SELAMETAN (SALVATION) TRADITION IN ISLAM OVERVIEW Nanik Mindarnengsih, S.Pd. Universitas Muhammadiyah Sidoarjo Email: [email protected] Abstract Islam religion is the biggest religion in Indonesia and the most adhered with 87.2% of population. Islam in Indonesia is roughly considered to have gradually spread through merchant activities by Arab Muslim traders, adoption by local rulers and the influence of mysticism since the 13th century. This research uses descriptive method to explain data collection in the field, which provides an overview of Selametan (Salvation) Tradition in Islam overview. Research approach uses a anthropolgy qualitative approach. Data are written results from interviews, observation, and documentations in Salvation Tradition. Data sources are from Javanese People. The results of this research mentions that Salvation Tradition is a good tradition about praying attitude of khudhu' and khusyu' to Allah but It must be followed with traditional ceremony based on the Javanese Ancestors. Research focus is related with Islam overview that Islam does not teach about Salvation in order to get bless from ancestor. From the statement above, Islam believes that getting bless can be done by making Qur’an recitation as anual event. Keywords: Religion, Islam, Salvation, Selametan, Tradition, Qualitative Approach, Recitation, Overview. A. INTRODUCTION Thus, Islam influence is very large Islam is a religion whose spread is in Indonesia, especially in Java Island. quite extensive in Indonesia. It can be This has concerned with the arrival process proof by many Islamic days as holiday is of Islam on the Java island, which has a celebrated by almost 80% citizen, which is wide influence. The influence has various the highest Muslim population in aspects, including economic, political, and Indonesia. socio-cultural aspects. Islam in Indonesia is roughly Through a long process of Islam, it has considered to have gradually spread be able for slowly stepping on strongly through merchant activities by Arab Javanese society. The influence is also Muslim traders, adoption by local rulers leading a new way with various specific and the influence of mysticism since the Indonesian Culture society. 13th century. During the late colonial era, Indonesia is a country that has a it was adopted as a rallying banner against diverse culture. This diversity is based on colonialism. the geographical location of Indonesia in Islam became the dominant the world trade area.1 religion in Java at the end of the 16th Many traders come to Indonesia century. During this era, the Islamic while they are trading, spreading, and kingdoms of Demak, Cirebon, and Banten bringing their cultures and religion from were ascendant. The Mataram Sultanate became the dominant power of central and 1 Fischer, H. TH. Pengantar Anthropologi eastern Java at the end of the 16th century. Kebudayaan Indonesia, terj. Anas Makruf. Jakarta: Pustaka Sardjana, 1953 their origin. That is why, that causes some which is coming from by interviewing and acculturation in culture that comes from recording. The results are showing into Hinduism, which had entered in Indonesia phrases and sentences. before Islam religion. Research data source is coming Religious studies today have from the tradition region representative, emerged and used Anthropology as the society, and customary leader, who knows basic approach. Various approaches about about Selametan Tradition. understanding religion that have used so far before. They are seen to be C. RESEARCH DISCUSSIONS complemented by anthropological Anthropology approaches. From those problems, we need Anthropology is a science about to raise Islamic religious thoughts by humans, the past and present, which collaborating between Islamic religion and explains humans through knowledge of Hindu-based culture. social sciences and life sciences (nature) That statement has inherent in and also the humanities. Anthropology is cultural circles namely Islam which is in also called the study of humans based on Java Island. As the example is a case of culture, behavior, diversity and so forth. "Javanese Marriage Salvation Traditional Anthropology is a Greek word from Islam Overview". That case study term derived from the words anthhopos hass faced with Javanese culture and logos. Antrhopos means human and perspective that collaborates with Islam as logos means story or word. Anthropology form of salvation by reading Al-Qur’an. object is humans. Anthropology aims for Based on the statement above, this studying humans in ethnic groups, research focuses on Selametan (salvation) behaviours, and cultures to help the tradition in Islam overview.2 Here author community and society. tries to explain the focus through Antrhopologists in general agree