World Journal of Islamic History and Civilization, 2 (2): 58-65, 2012

ISSN 2225-0883
IDOSI Publications, 2012

Islam and the Malay World: An Insight into the Assimilation of Islamic Values
Mohd. Shuhaimi Bin Haji Ishak and Osman Chuah Abdullah
Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences,
International Islamic University Malaysia, Jalan Gombak, 53110 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Abstract: The spread of Islam to the Malay World, a term used to refer to the majority of Malay-Muslim
dominated nations such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and the minority Malay-Muslim population of Vietnam,
Cambodia, Thailand, Singapore and Philippines brought several changes. Before the arrival of Islam the Malay
civilisation was characterised by Hindu and Buddhist influence. The impacts of Islamic civilisation from the
West Asia to the Malay world are enormous. The Malays then had not only given up their polytheistic belief
in many gods to the firm belief in Al-Tawhid, but had changed their life towards Islam. The Malays had fully
adopted a life based on Islamic principles as evidenced in social and religious gatherings such as wedding
ceremony, kenduri (feast) and doa selamat (acts of thanksgiving to Allah). This paper attempts to highlight
the unique relation of Islam and the Malay world through the formers expansion in terms of religious faith,
assimilation of Islamic values in socio-religious life of the people, the roles of Islamic institutions such as
mosques and madrasahs.
Key words: Islam

West Asia

Malay World

Socio-religious life and Islamic Institutions

INTRODUCTION

Thus, the Malay civilisation before Islam set foot

was characterised by Hindu and Buddhist influences
[6].
The influence of Indian cultures in the Malay
world between the fourth and seventh century were
from five perspectives as discussed in the following
section.
First, the influence of the teachings of Hinduism and
Buddhism. Both religions believe in the idea of the
transmigration souls. In accordance with this belief,
every human beings had to undergo a series of lives,
deaths and rebirths, depending on the form he would take
in the next reincarnation. The ultimate journey of a human
soul is the breaking away from the cycle of rebirths and
uniting with the Divine. In Hinduism the liberation of
the cycle is called Moksha while in Buddhism, it is
Nirwana [6].
Second, the influence of Indian literatures, especially
the two great epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata, both
of which were written in the language of Sanskrit. Scenes
from the poems and stories are portrayed in the wayang
kulit in Indonesia, Kelantan and Patani [6].

The Malay world is a world which included many

parts of Southeast Asia, stretching from Vietnam,
Cambodia down to southern Thailand, Malaysia,
Singapore,
Indonesia,
Brunei
and Southern
Philippines [1]. One of the earliest writings on the
topic of Malay world is the text written by
Abbullah Munsyi in 1612 known as Sejarah Melayu
or Sulalatul Salatin in Arabic [2]. Before the arrival
of Islam to the Malay world, many parts of the
region were under the Kingdom of Sriwijaya,
between the seventh and the fourteenth century
[3]. The Kingdom of Sriwijaya was greatly
influenced by Hindu-Buddhist traditions. The Indian
merchants from India came to Southeast Asia as early
as the fourth century and continued their trading
activities within the regions occupied by the
Kingdom of Sriwijaya until the fourteenth century
[4]. In fact the spread of Buddhism and Indian
traditions contributed
towards the growth of
commerce and trade across the Malay world [5].

Corresponding Author: Mohd. Shuhaimi Bin Haji Ishak, Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences,
International Islamic University Malaysia, Jalan Gombak, 53110 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

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World J. Islamic History & Civilization, 2 (2): 58-65, 2012

