Page 232 - INDONESIA ISLAMIC CULTURE

Malay:

From Lingua Franca

to Indonesian National Language

Jajat Burhanudin

Though often associated with the 17 language of Islam as Malay became one Specially related to Sriwijaya, the was the first Muslim king. Furthermore, The Kedukan Bukit
th
century Malay Kingdom in Sumatra, the of the media of the expression of Islam emergence of Malay was in line with the the text mentions that Merah Silu inscription is proof that
Malay language has developed into one in Indonesia. The use of Jawi script important role of the kingdom in the sea --- Malik al-Saleh’s name before he the Malay Language
of the most important elements along (adapted Arabic script for Malay) in books trade in Southeast Asia, particularly in became a Muslim --- had built a palace has been used as a
with the historical development of the in Malay emphasizes the importance of the trade route between India and China. in a certain area in Sumatra, i.e. Pasai. formal language in
society and culture of the Nusantara Islamic elements within the process of Because of this, Malay gradually grew Shortly after he came to power, he had the kingdoms in the
World. The important role of the Malay the development of the Malay language. into an intermediary trade language in converted to Islam and adopted the title archipelago since the 7
th
language runs parallel with the spread Therefore, the process of Islamization the port cities along the coasts of the Sultan Malik al-Saleh. century.
of Islam and Malay became the lingua at the same time meant the acceptance archipelago and the Malay Peninsula. An important thing to be underlined Source: Atlas Sejarah
franca in the Malay-Indonesian world, and use of Malay by Indonesian society. This language became the only lingua here is that the Kingdom of Samudera Indonesia Klasik masa
not only for social interactions, political franca between the population of the Pasai did not inherit Malay as the Hindu-Buddha (Historical
diplomacy and trade, but also for Islam. The Kingdom of Samudera region and outside traders. This is official language of the palace, unlike Map of Classical
1
The Islamization process in various Pasai: The Early Basis of the further strengthened by the record of a the Kingdom of Sriwijaya, but that Indonesia during the
areas in Southeast Asia caused Malay Developmentof Malay Chinese traveler, I-Tsing, who, at the end it facilitated Malay to grow in both a Hindu-Buddhist Era),
to be used by people over a large of the 7 century, lived for a number of geographic and linguistic sense. This is 2010.
th
geographic area and helped to unite Archaeological evidence shows that the years in Sriwijaya to learn Sanskrit and in line with the kingdom’s position as an
them. The transformation of Malay into Malay language was already used as an to translate Buddhist texts into Chinese. international trade hub, visited by many
the Indonesian national language is proof official language in the region as early I-Tsing mentioned the term Kw’un-Lun as merchants from various countries who
of this. Malay has contributed greatly as the 7 century as witnessed by some the name for the local language used to were engaged in economic transactions
th
to unite the disparate communities into inscriptions dating from that period. The learn Sanskrit and Buddhism and which in the kingdom. In addition to traders
Indonesia as a nation-state. inscriptions are written in Pallawa script was the for erunner of Malay. 2 from China and India, Samudera Pasai
This essay presents a discussion of the in an ancient form of the Malay language. The momentum in the development of also welcomed the arrival of traders
history of the Malay languageand its Some examples are the Kedukan Bukit Malay in the Kingdom of Samudera Pasai from the Muslim world in the Middle
relation to the development of Islam in inscription (605 Caka or 683 AD) that began in the 13 century. Samudera East, particularly Arabs and Persians.
th
Indonesia. In this context, Malay is seen contains a charter of the establishment Pasai was the first Islamic kingdom in In these circumstances and especially
as an important element of Indonesian of the Kingdom of Sriwijaya;the Talang Indonesia. Historians accept the year when the contacts with traders from
Islamic culture. The main focus of the Tuwo inscription (606 Caka or 684 AD), 1297 as inscribed on Malik al-Saleh’s various countries intensified, Malay
present discussion is the process of the that lists all the plants and fruits used tombstone as the time of the founding of went through a process of enrichment
evolution, change, and development of for social welfare; and the Kota Kapur Samudera Pasai as an Islamic kingdom. as it accepted linguistic elements mostly
Malay into the widely used language inscription in the island of Bangka (606 This is further strengthened by another from Arabic and other languages from
in Indonesia. This historical process, Caka) that contains the curses against local source, the Hikayat Raja-raja the Islamic world. The ingress of these
as will be explained later, cannot be those who do not submit as subject to Pasai ---a classic Malay text about the foreign languages elements meant the
seen in isolation of its function as the the King of Sriwijaya. kingdom--- that notes that Malik al-Saleh introduction of new concepts in the

222 Indonesian Islamic Culture in Historical Perspectives Indonesian Islamic Culture in Historical Perspectives 223