anthropological approach. that Selametan (salvation) is the core ritual in Javanese (Muslim) society. B. METODE PENELITIAN Before the writer discuss it more This research method uses detail, we introduce first about Java and descriptive method that has carried out Javanese society. through data collection in the field, which provides an overview anthropological Java approach. Therefore, this research can Java is famous for its combination describe Islamic overview about Salvation of diverse cultural forms and religious Tradition. belief. Java has many tribes which has Descriptive method according to different culture and custom. Thus are Sugiyono is a research method that aims to Sundanese, Javanese, and Madurese. describe, explains the conditions that has Javanese exist in the company based on facts. The Javanese are know as the tribe with characteristics of the population is based the largest population in all Indonesia. on the data that has collected and then Almost in every island in Indonesia, the arranged systematically and subsequently Javanese must always exist. analizing for conclusion. Javanese are an ethnic group native Research data is about The to the Indonesian island of Java. Javanese Selametan (Salvation) tradition itself, ethnic group has many sub groups, such as the Mataram, Cirebonese, Osing, Tenggerese, Samin, Naganese, 2 Koentjaraningrat. Kebudayaan Jawa. Jakarta: Balai Pustaka, 1984 Banyumasan, and others. A majority of the Javanese people refers to the state of stasis or simply identify themselves as Muslims with a “nothing happens” to one or to people. minority identifying as Christians and Being Slamet implies that one is Hindus.3 safe, it shows a safety condition with no Javanese are also known as a difficulties and also no troubles. friendly personality tribe and also have a Slametan (Salvation) is the remarkable history of tradition and culture. communal feast from Java, symbolizing However, Javanese civilization has the social unity of those participating in it. been influenced by more than a It is considered as the core ritual in millennium of interactions between the Javanese religion, in particular the abangan native animism Kejawen and the Indian variant. The feast is common among the Hindu-Budddhist culture, and this closely related Javanese, Sundanese, and influence is still visible in Javanese Madurese people. history, culture, traditions, and art forms. Selametan (salvation) is conducted for generations as a memorial prayer led by traditional elders or religious leaders. Javanese Cultures The existence of acculturation of Islamic Javanese culture is one of the and Javanese culture in the 16th century oldest civilisations and has flourished in AD made this ceremony suffers a great Indonesia. It has gradually absorbed change. At that time, the Hindu/Buddha various elements and influences from other prayer was originally used then replaced cultures, including native reference for with Islamic prayer. In addition, offerings ancestral and natural spirits, Hindu and also becameno longer used in this Buddhist dharmic civilisations, Islamic ceremony. values, and to a lesser extent, Christianity, Selametan (Salvation)4 can be Western Philosophy and modern ideas. given to celebrate almost any occurence, One of the Javanese culture is Selametan including birth, marriage, death, moving, (Salvation). to a new house, and so forth. Depending Selametan (Salvation) Tradition on the intenton, the mood, and emphasis Based on KBBI (Indonesian may vary somewhat, but the main structure Dictionary Book), Salvation is held a party is the same. that is shown a traditional ceremony held Giving Congratulations can be by Javanesse society. Yet, Salvation also interpreted as a detachment from unwanted has done with Sundanesse and incidents. Maduranesse society. Meanwhile, Clifford Geertz mentions Selametan is a form of about Slamet that there is nothing thanksgiving event by inviting some (nothing). Slametan ceremony is one of relatives or neighbors. Traditionally the Javanesse tradition that is considered to be thanksgiving event begins with a prayer able to bulid a distance from disaster. together, by sitting cross-legged on a mat, Slametan is a universal concept circling rice cone with side dishes. that must exist in every place with a Slametan comes from the Javanese word different name. This is because self- “slamet” and most probably in Arabic awareness is “weak" in the presence of “salam” as well. forces outside the human self. Thus means well being, peace, safety, health, goodness, and in essence it 4 Beatty, Andrew. "Adam and Eve and Vishnu: Syncretism in the Javanese Slametan" The Journal 3 Koentjaraningrat. Kebudayaan Jawa. Jakarta: of the Royal Anthropological Institute, Vol. 2, No. Balai