How did Indonesia become Muslim?

Summary

Indonesia is the country with the largest Muslim population, with 220 million adherents, despite Islam's origins in Arabia. The religion spread to Indonesia through Arab traders and missionaries, who introduced it to local rulers and elites from the 8th century onwards. Islam's peaceful adoption was facilitated by royal conversions and trade, leading to its establishment by the 15th century. Today, Indonesia, with its diverse population, practices a moderate form of Islam, influenced by local customs and Sufi syncretism.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world, with approximately 220 million Muslims.
• 🕌 Islam originated in Arabia and spread through military conquests and missionary activities, particularly by Imams.
• 🛶 Arab traders were early carriers of Islam, spreading the religion as they traded with Southeast Asia.
• 🗺️ Islam's influence first reached the Indian subcontinent in the early 7th century and later expanded to Indonesia.
• 📚 The Islamic Golden Age saw increased conversion to Islam, including among the ruling classes and merchants.
• 🏛️ Islam was established in Indonesia around the 11th or 12th centuries, with the first Muslim gravestone dating back to 1080.
• 👥 The spread of Islam in Indonesia was facilitated by the local rulers and elites adopting the religion, followed by their subjects.
• 🔗 Trade routes played a significant role in the spread of Islam, with Muslim traders marrying local women and integrating into society.
• 📉 The decline of the Hindu Majapahit Empire in Java corresponded with the rise of Islam among the ruling class and traders.
• 🌀 Islam in Indonesia did not obliterate pre-existing cultures but incorporated local customs and non-Islamic elements.
• 🏢 Despite being the country with the largest Muslim population, Indonesia is not a theocratic state and is based on a secular constitution with universal values.

Q & A

Which country has the largest Muslim population in the world?

Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world.

What percentage of the Indonesian population identifies as Muslim?

Approximately 87.2% of the Indonesian population identifies themselves as Muslim.

When did Islam first come to Indonesia?

There is evidence of Arab Muslim traders entering Indonesia as early as the 8th century, but the spread of Islam started and expanded significantly in the 12th or 13th century.

How did Islam spread in Indonesia?

Islam spread in Indonesia primarily through Arab traders and merchants, and later through the adoption by local rulers and elites.

What was the role of Muslim traders in the spread of Islam in Indonesia?

Muslim traders played a key role by marrying into local families and disseminating Islamic teachings while trading with the local population.

How did the spread of Islam in Indonesia differ from its spread in the Middle East and North Africa?

In Indonesia, the spread of Islam was slower and more peaceful, facilitated by merchants, elites, and nobles, whereas in the Middle East and North Africa, it was often accompanied by conflicts.

What was the impact of the Islamic Golden Age on the spread of Islam?

The Islamic Golden Age saw a focus on research, economics, and trading, which facilitated the spread of Islam to new territories, including Indonesia.

What was the role of Sufi orders in consolidating Islam in Indonesia?

Sufi orders played a significant role in spreading Islam and consolidating its presence in Indonesia, particularly in the 13th century.

How did the presence of monarchy influence the spread of Islam in Indonesia?

The presence of monarchy made it easier for Islam to spread among the commoners, as the rulers and royalty often adopted the religion, and their subjects followed suit.

How did the decline of the Hindu Majapahit Empire contribute to the spread of Islam in Indonesia?

The decline of the Hindu Majapahit Empire created a power vacuum that allowed Muslim traders and rulers to establish a stronger presence and spread Islam in the region.

What is the relationship between Islam and the Indonesian constitution?

Although Indonesia has a large Muslim population, its constitution does not specifically base its laws on religion and incorporates universal values found in Islam and other religions.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Indonesia: The Largest Muslim Population

The paragraph reveals that contrary to common assumptions, Indonesia, not Middle Eastern countries like Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Egypt, or Nigeria, has the largest Muslim population in the world. With 87.2% of its population identifying as Muslim, Indonesia is home to approximately 220 million Muslims. The script discusses how Islam, which originated in Arabia in the 7th century, spread to this Southeast Asian archipelago. It highlights the role of Arab traders and missionaries in propagating Islam, particularly during the Islamic Golden Age, and how the religion's spread was facilitated by military conquests and trade. The paragraph also mentions the significance of the 13th century when Islam began to gain a foothold in Indonesia, primarily through the conversion of local rulers and elites.

