ISLAM AND JAVANESE ACCULTURATION: TEXTUAL AND CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF THE SLMdP:TAN RITUAL A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research In partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Arts Institute of Islamic Studies McGiil University Montreal Canada National Libmiy Bibliothèque nationale ,,*"a& du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliogmphic Senrices sentices bibliographiques The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accorde une Licence non exclusive licence ailowing the exclusive permettant à la National Lbrary of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distriiute or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/fh, de reproduction sur papier ou sur fomt électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in diis thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be piinted or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimes reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. Title . Islam and Javanese Acculturation: Textuai and Contextual Analysis of the Slametan Ritual Department : Institute of Islamic Studies, McGili University Degree Master of Arts This Thesis deals with the cultural encounter between Islam and Javanese culture as represented by the slamstan ritual. The major purposes of this thesis are threefold; (1) to give a brief account of the historical backdrop of the encounter between Islam and the Javanese tradition; (2) to discuss the ongoing dispute among scholars over whether the starnetan is animistic, syncretistic or Islamic; and (3) to provide a new perspective on the slametan ritual based upon textual (religious) and contextual (socio-cultural)analysis. The hypothesis underlying this work is that the slametan is a prototype of syncretistic ritual, the representative of Islamic elernents -as its core-on the one hand, and local traditions -as its periphery-on the other. This work wiU argue against the theory of the slametan developed both by Geertz and Woodward. The est schoIar sees the slametan fkom a socio-cultural perspective oniy, while the latter vie- it on an Islamic theological basis. The mentwriter argues that one should employ a holistic perspective to see the slamtun comprehensively; both from "inside" (religious perspective) and 'outside" (cultural perspective). Auteur Masdar Hilmy Titre Islam et acculturation javanaise: Une analyse textuelle et contamielle du rite du Slametan Département : Institut des $tudes Islamiques, Université McGill Diplorne ; Maltrise ès Arts Ce mémoire porte sur la rencontre culturelle entre llslam et la culti avanaise telle que représentée par le rituel du slamdan Les objectif's principaux de cette recherche se présentent en trois volets: Remièrement, en donnant un bref aperçu du contexte historique de la rencontre entre llslam et la tradition javanaise, deuxièmement, en analysant le débat des spécialistes sur la question d'établir si le slametan est un rite animiste, sjncrétiste ou islamique et, troisièmement, en proposant une nouvelle perspective du rituel du slametan, fondée sur une analyse textuelle (religieuse) et contextuelle (socio-culturelle). L'hypothèse sous-jacente de cette étude est que le slametan soit le prototype diin rituel syncretiste, étant dbepart, la représentation dselementsislamiques (en son centre) et, d'autre part, la representation de traditions locales (a sa périphérie). Cette recherche critiquera la théorie du skzmetan développée a la fois par Geertz ainsi que Woodward. Le premier chercheur perçoit le slametun uniquement d'après une perspective socio-culturelie alors que le second considère ce rite selon une approche théologique islamique. L'auteur de ce présent mémoire insiste qukne perspective holistique devrait plutôt être employée afin de parvenir à une vision d'ensemble, a la fois de 4'inteneur" (perspective religieuse) et de l'extêrîeuf (perspective cultureiie). Let me take this opportunity to extend my deep appreuation to di those who have assisted me during my graduate studies at the institute of Islamic Studies, McGiil University. Chief among these is my thesis supe~sor,Rofessor Howard M. Federspiel, without whose guidance and encouragement this work could not possibly have been accomplished. His intellectual petspicacity and long-life cornmitment to scholarship, particularly in Indonesian studies, his refkeshing honesty have been my mode1 for academic excellence. I benefited greatly from his constructive criticism and am indebted to him in a way that perhaps cannot be repaid. I wish also to express my sincere thanks to aii my professors, the faculty members of the Institute and in