REVITALIZING THE SUNAN KUDUS’ MULTICULTURALISM IN RESPONDING ISLAMIC RADICALISM IN INDONESIA

Abstrak

This article’s main focus is on exploring Sunan Kudus’multiculturalism in Java with special focus on revitalizing them in responding Islamic radicalism in Indonesia. In this writing the authors use the semiotic and phenomenological approaches and supported by the oral history. Semiotics in this case can be a form of deconstruction of the understanding that was considered to be established. So it will be able to find the cultural capital with does not separate the spiritualism of Sunan Kudus. Some important conclusions are: First, the presence of Sunan Kudus in has brought the mission of Walisong to transmit a peaceful Islam in Java through a cultural approach, according to prominent local situation and conditions of each. Second, Sunan Kudus has built a successful political integration with the rights of democratic participation that considers tolerance and equality for citizens even though dealing with the different religious communities such as Hindu and Confucianism so that awakened a ‘social system’ with democratic civility, known as “Kudus Darussalam”. Third, the values and spirit of multiculturalism of Sunan Kudus are a cultural capital that will be the habitus of the community and strengthen democratic civility to the level of actions (behaviors), when reconstructed through a systematic educational values in responding the Islamic radicalism in the name of democracy. Keywords: Revitalizing, Sunan Kudus’ multiculturalism, Islamic radicalism