<![CDATA[Kudus was the only city in Java named after Arabic (al-Quds), meaning "the holy or sacred." The city in Central Java was built by Sunan Kudus, one of the walisongo (the nine saints), early Islamic spreaders in Java in the 15th–16th centuries; it was made sacred by the Javanese people. The Kudus community believed that the city’s existence and continuity were related to the sacred figure of Sunan Kudus. This study aimed to understand the meaning of the sacred city of Kudus. The method used in this study was descriptive, analytical, and interpretive, referred to as the processual symbolic analysis. To reveal the meaning of Kudus as the sacred city, there were two steps. First step: interpreted every step of the ritual of Sunan Kudus haul through the symbols created and used by the people involved, which could be observed in their behavior. Second step: interpreted the relation of symbols and related it to the whole system and the practice of community life in Kudus city. The analysis and interpretation of the meaning is carried out within the framework of Javanese culture. The results of this study concluded that the ritual of Sunan Kudus haul aimed to ensure safety and welfare, support the ritual's annual continuity, and make it taboo. Kyais and students (santri) play a big role. This study was expected to contribute to knowledge in general and could position it in the global context of sacred places.]]>
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