From the results of Ridwan Saidi’s research it was said that the first Betawi ulama whose track can be traced was the Shaykh) Quro, Karawang.[1] The reason why Syaikh Quro is placed as the first Betawi ulama by Ridwan Saidi is due to his role to Islamize the Betawi people in Karawang, although Syaikh Quro originally came from Campa (Cambodia), he even had students who then spread Islam to the Sunda Kalapa area (Jakarta). According to Ridwan Saidi, Karawang at that time still became part of Betawi cultural area.
The Betawi people in Karawang recognized him as a batavian because he was a Campa. Furthermore, Ridwan Saidi argued that Campa people are the Malays who once owned a kingdom and had a close relationship with the Malabar people who were also close to people in western Java long before Christ (BC). Both the Campa people and the Betawi people were used to live in pluralistic life . Thus the penetration of Islamic values to Betawi community did not find significant difficulties.[2] The story of the Campas who spread Islam in Karawang did not stop at Syaikh Quro but also to another prominent Guru.. The Guru Toran’s respected tomb located on the edge of Citarum river. Batu Jaya, Karawang,[3] is another prove that the Islamization continued.
The other name of Syaikh Quro is Shaykh Qurotul`ain, Syaikh Mursyahadatillah or Syaikh Hasanuddin. He was called as Shaykh Quro because he was an expert in the Quranic recitation or qira`at who had a sweet and very melodious voice.[4] It is still unknown why he was called as Shaykh Qurotul’ain or Shaykh Mursyahadatillah whereas the name of Shaykh Hasanuddin is believed to be his real name.
Shaykh Quro was the son of Syaikh Yusuf Siddik- one of the prominent ulama in Makkah. Shaykh Yusuf Siddik who spred Islam in Campa. Shaykh Yusuf Siddik is still a descendant of Sayidina Husain bin Sayyidina Ali Karamallaahu wajhah. There is not certain record that can be found about the history of Shaykh Quro in his childhood. The written source only explains that in 1409 AD, after preaching in Campa and Malacca, Shaykh Quro visited the Martasinga Pasambangan and Japura and eventually reached the port of Muara Jati, Cirebon.[5] The arrival of Syaikh Quro was welcome by Ki Gedeng Tapa or Ki Gedeng Jumajan Jati who still had relation to Prabu Wastu Kencana. The people in the area were highly fascinated by the nature, attitudes and teachings presented by Syaikh Quro and as the result of that, many of them were interested and embraced Islam.
The preaching activities being carried out by Shaykh Quro had made the king of Pajajaran which at that time was Prabu Anggalarang worry. Syaikh Quro was asked by Raja Pajajaran to stop his preaching activities. This request was obeyed by Syaikh Quro. Shortly after that, Syekh Quro decided to leave the place. Ki Gedeng Tapa who had a great interest to study Islam in depth felt so sorry about the event happened to Syaikh Quro. Therefore, when Syaikh Quro returned to Campa, Ki Gedeng Tapa entrusted his daughter named Nyi Mas Subang Larang to Shaykh Quro to study Islam in Campa.[6]
A few years later, Shaykh Quro returned to the Pajajaran. He returned with his followers by aboarding the ship led by Admiral Cheng Ho on his way to Majapahit. On his voyage, Cheng Ho’s fleet arrived at Pura Karawang, Sheikh Hasanuddin and his followers then stoped at Karawang for some time.[7] Among the followers of Syaikh Hasnuddin (syeikh Quro) were Nyi Mas Subang Larang, Syaikh Abdul Rahman, Syaikh Maulana Madzkur and Syaikh Abdillah Dargom alias Darugem alias Bentong son of Jabir Mudofah. It is for their shympatic behavior, that eventually Shaykh Quro and his followers were given permission by the local authorities to establish the Musholla or a little Mosque (a place for worship for Muslims) as a means of worship as well as a place to live in 1418 that became the first Islamic Boarding School (Pesantren) in Karawang or even became the first Islamic boarding school in Indonesia. As for the Mushalla, it became the forerunner of the Karawang Great Mosque of today.[8]
The News about Syaikh Quro’s arrival and activities in Karawang was heard by Prabu Anggalarang who then sent his envoy led by The Crown Prince Raden Pamanah Rasa to close Syaikh Quro boarding school (Pesantren). As soon as Pamanah rasa arrived at the Pesantren, he happened to listen to the melodious recitation of the holy Quran being recited by Nyi Mas Subang Larang and Pamanah Rasa was captured by its melody. He then finally decided not to close the Pesantren as being commanded by the king Prabu Anggalarang. In addition to that, Pamanah Rasa felt in love with Nyi Mas Subang Larang. Finally, after Raden Pamanah Rasa entering Islam, he married to Subang Larang. It is from this marriage, they had three sons and daughters namely Raden Walangsungsang, Nyi Mas Rara Santang, and Raja Sangara. King Sangara was known as Prabu Kian Santang or Sunan Rohmat who became the preacher of Islam in the Sunda land.[9] Moreover, according to Ridwan Saidi, Kian Santang was also the preacher of Islam in Betawi, particularly in the Karawang area.