Third, the influence of arts from Indian schools of

Arts, the Amaravati and the Guptas. The Borobudur in
Java and Angkor Wat in Cambodia, are respectively
Javanese and Khmer in design and workmanship, though
both bear witness to the inspiration of Indian art and
religion [6].
Fourth, the influence of Indian idea of kingship.
The Indian Book of Manu (Manu Smitri) lays down a
clear statement of the power and position of the king.
As an example, Kings are vastly superior to other created
beings because they are made of the essences of the
gods [6]. Clearly, the traditional Malay concept of power
or rather authority means loyalty to a legitimate authority
and it is unthinkable that anyone could be disloyal to
such a power. The Malay kingdoms were in Java, Sumatra
and Malay Peninsula, whose leaders then used titles of
Maharaja and Raja [7].
Fifth, the worshipping of nature or the belief of the
presence of divinity in creations which is known as
pantheism. The ancient Indians believed that mountains
were the abode of gods. This aspect of pantheistic belief
spread in the Malay world. Hindu and Buddhist temples
and shrines were built close to a hill or mountain.
Examples of such sites are Bukit Seguntang in Palembang
and Gunung Jerai in Kedah, Malaysia [9].

Muslim

% of Total

Country

Total
Population

population
(No.)

Southeast Asian
Muslim Community

Brunei

388,190

260,087

67

0.1

Darussalam
Cambodia

14,494,293

304,380

2.1

0.12

Indonesia
Malaysia

240,271,522
25,749,600

206,873,780
14,084,700

86.1
54.7

84.56
5.46

Philippines
Thailand

97,976,603
65,905,410

13,716,724
9,226,757

14
14

5.6
3.77

Singapore
Vietnam

4,463,542
86,967,524

791,782
86,968

17
0.1

0.32
0.03

Malay world

536,216,684

245,315,178

(%)

100%

With the arrival of Islam, the impacts of the faith

and culture from West Asia are conspicuous. The paper
analyses the impacts on the Malay world on the
assimilation of Islamic values in social-religious and the
roles of the Islamic institutions such as mosques and
madrasahs as institutions to reflect faith and identity.
Assimilation of Islamic Values in the Socio-Religious
Life: The emergence and spread of Islamic civilization
from West Asia had a profound impact on the Malay
world. A very strong factor for the quick spread of Islam
in the Malay world is the aspect of equality of man.
W.F. Wertheim in his book entitled Indonesian Society in
Transition: A Study of Social Change says the following
[11]:

Islam and the Malay World: The Malay world or

sometimes fondly referred to as Nusantara refers to the
world of islands. The arrival of Islam to the Malay world
was through Pasai, a state in northern Sumatra in the
twelfth century brought by the Arab traders from Saudi
Arabia [9]. While Pasai was recognised as the pioneering
state to accept Islam, it was generally accepted that it was
Malacca that provided the impetus for Islamic leadership
and administration of the Malay states in the region.
Parameswaras conversion to Islam after his marriage with
a Pasai princess around 1414 and his adoption of the
Muslim Megat Iskandar Shah was one reason for the
rapid spread of the religion [1].
Malacca was regarded the major catalyst in the
eventual expansion of Islam to other regions such as
Palembang in Sumatra, Patani in southern Thailand, North
Borneo, Brunei and Mindanao in southern Philippines [1].
While in Cambodia, the Champ Muslims possess one of
Southeast Asias oldest Kufic inscription (calligraphy)
dating to 1035.
The tabulation of Southeast Asian Muslims in 2009
is shown in the following table [10]:

Islam gave the small man a sense of individual worth

as the member of the Islamic community. According
to the Hindu ideology he was merely a creature of
lower order than the members of the higher castes.
Under Islam he could, as it were, feel himself their
equal, or even, in his equality as a Muslim, the
superior of such of them as were not Muslims
themselves, even though he still occupied a
subordinate position in the social structure.
Pillars of Islam: Islamic religious tenets and principles are
the main source of guidance among the Malays. While the
basic principles and practices as instructed by the Quran
and the Sunnah have remained, there are elaborations
according to the Malay traditional practices. The most
important fundamental religious practices followed rigidly
by the Malays are the performance of Pillars of Islam.
The Malays observe all the basics tenets of Islam.
Liturgical prayers are performed five times daily. They
perform the religious ritual of fasting for 30 days during
the month of Ramadan and pay zakat (tithe) on income
and production. They also look forward to performing the
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World J. Islamic History & Civilization, 2 (2): 58-65, 2012

