali Songo (Sunan Bonang) dalam menyebarkan Islam di tanah Jawa Timur Tuban dengan menggunakan media dakwah. Jurnal PAI: Jurnal Kajian Pendidikan Agama Islam, 4(1), 55–74. https://doi.org/10.33507/pai.v4i1.3112
Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldaña, J. (2014). Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.
Morgan, H. (2022). Conducting a qualitative document analysis. The Qualitative Report, 27(1), 64–77. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2022.5044
Muhtadin, A. F., Syaputra, A. H., Shafwan, M. R., Jenuri, J., & Nurjaman, A. R. (2024). Meningkatkan moderasi beragama melalui dakwah digital. Dakwah: Jurnal Kajian Dakwah dan Kemasyarakatan, 28(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.15408/dakwah.v28i1.38319
Muna, M. N. (2020). Moderate Islam in local culture acculturation: The strategy of Walisongo’s Islamization. Islamuna: Jurnal Studi Islam, 7(2), 166–184. https://doi.org/10.19105/islamuna.v7i2.3661
Musman, A. (2021). Walisongo: Sebuah biografi. Anak Hebat Indonesia.
Nur Handoko, R., Priyanto, A., & Seftio, E. (2025). National tasawuf: The role of Wali Songo in building Javanese social order. JOUSIP: Journal of Sufism and Psychotherapy, 5(1), 69–82. https://doi.org/10.28918/jousip.v5i1.12213
Purwoyuliyanto, H. (2025). Islam dan kearifan lokal: Kajian literatur tentang relasi budaya dan agama di Indonesia. Tsaqofah, 5(5), 4489–4509. https://doi.org/10.58578/tsaqofah.v5i5.6838
Quinn, G. (2019). Bandit saints of Java: How Java’s eccentric saints are challenging fundamentalist Islam in modern Indonesia. Monsoon Books.
Rahmat Fauzi, A., & Kodir, A. (2026). Art and cultural acculturation in the preaching of the Walisongo on the island of Java. Formosa Journal of Applied Sciences, 5(2), 551–570. https://doi.org/10.55927/fjas.v5i2.5
Rahmi, Y. N., Farida, H., Aisyiyah, N., & Fajrussalam, H. (2022). Flashback of the wayang puppet Wali Songo media period and its relevance in modern life. Prevenire: Journal of Multidisciplinary Science, 1(2), 85–89. https://doi.org/10.58330/prevenire.v1i2.30
Rizqi, C. R., & Estu, N. (2023). Akulturasi seni dan budaya Walisongo dalam mengislamkan tanah Jawa. Studia Religia: Jurnal Pemikiran dan Pendidikan Islam, 7(2), 193–201. https://doi.org/10.30651/sr.v7i2.20526
Salsabila, T. Z., Annida, A., Hamidi, N., Inayah, A. H., & Izzah, L. N. (2025). Nilai-nilai Islam dalam kesenian wayang kulit pada tokoh Punakawan. Imtiyaz: Jurnal Ilmu Keislaman, 9(1), 42–55. https://doi.org/10.46773/imtiyaz.v9i1.1557
Shuhufi, M., & Purkon, A. (2023). Harmonization of Islamic law and local culture: A study of Indonesian Sundanese ethnic culture. Jurnal Ilmiah Al-Syir'ah, 21(1), 138–153. https://doi.org/10.30984/jis.v21i1.1870
Siti Muliana, M. N. (2021). Treading the footsteps of Wali Songo as the shaper of Islam Nusantara tradition. Sunan Kalijaga: International Journal of Islamic Civilization, 4(1).
Sondakh, L. A., & Rosyid, M. (2025). Representasi Islam moderat dalam dakwah Walisongo: Telaah historis dan kultural. Interdisciplinary Explorations in Research Journal, 3(2), 486–505. https://doi.org/10.62976/ierj.v3i2.1179
Sungaidi, M. (2016). Wayang sebagai media penyiaran Islam: Studi atas strategi dakwah Walisongo di Jawa. Ilmu Ushuluddin, 5(2), 189–222. https://doi.org/10.15408/iu.v5i2.10907
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Irfan Maulana Adnan, Subhanal Hanafi, Abdullah
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with Indonesian Journal of Research in Islamic Studies (IJRIS) agree to the following terms:
(1) Copyright Retention: Authors retain the copyright of their work without any restrictions.
(2) Publishing Rights: Authors retain full publishing rights without restrictions and grant the Indonesian Journal of Research in Islamic Studies (IJRIS) the non-exclusive right of first publication.
(3) License Agreement: By publishing with the Indonesian Journal of Research in Islamic Studies (IJRIS), authors agree that their work will be licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0) 
. This license allows others to share and adapt the work, provided that appropriate credit is given, any changes are indicated, and the new creations are licensed under the same terms.
