THE SPREAD OF ISLAM IN INDONESIA

Islam entered the region of Indonesia through peaceful interaction with Muslim merchants.

Professor Arnold writes in his book, The Preaching of Islam, “Although in after years this great empire was split up and the political power of Islam diminished, still its spiritual conquests went on uninterruptedly. When the Mongol hordes sacked Baghdad (AD 1258) and drowned in blood the faded glory of the Abbasid dynasty,—when the Muslims were expelled from Cordova by Ferdinand of Leon and Castile (A.D. 1236), and Granada, the last stronghold of Islam in Spain, paid tribute to the Christian king,—Islam had just gained a footing in the island of Sumatra and was just about to commence its triumphant progress through the islands of the Malay Archipelago. In the hours of its political degradation, Islam has achieved some of its most brilliant spiritual conquests.” (p. 2)

Van Lear writes that anyone who enters the history of Indonesia enters into an unknown world. People generally believe that some mysterious, miraculous force was at work that brought the people of South-East Asia into Islam.

It is true that a miraculous power was at work behind the propagation of Islam. But this was not some mysterious power but rather the power of Islam to communicate the word of God. This power of Islam has undoubtedly a miraculous capability to draw people towards it and encourage people to accept its religious tenets.

Islam entered this region through the merchants. The ethics of merchants are the same as those of dayees. The best dayee is one who deals with his addressees like a merchant.

Alexis de Tocqueville writes that commerce is the killer of hostile behaviour. Commerce favours moderation and adjustment. A businessman takes extra care to control his anger. He is a tolerant man. These are the qualities that are cultivated by commerce in a businessman. That is why, Joseph Cook, a thinker has said, “God is making commerce His missionary.”