pilgrimage, a requirement once in a life time for those with

financial means and good health [12]. For the purpose of
prayer, it can be done alone or in congregation performed
at the mosque or a small prayer house known as surau or
mussalla.
Unlike the Arabs who will wear the long robe for
prayer, the Malays maintain their traditional costumes.
Normally, the Malays in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei,
adorn the Baju Melayu and sarong with a cap head dress
or white skull cap [12]. The Champ Malays in Cambodia
and Vietnam have Malay elements in their traditional
costumes. Many of the men wear hand-woven sarongs
and embroidered caps [13]. The Malays in Thailand and
Philippines also wear sarongs with a cap head dress or
white skull cap. The Indonesians, though diverse in the
traditional costumes due to its large population across
many islands, still have the sarong as the main costume
and clothing made from batik or plaid cloth with either a
songkok, a white skull cap or head dress [14].
Daily and Friday prayers are almost routine religious
performance for the Malays. The most celebrated prayers,
normally perform in congregation are those during the Eid
al-Fitri and Eid al-Adha. The Malays would dress up for
the occasion during the prayers. The Malays from
Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei would adorn new Baju
Melayu and gold threaded sarong called samping for the
congregation prayer performed at the mosques [12].
The Malays from the various regions of the Malay
world observe the month of Ramadan by fasting for 30
days. Fasting demands abstinence from eating, drinking
and sexual relationship from dawn to sunset. During the
month of Ramadan, the Malays prefer to concentrate on
religious matters such as reading the Quran, normally
after prayers during the day. While at night after the Isya
prayer, they would go to nearest mosque or surau to
perform the commendable terawih prayer [12].
Finally, the pilgrimage to Mecca is the central yearly
religious events for millions of Malays. This is a central
event of many Muslims religious experience in the world:
more capital, both financial and spiritual, is spent in
performing the hajj than in most other activities of ones
religious life [15]. Hajj is an observance to be performed
only once in a lifetime by every sane, adult and free
Muslim provided he is physically fit to undertake the trip
and the passage to and from Mecca is safe and the pilgrim
has the means and the money to undertake the journey
[16]. The pilgrims from Southeast Asia stay in a broad
range of housing in the Hejaz, from five-star hotels right
outside the main mosques in Mecca and Medina to

shabby rented apartment blocks, located miles from the

center of each city. These options represent the
differences in wealth that are characteristics of Southeast
Asian pilgrimage: Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, for
example, mostly stay in extremely comfortable
surroundings, while the pilgrims from the regions poorer
nations (usually Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia,
not to mention the small numbers who come from
Cambodia or Vietnam) stay in considerable less august
circumstances [15].
Despite of the discernable differences, the sole aim of
the pilgrimage remains as one of the noblest acts of
devotion to seek repentance and forgiveness from Allah
with the hope that the ritual washes off the sins.
Communal Feast: The Malays normally organize
thanksgiving feasts to commemorate certain occasions. In
Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, communal
feasts are better known as kenduri. In Southern Thailand,
they are referred to as makan pulut (glutinous rice),
usually serving chicken or beef rendang (stewed in
coconut milk). While in urban areas such as Bangkok, the
communal feastings are referred as thambun (making
merit) [17]. A Malay communal feast is held for a variety
of reasons but most commonly to offer thanksgiving or
shukur
The most noticeable religious element of the Malay
feasts is the aspect of supplication or doa which is
conducted first followed by the feast. The ritual of
supplication is normally done by an imam or a religious
teacher (uztaz). In Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, this
communal feast is known as kenduri doa selamat.
In Java, it is called selamatan while in Kalimatan in north
Borneo, it is called ringgo [12]. Another important
communal event for the Malays is the recitation of Surah
Ya-Sin every Thursday night which is performed weekly
at the mosques. Normally, after the recitation and the
supplication, there will be a small feast for the people.
On most occasions, this event coincides with another
religious ritual called tahlil arwah (prayer for the dead).
In this ritual, the emphasis of supplication is to seek
forgiveness and blessing for the dead. However, on most
occasions, the recitation of doa is to seek safety, security,
protection or fulfillment of hopes for the people [12].
The month of Ramadan is one the most celebrated
month in Islam. There are two kinds of communal feast
during the month of Ramadan. The first is known as iftar,
the fast-breaking communal feast after the call of
azan which is normally held at the mosques or suraus.
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contract by signing the proper papers (surat nikah) and