05:01

📚 Spread of Islam in Southeast Asia

This paragraph delves into the historical spread of Islam in Southeast Asia, with a focus on Indonesia. It discusses how the religion followed trade routes and was adopted by local rulers and elites, which in turn influenced their subjects to convert. The paragraph mentions key historical moments such as the Muslim dynasty in Samudra in 1282, the rise of the Sultanate of Malacca, and the decline of the Hindu Majapahit Empire. It also highlights the role of Chinese and Arab traders in establishing Muslim communities and the strategic importance of Malacca in spreading Islam. The paragraph underscores how Islam became the dominant religion in Java and Sumatra by the end of the 16th century, incorporating local customs and religious practices.

10:01

🏛️ Indonesia's Unique Islamic Identity

The final paragraph discusses the unique nature of Islam in Indonesia, emphasizing that despite having the world's largest Muslim population, Indonesia is not governed by a single Islamic law. It points out that the Indonesian constitution is not solely based on Islamic principles but incorporates universal values found in Islam and other religions, known as Pancasila. The paragraph also acknowledges the sponsorship of the video by Curiosity Stream and thanks the supporters on Patreon.

Keywords

💡Indonesia

Indonesia is the country with the largest Muslim population in the world, as mentioned in the script. It is an archipelago consisting of thousands of islands and is home to over 250 million people. The video discusses how Islam reached and became the dominant religion in Indonesia, despite its geographical distance from the religion's origins in Arabia.

💡Muslim

A Muslim is an adherent of Islam, the second-largest religion in the world. The script highlights that Indonesia has the largest Muslim population, with 87.2% of its population identifying as Muslim. The term is central to the video's theme, which explores the spread of Islam in Indonesia.

💡Islam

Islam is a monotheistic religion that originated in the Arabian Peninsula in the 7th century. The video discusses the spread of Islam from Arabia to Indonesia, detailing how it became the dominant religion in the country and how it integrated with local cultures.

💡Caliphates

Caliphates were the early Islamic caliph-led states that rapidly expanded geographically after the death of Prophet Muhammad. The script mentions the role of caliphates in the early spread of Islam, which is relevant to understanding the historical context of Islam's reach to Indonesia.

💡Imams

Imams are religious leaders in Islam who lead prayers and provide guidance on religious matters. The video script refers to the missionary activities of Imams in spreading Islam, highlighting their role in the conversion process in new territories.

💡Islamic Golden Age

The Islamic Golden Age was a period of cultural, economic, and scientific flourishing in the Islamic world. The script mentions this period in relation to the spread of Islam and the conversion of people from various social classes, including nobles and merchants.

💡Arab traders

Arab traders played a significant role in spreading Islam, as they were the carriers of the new religion. The script explains that these traders visited the Malabar region and Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, propagating Islam wherever they went.

💡Sufi orders

Sufi orders are mystical brotherhoods within Islam that have historically played a role in the spread of the religion. The video mentions Sufi orders as instrumental in the further spread of Islam in Indonesia, particularly on the northern coast of Sumatra.

💡Syncretism

Syncretism is the merging of different belief systems. The script discusses how Islam in Indonesia incorporated local customs and non-Islamic elements, illustrating syncretism between Islam and pre-existing religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism.

💡Pang Casilla

Pang Casilla, or the Five Philosophical Pillars, is a part of the Indonesian national ideology that incorporates universal values found in various religions, including Islam. The script mentions Pang Casilla to illustrate that while Indonesia has a predominantly Muslim population, its constitution is not solely based on Islamic law.

💡Ming Dynasty

The Ming Dynasty was a Chinese imperial dynasty that provided support to Malacca, which in turn encouraged the conversion to Islam in the region. The script discusses the role of the Ming Dynasty in establishing Chinese Muslim settlements, which contributed to the spread of Islam in Southeast Asia.

Highlights

Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world.

Islam is the predominant religion in Indonesia with 87.2% of the population identifying as Muslim.

Islam reached Indonesia through Arab traders and merchants.

The spread of Islam was boosted by missionary activities, particularly those of Imams.

