The Development of Islam in Southeast Asia

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to understand: (1) the beginning of the entry of Islam and the beginning of the development of Islam in Southeast Asia; (2) the path of the entry of Islam in Southeast Asia; and (3) the kingdoms/sultanates that have developed in Southeast Asia.  This research method uses a descriptive qualitative approach, with a library research study method. In obtaining research data, researchers collect, analyze, organize, read, examine, and analyze various existing literature, in the form of research results, articles, and books. The results of this study indicate that Islam entered Southeast Asia through trade channels, marriage channels, Sufism channels, education channels, art channels, and political channels. The development of Islam in Southeast Asia can be mentioned into three phases; first, is the phase of the stopover of Muslim traders in Southeast Asian ports; second, the existence of Muslim communities in several regions in the archipelago; third, is the phase of the establishment of Islamic kingdoms. The kingdoms that have developed in Southeast Asia can be said to be not much, because the process of Islamization in the Southeast Asian region is limited to only a few countries. These countries are Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei Darrusalam, and a few citizens of Singapore, the Philippines, and Thailand. So the kingdom was only recorded by the author only five kingdoms. These kingdoms are the Sultanate of Malacca (15th century), the Islamic Sultanate of Pattani (15th century AD), the Sultanate of Brunei Darussalam, the Islamic Sultanate of Sulu (15th century), and finally the Sultanate of Johor (16th century).