by the groom making a customary bridal gift called mas
kahwin [12]. The mas kahwin is money that varies
according to the amount fixed by the respective countrys
religious ministry.
In the Philippines, in all marriages the grooms family
pays a sum known as mautaud, which is pre-agreed by
both sets of parents. In the island of Cagayan de Sulu of
Southern Philippines, a wedding ceremony is a celebrated
occasion. The festive air of the ceremony is kept alive by
the continuous beating of the kulintang gongs (drums);
the staccato fire or firecrackers or of actual guns, the
weird sounds of accordion music accompanied by drum
beats [18]. The Champ Malays describe their marriage
rules as inclusive. The Champ communities tend to marry
largely within the neighborhood where they grew up [13].
Marriage is designed to bring about religious, moral,
social and physiological benefits to the husband and wife
[19]. In Islam, marriage is a social and moral safeguard as
well as social building unit. Through marriage, families are
established and family institutions are considered to be
the fundamental unit of society.

The Malays believe the commendable manner to break the

fast is with tamar (dates) then followed by a meal which
is considered a full dinner [12]. In villages across the
Malay world, the exchange of kuih (pastry or cake) is
practiced during the month of Ramadan among the
neighbours. The second communal feast is called more
(supper) after the terawih prayer. Unlike iftar, the meal
normally consists of tea and small cakes.
Another important communal religious feast for the
Malays after the month of Ramadan is the doa Selamat
Hari Raya Fitri (thanksgiving for Eid celebration). This is
normally done during Hari Raya Eid Fitri, right after the
congregational prayer performed at the mosques. While
on the occasion of Eid Adha, another important
communal gathering in Islam is observed. As part of the
Islamic ritual of Eid Adha is the korban (slaughtering of
cows or goats) either done within the compound or near
the mosques. This is an important ritual observed by the
Malays in all regions in the Malay world.
Marriage and Wedding: Marriage is a pivotal rite of
passage for people who have reached adulthood and
become recognized community members. To remain
unmarried, particularly of a Malay girl, constitutes a social
aberration. The notions of customary marriages across the
Malay world contrast with the romantic unions people
seek in the West. Marriages are often arranged by the
parents or require their approval [14]. In order to ascertain
the status of the girl, the mans parents normally assign a
relative to merisik (confidential examination) of the
eligibility of the girl. Then, the traditional customary
practice of meminang (proposal of marriage) by the
prospective grooms parents is held for the taking of the
girl as a daughter-in-law to be.
In Indonesia, marriage ceremony varies from one that
is lavish and expensive to one that is simple. In areas
where a brides dowry forms the crux of a nuptial
agreement, a marriage would require so many buffaloes,
horses, gold jewelry and so on. In some regions in
Indonesia, a marriage ceremony is a simple event
conducted by the Qadi and members of the family at the
brides house [14].
In many parts of the Malay world, the aspect of
marriage is a technical legitimating of a marital contract
between the couple as publicly witnessed by others.
It involves a clear utterance of giving away (ijab) by the
wali (normally the father) and an equally clear utterance
of acceptance (kabul) by the groom. The whole process
is called akad nikah. The bride and the groom seal the