particular Rofessor A. herTurgay, CO-thesis supervisor and the Director of the Institute for his patience and his continuous scholarly guidance. My sincere thanks also go to my academic advisor, Rofessor Issa J. Bouilata, who has kindly given me academic advice especiaiiy during the first year of my study. Many thanks are due as well to CIDA (Canada International Development Agency) for a scholarship grant, and to the staff of the Indonesia-Canada Higher Education Roject. In Indonesia, my special gratitude goes to the indonesian Minister of Religious Affairs (MORA), whose special program to send Iecturers of the State Institutes of Islamic Studies (iAINs) overseas, gave me the opportunity to pursue my study at McGiii Universiîy; Drs. H. Abdul Jabbar Adlan, the current Rector of MNSunan AmpeI Surabaya whose consent aiiowed me to leave, tempordy, my academic duties at the campus. iii 1 am greatly indebted to my colleagues Abdul Muthalib who helped me translate and who discussed with me some Dutch and French texts, without whkh this thesis would have lacked important primary sources; Jane Trembley who helped me translate the abstract of this thesis into French; SuJaidiAsfari, Asep S. Jahar, Chuzaimah Bambara, Mu& and Mujiburrahman for valuable intellectual exchanges, generous help, encouragement and tme niendship; the staff of the Ialamic Studies Library, in partidar, Salwa Ferahian, Wayne St. Thomas and Steve Millier (the last also helped me edit the first draft of the thesis) who assisted me in obtaining materials, books and articles relathg to the topic. 1 also owe considerable debts to, Andre Pancu, and Cedric Goddard, who consistently helped me in rendering my rough dr&s into better English especialiy in writÿig the second and third chapter of the thesis. Findy, my speual sincere gratitude is due to my parents, my brothers and sisters whose unconditional love and consistent prayers have always been stimuiating inspiration in writing this thesis. This simple expression cannot begin to describe the depth of my feeling, and this humble piece of work is affectionately dedicated to them. Montreal, March 1999. MH. Throughout this thesis the sources of reference have been placed in footnotes at the bottom of every page. For example, Mark R. Woodward, Islam in Java: Nonnative Piety and Mysticisrn in the Sultanate of Yogyakarta (Tucson: University of Arizona Ress, 1989), 10. While each source has been refemd to in fuii detail at its fist occurrence in a particular chapter, fkom its second occurrence on, ody the author, the title (in short form with quotation marks), and the (volume and) page number were recorded. Later references wiil use a shortened fom of the work, such as Woodward, "Islam in Java," 100. The system of transliteration of Arabic words and names applied in this thesis is that used by the Institute of Islamic Studies, McGill University. The table of transliteration is as follows: Diphthong :ay = CC 1 ; aw = J 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE: ISLAM AND JAVANESE CULTURE ------------O--- 6 A, The Introduction of Islam to Java ------------------------O- 6 B. The Isl&tion of Java 18 C. The Assimilation of Islam into Javanese Culture --O----- 28 CHAPTER TWO: THE SUMETAN RITUAL IN THE STRUCTURE OF JAVANESE ISLm 41 A. Temal Andysis of the Slametan --------------------------- 73 B. Contextual Analysis of the Sametan ------------------O---- 88 1. Fiinctional Analysis of the Slametan ------------------- 88 2. Structural Analysis of the Slametun ----------------O-- 93 3. Local Interpretation of the Slametan ------------------- 97 Javanese Islam has the reputation in some quarters of being an infcrior variety of Islam, mainly because it diners fkom what people may consider to be 'genuine Islam," or the so-cakd 'Middle Eastern Islam."l In addition, the Javanese Muslim community is compnsed mallily of nominal Mualims, with iittie knowledge of or interest in the formal demands of reiigious obseniance.2 Javanese Islam is considered to be unique, because it incorporates Islam, regarded as a relative "newcomef on the one hand, with pre-Islamic Hindu, Buddhist, and animist beliefs as a 'local host," on the other. Despite the fact that Javanese Islam may be categorized as a syncretistic religion, the denunciation of the Javanese as 'bad Muslims" is of no help in trying to understand the development of Islam in Java, where the process of acculturation3 between Islam and the Javanese local tradition has been so extensive. The Slametan ntual is perhaps the classic example of a cultural mhage of Islamic elements and local culture. Even though its theological position is stU disputable,4 the slametan remains