Wetu Telu

Wetu Telu ("three times") is a sect of Islamic beliefs of the Sasak people of Lombok, Indonesia. Practitioners pray three times a day, which differs from orthodox Sunni Islam called Waktu Lima, in which practitioners pray five times a day.^[1] Adherents of Wetu Telu also only practice three of the Five Pillars of Islam, which are Shahada (Declaration of Faith), Salah (Prayer), and Sawm (Fasting). These practices can be represented by Kyai as religious leader of the community. Wetu Telu also incorporates some native beliefs of ancestral worship and animism and Hinduism and Buddhism.^[2][3][4][5]

Mosque in Bayan, Lombok, Indonesia

History

The Sasaks converted to Islam between the late 16th century to early 17th century under the influence of Pangeran Prapen (Sunan Prapen), the son of Raden Paku (Sunan Giri)^[6][7] or Sunan Giri himself and the Muslim Makassarese, frequently mixing basic Islamic beliefs with Hindu-Buddhist beliefs, thus creating the Wetu Telu religion.^[8][9] Lombok was conquered by the Gelgel Balinese kingdom in the early 16th century,^[10] thus bringing a large population of Balinese to Lombok. The Balinese population of Lombok today is about 300,000, 10–15% of Lombok's population. The Balinese have also strongly influenced the Wetu Telu religion of Lombok.^[4]