Wali Sanga were nine Muslim saints who introduced Islam into Java, Indonesia, in the 1400’s. Wali is Javanese for saint and sanga means nine. Most of the Wali Sanga were given the title sunan (ruler), followed by the name of the place where they lived and were buried.
The Wali Sanga were Malik Ibrahim, who died in 1419; Sunan Ngampel, or Raden Rahmat, who died in 1467; Sunan Bonang, or Makdum Ibrahim, the son of Sunan Ngampel; Sunan Giri, or Raden Paku; Sunan Gunung Jati, who died about 1570; Sunan Kudus; Sunan Murya; Sunan Drajat, another son of Sunan Ngampel; and Sunan Kalijaga. Historians differ over some details of the list of the nine saints.
