Wali Songo and the Study of Manuscripts

The Manuscripts relating to the Historicity of Wali Songo

as a Reliable Reference
(Historical and Philological Overview of “Babad Cerbon” Codex CS
114 PNRI)

By Ahmad Baso
Presented at the Annual International Conference on Multidisciplinary Approach to Islam
(AICMAI III): Reinventing Wali Songo in History: Past, Present, and Future”, organized by UIN
WaliSongo Semarang, November 4, 2021

There are two interconnected modes of transmission of Wali Songo’s manuscripts regarding
earlier period of Islamisation in Nusantara, which are determining the positon of a
mansucript whether or not reliable and trusted as a historical reference:

First, a manuscript that originated from a direct primary sources: namely transmission,
through teacher-to-student or father-to-son or daughter relation, in one particular text. There
are, as far as we know, two primary manuscripts of this kind that are still preserved: the
manuscript of Maulana Hasanuddin from his father (Sunan Gunung Jati) (Codex CS 114
PNRI and its various recensions) and the manuscript of Sunan Giri Dalem (Sunan Giri the
Second) from his father, Sunan Giri the First or Sunan Giri Prabu Satmata (Codex LOr 6780
with its various recensions).       

Second, a manuscript that consists of indirect primary sources: namely primary sources that
were narrated based on contemporary materials and/or the ones narrated indirectly, namely
through textual networks of quotations and intertextualities, rewriting and reformulation in
new editions, or translation from primary sources.   

The life history of Kangjeng Sunan Kalijaga is found in direct primary sources and in
indirect primary sources

These are some manuscripts that belong to the first category, i.e., primary sources having
historical value:

1. Babad Cirebon Codex CS 105 in Javanese script (181 pages) and Codex CS 114 in
Pegon script (182 pages) from the collections of the National Library of Indonesia
(PNRI). Both are a direct account of Maulana Hasanuddin (Sultan of Banten I, died
 around the 1550s) on the history of Wali Songo from his father, Kangjeng Sunan
Gunung Jati Syarif Hidayatullah. Codex CS 105 and codex CS 114 are European
paper copies of 1869 from pegon manuscript belonging to K.F. Holle and the one
from Banten and West Java, later became the collection of Bataviaasch Genootschap
(now the National Museum of Jakarta), then stored in PNRI collection.1

On page 153 of Codex CS 114 is written as follows: 

Punika kang agaduh Maulana Hasanuddin, katimbal datang Maulana Yusuf,

katimbal datang Pangeran Arya Rana Manggala, katimbal datang Sultan Abu al-
Mafakhir, katimbal datang Pangeran Arya Mandura Radya, katimbal datang Ratu
Bagus, Wirtamadya katimbal datang Pangeran Arya Wirasmara, katimbal datang
Pangeran Ardi, katimbal datang Ratu Bagus Muhammad Saleh. Moga sami sinungan
rahmat dening Allah Ta’ala. Amin
(The manuscript belongs to Maulana Yusuf (son of Maulana Hasanuddin, Sultan of
Banten), passing down to Prince Arya Rana Manggala (son of Maulana Yusuf), then
passing down to Sultan Abu al-Mafakhir (Sultan of Banten, died 1651), then passing
down to Prince Arya Mandura Radya (son of Sultan Abu al-Mafakhir), then passing
down to Ratu Bagus, Wirtamadya (or Wiratmaja, son-in-law of Sultan Abu al-
Mafakhir), then passing down to Prince Arya Wirasmara (son of Sultan Abu al-
Mafakhir), then passing down to Prince Ardi (i.e., Prince Arya Ardikusuma, grandson
of Sultan Abu al-Mafakhir), then passing down to Ratu Bagus Muhammad Saleh
(grandson of Sultan Abu al-Mafakhir, died around 1725 2). May all be blessed by
Allah The Highest with His Grace. Ameen.)

So, the evidence shows the Codex CS 114 and its various editorial variants (within
the same text) directly originated from the redaction of Maulana Hasanuddin himself
from his father, Sunan Gunung Jati. The following is the genealogical tree of the
codex:

1
T.E. Behrend (ed.), Katalog Induk Naskah-naskah Nusantara Jilid 4: Perpustakaan Nasional Republik
Indonesia (Jakarta: YOI & EFEO, 1998), pp. 136, 137.
2
On the names mentioned above, see Hoesein Djajadiningrat, Critische beschouwing van de Sadjarah
Banten: Bijdrage ter kenschetsing van de javaansche geschiedschrijving (Haarlem: J. Enschedee, 1913),
p. 197.
 2. Codex LOr 7388 in pegon script of the Leiden University Library from the Snouck
Hurgronje collection, copied in 1906, entitled Sajarah Banten Rante-rante.3
3
See Theodore G. Th. Pigeaud, Literature of Java: Catalogue Raisonné of Javanese Manuscripts in the
Library of the University of Leiden and Other Public Collections in the Netherlands (Leiden: Bibliotheca
Universitatis Leidensis, 1967), vol. 2, p. 426.
 3. Codex LOr 1746 from 1818 entitled Hikayat Hasanuddin, which is a translation of a
pegon manuscript wirh a similar redaction with Codex CS 114. In the colophon on f.
41 is written as follows: “Bahwa surat kitab ini namanya salasila daripada
Rasulullah dan turun-temurun dari bangsa Jawa yang besar2, maka yang menyurat
dia Mukri bin Utsman yang ada dibawa perintah dari tuan besar, maka tersurat pada
kantor seketari [Algemene Secretarie in Batavia] pada 29 bulan Muharam tahun
1234 [28 November 1818].”4 The manuscript was discussed by Jan Edel in his
dissertation in 1938 as Ms. A of the Malay redaction.5
4. Codex LOr 1711 of the Leiden University Library and its twin, Ceritera Hasanuddin
Malayo-polynesien 140 stored in the National Library of Paris, and was a provenance of
Royal Academy of Delft from 1864. This manuscript was also discussed in Jan Edel in
his dissertation in 1938 as Ms. B of the Malay redaction.6
5. A pegon manuscripts that was a provenance of Hoesein Djajadiningrat from early 20th
century Banten, identified by Edel as Ms. A of the Javanese redaction.7

