Yaa Qowiyyu: Exploring the Traditions of Kyai Ageng Gribig's Legacy in Klaten

Every Safar month in the Islamic calendar, the people of Klaten Regency carry out the Ya Qowiyyu tradition which is a legacy of Ki Ageng Gribig hundreds of years ago. Ki Ageng Gribig, whose real name was Wasibagno Timur, was a great scholar who spread Islam in Krajan Village, Jatinom, Klaten and its surroundings. Ki Ageng Gribig was very good at preaching strategies, so that his preaching hit the hearts of the people.

Many of them, who were atheists at the time, eventually embraced Islam. One day, Ki Ageng Gribig returned from Mecca and brought a souvenir in the form of apem cakes to be distributed to relatives, students, and neighbors. Because it was not enough, Ki Ageng Gribig then asked his family to make apem cakes. Apem, which comes from the word affum and means sorry, is then called apem Ya Qowiyyu.

The word Ya Qowiyyu was given because when closing the recitation, Ki Ageng Gribig always prayed a prayer that read "Ya qowiyu yaa aziz qowina wal muslimin, ya qowiyyu warsuqna wal muslimin". This means, "O God, give strength to all of us Muslims". Starting from that story, spreading apem Yaa Qowiyyu has become a tradition of the Klaten people until now.

The tradition of Yaa Qowiyyu and the spread of apem has a symbolic meaning.

Another source states that the tradition of Yaa Qowiyyu and sebar apem has a symbolic meaning. After returning from the pilgrimage, Ki Ageng Gribig brought souvenirs in the form of two loaves of bread. Since his family was large, Ki Ageng Gribig ordered his wife, Raden Ayu Emas Winongan, to put the cake in jladeran dough made from cooked rice flour.

The cake was later known as apem, which is said to come from the Arabic word affan, which means forgiveness. This apem by Ki Ageng Gribig was then distributed to his family, neighbors, and the poor around him. That is the value of noble attitude that must be maintained from a Ki Ageng Gribig.