Roles Mosques and Madrasahs

Mosques: Mosques serve as the focal point of the
religious and communal life of Muslims in the Malay
world. These mosques are found throughout the Malay
world to serve the needs of the Muslim community. In the
less inhabited areas, suraus (small praying houses) are
built to fulfill the socio-religious needs of the Muslims.
Technically, a mosque is a place of worship for the
Muslims. But, in the Malay world, particularly, where the
Muslims are minorities, mosques serve many different
functions apart from conducting the congregational
prayer. They are important venues for Islamic educational
programs, deliberations of community affairs and function
as the community service centre and even as secretariat
office.
In many regions of the Malay world, the main
function of a mosque is as a house of worship. Muslims
go to the mosques daily to perform their five prayers.
Congregational prayers are commended whereby the
reward is twenty-seven times that of praying alone.
Compulsory congregational prayer every Friday adds
further significance to the role of the mosque as the house
of worship for Muslims. Other important religious
occasions for the Muslims are prayers on Eid Fitri and
Eid Adha and the terawih prayer during the month of
Ramadhan. The akad nikah of a Malay marriage
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World J. Islamic History & Civilization, 2 (2): 58-65, 2012

ceremony is often conducted at a mosque as Muslims

believe in the blessing of the mosque for a long lasting
marriage for the couple.
Mosques and suraus across the Malay world are the
learning centers for children to learn and read the Quran.
Learning to read the Quran is fard ayn, a religious
obligation for every Muslim, male or female. Other forms
of education offered by the mosques are religious classes
for children and adults and religious lectures and talks.
Another important role of the mosques in the Malay world
is the main venue for religious-communal life of the
Muslims. Important religious events such as korban
(slaughtering of cows and goats) on Eid Adha and the
Prophets (saw) birthday or maulud are held every year.
Majority of the mosques and suraus are funded by
Muslims themselves, either through waqf (endowments)
and donations. There are mosques constructed from
funds, the bulk of which from endowments from wealthy
families or from the Muslim business community. Others
were built from monies raised through various activities
like house-to-house donations, public contributions,
donations from traders and sales of souvenirs. In Muslim
countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei, the
respective governments allocate some funds for the
building and maintenance of mosques [20]. In Thailand,
the government gives subsidies to meet the management
expenses of the mosques but they are required to register
officially and become a member of Chularatchamontri
socio-religious bureau [17]. In Cambodia, there are 268
mosques and 200 musalla which are active in 317 Muslim
villages [21].
In Singapore, the multiplicity of functions of the
mosques is particularly evident in a group of six mosques,
namely the Mujahirin Mosque, Mujahidin Mosque,
Assakirin Mosque, An-Nur Mosque, Al-Muttaqin
Mosque and Al-Ansar) that were built from 1977 to 1980
[20]. This is the most tangible and significant multifunctional feature of the mosques as this characteristic
added a new dimension of their socio-religious
functioning for the benefits of Muslims. The mosques are
not only the house of worships and learning of Islam but
are venues for the organizations of many social functions
such as weddings, gatherings and even accommodation
for travelers.

