Unveiling the ethical praxis of Sunan Kalijaga in the traditional Javanese song ‘ Ilir-Ilir ’

This article explores the practical teachings of Sunan Kalijaga as embedded in the Javanese traditional song Ilir-Ilir, which is often regarded merely as a children’s lullaby. However, a deeper hermeneutical and cultural reading reveals that the song contains symbolic messages rooted in Javanese wisdom and Islamic ethical values. Using a qualitative interpretative approach based on text analysis, the study examines how Sunan Kalijaga employed cultural symbols, such as the starfruit (belimbing) and the metaphor of a shepherd (cah angon), to convey ethical and moral guidance to Javanese society during a transitional period from the Majapahit kingdom to the Demak Sultanate. The study finds that the values taught in Ilir-Ilir—including the avoidance of violence, theft, dishonesty, immoral acts, and intoxication—resonate with the Buddhist Pancasila, and demonstrate the alignment of Javanese spiritual tradition with Islamic teachings. This research underscores how cultural acculturation and symbolic pedagogy were instrumental in transmitting Islamic teachings without alienating local traditions, thus offering a model of contextual and integrative religious education.