Islam's expansion in Indonesia began around the 11th or 12th centuries.

The first Muslim gravestone markings in Indonesia date back to 1080.

Marco Polo noted that the urban port state of Perlak was Muslim when he visited in 1292.

The first evidence of a Muslim dynasty in Indonesia is from a grave stone dated 1297.

The spread of Islam among the ruling class was precipitated as Muslim traders married local women.

The 15th century saw the decline of the Hindu Javanese Majapahit Empire as Muslim traders began to dominate regional trade.

Chinese Ming Dynasty provided systematic support to Malacca, aiding the spread of Islam.

Islam supplanted Hinduism and Buddhism as the dominant religion of Java and Sumatra by the end of the sixteenth century.

Cultural and religious habits from the Hindu Buddhist era were mostly tolerated and incorporated into Islamic rituals.

Sufism played a significant role in the syncretism between Islam and other religions in Indonesia.

Indonesia is not a traditional Islamic country; its constitution does not specifically base on religion.

Indonesia's religious landscape is diverse, with more than 80% of the population being Muslim but also containing many universal values.

Curiosity Stream sponsored this video, offering a special offer for the audience.

Transcripts

what is the country with the largest

Muslim population in the entire world

Saudi Arabia Pakistan Egypt or Nigeria

well none of them the correct answer is

Indonesia Islam is the religion in

Indonesia with most adherents with

eighty seven point two percent of

Indonesian population identifying

themselves as Muslim and a 2010 survey

Indonesia has the largest Muslim

population in the world with

approximately 220 million Muslims but

looking at the world map and knowing

that Islam started in Arabia in the

seventh century from where it expanded

to more people especially in continental

North Africa and southwestern Asia a

question just popped up

how did Islam reach this archipelago how

did these away islands become Muslim we

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[Music]

