Week 7 (i)

Islam in Malay Civilization

Theories of the Arrival of IslamEffect and Influence

Islam in Malay Civilization

• Historical Phase of Malay Civilization– Arrival of a group of people named Malays– Influenced by Indian and accept the religion

and culture– Embrace Islam as their religion– Invaded by foreign force– Independence – nation building

Malay before Islam• Malay archipelago was strategically

located and attracted many world power

• Malay beliefs– Animism (supernatural power)– Hinduism-Buddhism– Hinduism + Animism– Islam

Malay before Islam…cont

• Politic– Feudal system (king has the utmost power)– People are servant of the king– Absolute monarchy

• Knowledge Awareness– Less important– Scholars are not significant compared to bomoh,

pawang, tok nujum– Educational institution not developed– People were more interested in arts (monuments etc.)

• Social Stratification– 2 levels

• Kings and the aristocrats• The people or the servants

– Different laws– Color differentiation– Discrimination in laws, inheritance

Malay before Islam…cont

Theories of the Arrival of Islam

• From Arab– The Arabs from South Arab Peninsular were the first

group who cross the Indian ocean. They were the sailors and traders.

– Good relationship with Malay archipelago before Islam came. When Islam spread to Yemen, the traders embrace Islam and so the new belief spread to Malay archipelago.

– The Umayyad caliphates has spread Islam to South East Asian countries and China (715-717M)

– Evidence of the existence of Shiah at Sumatera until 13M.

– The King of Malacca embrace Islam in the hand of Sheikh Abdul Aziz from Jeddah

• From India– Malay society always look on India for

consultations and ideas including religious belief

– Same sect (Mazhab Shafie) with Indian continents

– Gujerat traders played a role in spreading Islam to the Malays

– Evidence of gravestones. One in Gersik (1419M) had similar structures with one in Gujerat

• This theory is not accepted by many historians due to the conflicts with other evidence

• From China and Champa– Islam spread to China long before Islam and it

was Chinese who spread Islam to Malay arch.– Evidence from the Sung Dynasty that Islam

arrived at Nusantara through South China Sea by Chinese traders.

– Another theory is Islam comes from Champa. Evidence shows that Champa had good relationship with Malays and Islam spreads to Champa from China before move to Malay arch.

Effect and Influence of Islam as a religion for Malays

(Student Activity)

POLITICS ECONOMY

SOCIAL

EFFECT/INFLUENCE