children to study Quran and basic teachings of Islam

[22]. In Indonesia, the Islamic educational institution is
called pesantren which stems from santri which means
one who seeks Islamic knowledge. In Java and Madura,
pesantren is familiarly known as pondok, while in Sumatra
it is generally known as surau [23]. In the Philippines, the
Islamic school is called makatib, from the Arabic word
kataba, to write, and typically consists of small tutorial
classes conducted at the mosque or the home of the
teacher [24].
The madrasahs in the the Malay world is a very
important Islamic educational institution. Muslims built
a mosque and a madrasah whenever they settled down.
In majority of instances, the school is part of the mosque
[25]. A madrasah Islamic education normally teaches
pupils the essential aspects of worship in Islam, recitation
of the Quran, study of Arabic language, Jawi and Islamic
sciences. In Singapore, a madrasah education includes
the study of basic mathematics and social studies [26].
The Muslims in the Philippines normally opt for a
madrasah education but the government has rationalized
the curriculum by broadening their education to include
subjects like mathematics, science, social studies and
English which was implemented in 1990, known as
integrated madaris [27]. However, the Department of
Education is hindered by constitutional restrictions that
prevent direct support to religious school [28].
The mediums of instruction at primary level are
Malay and Arabic while at secondary level, the medium of
instruction is Arabic. In Cambodia, the children study in
Arabic and in Champ language [13]. The medium of
instruction for madrasah education in the Philippines is
Arabic as the Muslims want to preserve their Islamic
identity in view of their long negative experiences of
colonization under the Spanish and American imperialism
[24]. Madrasah Islamic education in secondary level in
the Muslim world is conducted in the Arabic language
and along the model curriculum of Al-Azhar University
[29]. This is to ensure the eligibility of the students later
in higher education in universities in Egypt and West
Asia.
The majority of the madrasahs in the Malay world are
privately funded by Muslim themselves. Brunei offers free
schooling to its entire citizen. However, full religious
schools at the secondary level are offered to only the best
students [30]. As the Sultanate Kingdom is a nation with
huge oil reserves which are its major source of revenue,
the government builds mosques, universities and
schools for its people [31]. Registered religious schools in

Madrasahs: The term madrasah is firstly used in Acheh

from the term meunasah, (probably a corrupt form of
Arabic Madrasah), which means a small place of worship
which later functioned as elementary
schools for
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World J. Islamic History & Civilization, 2 (2): 58-65, 2012

Malaysia and Indonesia are subsidized by the respective

Religious Ministries. In Thailand, the madrasahs are part
of the mosques and they obtain some forms of subsidy
through Thailands socio-religious bureau. The integrated
madaris receive some financial assistance from the
Department of Education and the options embodied in
such schools remains limited, for most part, to those who
can afford them [24]. After the collapse of the Khmer
Rouge regime, Cambodias Muslims began to receive
some help from outside donors, primary from Malaysia
and other Muslim countries in the region. Much of the
help continued to be directed toward religious
reconstruction and refugee work [32].
The spread and enhancement of Islam in the Malay
world was actualised by the important roles played by
Islamic institutions such as mosques and madrasahs.
Both institutions possess distinctive characters and
mechanisms for the proper propagation, learning and
practice of Islam throughout the Malay world. In
countries where Muslims are the minority and required to
use names that reflect nationalism and attend schools
with modern education, mosques and madrasahs
represent the only venue for them to maintain their
identity, assimilation and acculturation of Islamic values.

Almost everywhere in the regions of the Malay

world, trading contacts paved the way for the conversion
of the Malays to become Muslims. Although Muslim
merchants and traders paved the way for Islam, the
dedicated Muslim missionaries - theologian, preachers,
teachers and pilgrims who followed did much of the real
work of persuasion and spreading of Islam to the Malays
[36]. The latter have, in recent years, been especially
active in the work of dakwah, in persuading and
spreading out a more vigorous and consistent religious
life among the locals.
Muslim merchants and traders introduced the local
Malays to the values and rituals of the Islamic faith and
impressed upon them that much of the world in the West
Asia and Africa had converted to Islam. They came to the
islands not to make a profit and not to establish
themselves as superior, but primary to present the
teachings of Prophet Muhammad (saw) and to establish
Islam [37]. The marvelous success that has been achieved
has largely due to them, who won their way to the hearts
of the locals, by learning their language, adopting their
manners and customs and began quietly and gradually to
spread the religion of Islam [38]. The long intercourse with
the locals has made them very rigid observers of their
religious duties. The Pillars of Islam were adopted and
practiced by the Malays while other values in Islam
gradually found the way into their hearts. The Malays
slowly purged away many of the forms of pre-Islamic
beliefs and customs and later assimilated Islamic values
into the socio-religious dimensions of life such as in
communal feasts, marriages and weddings.
Another factor to consider in the spread of Islam in
the regions of the Malay world is the Muslim mystical
movement known as Sufism. The second half of the
thirteenth century saw a great upsurge of the Sufi
movement throughout the world of Islam and this is the
main factor in the spread of Islam [36]. The Sufis
principally came from India and had facilitated the
convenient conversion to Islam by the fact that the early
Indian Muslim missionaries were able to syncretise
Islamic teachings with existing customary law (adat) [39].
The Sufis had tolerated some aspects of the teachings
contrary to the Islamic doctrine such as the worshipping
of saints and the continuance of time-hallowed offerings
at the graves of ancestor, ruler and teacher [39].
Consequently, the work of conversion has proceeded
with a measure of tolerance as time was required to
disentangle completely from the Hindu-Buddhist legends
and traditions. Even so, there are glimpses of the previous