Muslim conquests following Mohammed's

death led to the creation of the

caliphates these empires expanded

quickly and occupied enormous

geographical areas occupying more and

more land the conversion to Islam was

boosted by missionary activities

particularly those of Imams they told

the religious teachings to the local

people due to the rapid military

expansion the new religion expanded too

and the new conquered territories these

early dynasties focused on spreading the

new religion but also they focused on

research economics and trading during

the Islamic Golden Age more and more

people converted to this religion

including crowned heads Nobles but also

trades and merchants this resulted in

rapid spreading towards the Indian and

Atlantic oceans Islam influence first

came to be felt in the Indian

subcontinent

during the early 7th century with the

advent of Arab traders Arab traders used

to visit the Malabar region which was a

link between them and the ports of

Southeast Asia to trade even before

Islam had been established in Arabia the

Arab merchants and traders became the

carriers of the new religion and they

propagated it wherever they went it was

however the subsequent expansion of the

Muslim conquest in the Indian

subcontinent

over the next millennia that established

Islam in the region Muslim missionaries

played a key role in the spread of Islam

in Asia some missionaries even assuming

roles as merchants they were sent across

Asia in all directions under various

titles often as traders the missionaries

were instructed to speak to their

potential converts in their own language

even before Islam was established

amongst Indonesian communities Muslims

sailors and traders had often visited

the shores of modern Indonesia most of

these early sailors and merchants

arrived from the Abbasid caliphs its

newly established ports of Basra and

de-ball

the territory was rich in spices exotic

fruits and other goods there is evidence

of Arab Muslim traders entering

Indonesia as early as the 8th century

but it was not until the 12th or 13th

century then the spread of Islam started

then expanded even more due to the

adoption by the local rulers and elites

the missionaries came from many

territories and regions some came here

from India and later from the southern

Arabian Peninsula it is believed that

around the 13th century the religion

began to emerge on the northern coast of

Sumatra after this Islam was further

spread by Sufi orders and finally

consolidated by the expansion of the

territories of converted rulers and

their communities not knowing a certain

date when the conversion started and

having no clear indication of when Islam

first came to the region we may consider

the start around eleventh or twelfth

centuries the first Muslim gravestone

markings date to 1080 - also when Marco

Polo visited the area in 1292 he noted

that the urban port state of perlac was

Muslim the first evidence of a Muslim

dynasty in the grave stone dated 1297 of

Sultan Malik al Saleh the first Muslim

ruler of the semaj opossite Sultanate

Chinese sources record the presence of a

Muslim delegation to the Emperor from

the kingdom of Samudra in 1282 the

spread of Islam generally followed the

trade routes east through the primarily

Buddhist region and half a century later

in the malakas we see the first dynasty

arise in the form of the Sultanate of

Malacca

at the far end of the archipelago formed

by the conversion of one Shah into a

Muslim and the adoption of the name

Mohammed Iskandar Shah the spread of

Islam among the ruling class was

precipitated as Muslim traders married

the local women with some of the

wealthier traders marrying into the

families of the ruling elite Indonesian

people as local rulers and royalty began

to adopt it and subsequently their

subjects mirrored their conversion the

expansion accelerated in the 15th

century as the military power of Malacca

Sultanate in the Malay Peninsula and

other Islamic salt

it's dominated the region aided by

episodes of Muslim coup Wars and

superior control of maritime trading and

ultimate markets by the 14th century

Islam had been established in Northeast

Malaya Brunei the southwestern

Philippines and among some quarts of

coastal East and Central Java the 15th

century saw the decline of Hindu

Javanese Majapahit Empire as Muslim

traders from Arabia India Samara and the

Malay Peninsula and also China began to

dominate the regional trade that once

controlled the Javanese Majapahit

traders Chinese Ming Dynasty provided

systematic support to Malacca Ming

Chinese Zhang's voyages is credited for

creating Chinese Muslim settlement in

Palembang

and north coast of Java Malacca actively

encouraged the conversion to Islam in

the region while Ming fleet activity

established Chinese Malay Muslim

community in North East coastal Java

thus created a permanent opposition to

the Hindus of Java the expedition's had

established Muslim Chinese Arab and

Malay communities in northern ports of

Java dominant Muslim kingdoms were more

and more present in the archipelago

Hindus historical inhabitants were

Animists Hindus and Buddhists and in

time many of them accepted the new

religion because Muslim merchants and

traders disseminated Islamic teachings

while trading with local population and

their teachings encouraged proselytizing

religion Hindus and Buddhists don't

generally proselytize and Islam is a

monotheistic belief system and it

doesn't allow its followers to believe

in another god

being a Muslim created more privileges

benefits and favourable terms for the

local people than being a non-muslim

some people needed safety and certainty

so they chose to declare themselves as

Muslims because Islam made an appearance

in Southeast Asia through trade with

people of South Arabia and Indian Sufis

the transition was made more peacefully

than in the Middle East or North Africa

where existed conflicts in Indonesia the

process was slower but was created

differently through merchants elites and

Nobles

the presence of monarchy made it easier

for the religion to spread among the

commoners just as the presence of

Christianity in the monarchy made it

easier for the religion to spread in

European kingdoms meanwhile in Java

Island the great Hindu Majah pocket

Empire was collapsing some of these new

kingdoms were supported by Ming China

through assimilation related to trade

royal conversions and conquest Islam had

supplanted Hinduism and Buddhism as the

dominant religion of Java and Sumatra by

the end of the sixteenth century but

many cultural and religious habits from

the Hindu Buddhist era were mostly

tolerated and even incorporated into

Islamic rituals Aslam didn't obliterate

the pre-existing culture rather it

incorporated and embedded the local

customs and non Islamic elements among

rules in part the strong presence of

Sufism has been considered a major

enabler of the syncretism between Islam

and other religions when Europeans came

they brought Christianity to the Muslim

majority but not so many converted

probably due to the fact that in that

time already the accent wasn't put on

religion as much as in the 12th or 13th

centuries but this is another discussion

Indonesia is a big country with more

than 250 million people from different

cultures and ethnicities across

thousands of islands from a religious

point of view Indonesia is not ruled by

a single law because more than 80

percent of the population are Muslims

Indonesia can be called as one of the

Muslim countries in the world but

Indonesia is not a traditional Islamic

one their constitution does not

specifically base on their religion and

also it contains many values Universal

ones which are also available in Islam

as well as in other religions formulated

into what is known as pang Casilla the

five philosophical pillars of the

country

we would like to give special thanks

again to curiosity stream for sponsoring

this video also a big thank you to our

supporters on patreon thank you so much

for watching see you next time