Meanwhile, for the manuscripts that belong to second category, i.e. indirect primary sources
or primary sources having intertextualities in one or another way with the Codex CS 114 and
Codex CS 105:  

1. Hikayat Banjar manuscripts in Malay-jawi scrift identified by J.J. Ras in his

book as having more than 20 codexes dating from the 18th to 19th centuries. 8
And almost all of them (especially the manuscripts of Recension I according to
the category of Ras) contain excerpts referring to the older sources about the
beginning of Islamization in Java, which began with the emergence of Sunan
Ampel referred to in the text as "Raja Bungsu".9 That latter is explicated in
Codex CS 114 and Codex CS 105 PNRI as the name of Sunan Ampel: “awasta
Syekh Raja Bungsu inggih punika ingkang jujuluk Pangeran Ampel Denta”10
(who is called Syekh Raja Bungsu is referring to Sunan Ampel Denta). Hikayat
Banjar then provides evidence of the authenticity of Codex CS 114 PNRI and

4
E.P. Wieringa, Catalogue of Malay and Minangkabau Manuscripts in the Library of Leiden University
and Other Collections in the Netherlands (Vol. 1: Comprising the Acquisitions of Malay Manuscripts in
Leiden University Library up to the Year 1896) (ed. Joan de Lijster-Streef & Jan Just Witkam) (Leiden:
Legatum Warnerium in Leiden University Library, 1998), pp. 103-6.
5
Jan Edel, Hikajat Hasanoeddin (Meppel, Drenthe: B. ten Brink, 1938),p. 15.
6
Ibid., p. 16.
7
Ibid., p. 12.
8
See J.J. Ras, Hikajat Bandjar: A Study in Malay Historiography (The Hague: Nijhoff, 1968), chapter 10.
9
“Adapun tatkala dahulu kala kawula menengar [mendengar] khabar orang tua2 itu”. Hikayat Banjar
Codex Add 12392, f. 42v-43v, from British Library collection.
10
Codex CS 114 PNRI, p. 175.
 its various recensions as primal reference for the early days of Islamisation in
15th century Java. 
2.  Sajarah Demak Codex BL Add 12313 (copy 1712/1790 AD), p. 2v-31r,

Crawfurd's collection from 1842.11

3.  Babad Tanah Jawi Drajat (The History of Java version Drajat ), Codex EAP

061/2/54, consists of 165 folios (325 pages) from Pesantren Paciran

Lamongan.12 It has similar redaction with Babad Demak Mataram Codex CS 60
PNRI in Javanese script, 187 pages, copied from a lontar manuscript entitled
Babad Demak Mataram Codex 24 L 387 of the National Library of Jakarta. 
4. A Balinese lontar manuscript entitled Raden Patah, collection of Perpus Dinas
Kebudayaan Propinsi Bali in Denpasar.   
5. Serat Babad Gresik Codex PB A 116 or MSB S138, in Javanese script,
collection of Sonobudoyo Museum in Yogyakarta.13 Its similar manuscripts are
Babad Gresik Codex LOr 6780 collection of Leiden University Library and
Codex RP 137 SMP/RP 16 collection of Radya Pustaka Museum in Surakarta14;
and Babad Gresik in pegon script with its transliteration by Aminuddin Kasdi in
1990.15
6. Babad Sasak Codex K. 15/P, collection of Perpus Dinas Kebudayaan Propinsi
Bali in Denpasar, consisting of 307 lempir, belongs to Gusti Putu Djelantik
Singaraja. It has similar manuscripts: Babad Lombok Codex 82 E 41 PNRI, and
the manuscript of the Museum of NTB in Mataram, which was transliterated by
Lalu Wacana entitled Babad Lombok in 1972.16
7. Manuscript of Babad Ampel Denta Codex PB A 200/MSB, collection of
Sonobudoyo Museum, Yogyakarta, in Javanese script.

 
 

11
M.C. Ricklefs & Voorhoeve, Indonesian Manuscripts in Great Britain, pp. 48-9.
12
The manuscript was digitized in 2006 and can be accessed fully online at the British Library's
“Endangered Archives Programs” page: https://eap.bl.uk/archive-file/EAP061-2-54#?c=0&m
=0&s=0&cv=0 (accessed May 2, 2018).
13
See T. E. Behrend, Katalog Naskah Nusantara: Museum Sonobudoyo, p. 75.
14
See Nancy K. Florida, Javanese Literature in Surakarta Manuscripts (Vol. 1:Introduction and
Manuscripts of the Karaton Surakarta) (Ithaca: Southeast Asia Program, Cornell University, 1993), pp.
52-3.
15
Babad Gresik: Transkripsi Babad versi Arab Pegon (transliterasi Aminuddin Kasdi) (Gresik: Pemda
Kabupaten Gresik, 1990).
16
Lalu Wacana, Babad Lombok (Jakarta: Proyek Penerbitan Buku Bacaan dan Sastra Indonesia dan
Daerah-Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, 1976); Cf. for summary of this manuscript Geoffrey E.
Marrison, Sasak and Javanese Literature of Lombok (Leiden: KITLV Press, 1999), pp. 69-70.