The Pattern of Conversion and the Assimilation of

Islamic Values in the Malay World: The Islamization of
the Malay world came to the coastal city-states through
Muslim merchants and traders of the Arab and Indian.
Since the beginning of the eighth and ninth centuries,
there were many merchants and traders of Arab and
Indian who focused their trading activities in the islands
of Malay Archipelago. Some of them even stayed
permanently in these regions. Islam was spread through
dakwah as well as intermarriages with the locals [33].
The Muslim settlers intermarried with the local population
and became integrated with the local community [34].
Thus, Islam began from the trading ports of the coastal
city-states. Such coastal city-states were centers for the
diffusion of Islamic values to the Malays. The important
city-states in the Malay world between fifteenth and
seventeenth centuries were Malacca, Acheh or Makassar
[35]. As was the case in these regions, in most of the
other regions in the Malay world to which Islam spread,
peaceful and voluntary conversion was far more important
than force and conquest. The main characteristics of the
Muslim missionary movement were more of preaching and
persuasion rather than force and violence as they do
come as conquerors.
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World J. Islamic History & Civilization, 2 (2): 58-65, 2012

REFERENCES

legends and traditions in certain regions of the Malay

world today but through Sufism it also paved the way for
a measure of spiritual care for the people in the traditional
Malay areas.
In summarizing of the coming of Islam to the Malay
world, it can be concluded that Islam was introduced by
the Muslim merchants and traders. Islam was welcomed
by the Malays since it treats everyone as equal while at
the same time it is relatively simpler to practice compared
to the Hindu-Buddhist beliefs. The social aspect of
intermarriage was a major contributor for the assimilation
of Islamic values to the Malays. The Pillars of Islam and
other tenets of Islam were also simple to learn and practice
and this explain why Islam was readily accepted and
assimilated into the life of the Malays. Other contributing
factors for the assimilation and preservation of Islamic
values are the important roles played by the numerous
mosques, suraus and madrasahs across the regions in the
Malay world.
CONCLUSION

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Islam and the Malay World have a unique and

peculiar relationship. Islam has played an important role
in the everyday life of the people in the Malay world.
The Malay world is very intimately attached to Islamic
teachings and also very close to the Arab culture.
The teaching and practice of Islam are expressed
everywhere throughout the Malay world. Generally, the
five daily prayers have become the important daily routine
for all the Muslims in the Malay world. The governments
of Muslim-majority nations in the Malay world build
mosques and educational institutions. Muslims in other
parts of the Malay world continue to observe their
religious duty and at the same time build mosques and
other Islamic institutions.
From the time of their conversion to the present day,
the people in the Malay world have shown an unwavering
loyalty and tenacity in their adherence to Islam. Islam, a
religion that came from West Asia, is undoubtedly the
greatest factor in shaping the life and destiny of the
people in the Malay world. The history and cultural
processes of the people in the Malay world was indeed a
dynamic transformation from the Hindu-Buddhist culture
to Islamic civilisation based of the concept of Al-Tawhid,
There is no god but Allah. Though there are variations
in the practice of Islam, generally, in many parts of the
Malay world, the commitment towards this concept gives
the people in the Malay world a unique identity as a true
Muslim.

7.

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