In the end of his life, Shaykh Quro retreated from his pesantren to Pulobata village, Pulokalapa Village which is part of the Lemahabang sub-district and still remained in the Karawang territory. There is an interesting information about the location of Syaikh Quro’s grave. According to one of the Imams (religious leader in Islam) of the Great Mosque of Karawang. Syaikh Quro died and was buried right in front of the Great Mosque of Karawang which is now covered by the wall. This is done for the porpose of keeping the people of not to visit his grave and occult him.[10] However, in the book of Ikhthisar (Brief History) of Shaykh Qurotul’ain, it is stated that the tomb of Shaykh Quro is in Pulobata. Therefore, based on that information, many people came to visit him for various purposes. E. Sutisna, one of descendants of Raden Somaredja who discovered the tomb of Shaykh Quro in Pulobata admitted that the word maqam does not mean tomb but the place where the syaikh once passed by. In Arabic Maqam means the place somebody stands. Thus, the word Maqam here is the place of standing and not in the term of Indonesian which can mean the tomb. Sutisna admitted that it is merely “maqam” or petilasan, and not the real tomb or grave of the Syaikh. So it could be said that the grave of Shaykh Quro is located in Karawang great mosque, not the one that is in Pulobata.[11]
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[1] Delivered by Ridwan Saidi at the Halaqah Betawi Corner at JIC, Wednesday, March 4, 2009.
Ridwan Saidi wrote it “Sheikh Kuraa”. While the Culture and Tourism Office of Karawang Regency, West Java wrote it with Sheikh Quro. It is as explained on a written document submitted to JIC regarding to further research on the Intellectual Genealogy of the Betawi Ulama, Monday, October 18, 2010.
[2] Ridwan Saidi, Potret Budaya Manusia Betawi, (Jakarta: Perkumpulan Renaissance Indonesia, 2011), Ed-1, p. 117.
[3] Ibid
[4] Jojo Sukmadilaga, (etc.), Ikhthisar Sejarah Singkat Syekh Qurotul`ain, (Karawang: Mahdita, 2009), Ed-1, p. 10.
[5] Ibid
[6] Ibid
[7] Cik Hasan Bisri, Yeti Heryati, and Eva Rufaidah (ed.), Pergumulan Islam dengan Kebudayaan Lokal di Tatar Sunda, (Bandung: Kaki Langit, 2005), Ed-1,p. .49.
[8] Jojo Sukmadilaga, etc, Ikhthisar Sejarah Singkat Syekh Qurotul`ain, op. cit., p. 11..
[9] Ibid. P. 13
[10] Interview with one of the priests in the Great Mosque of Karawang, Monday, October 18, 2010, name withheld.
[11] Interview with E. Sutisna, the Head of Pulokalapa village, Lemahabang, Karawang at his residence. Monday, October 18, 2010.