Page 46 - INDONESIAN ISLAMIC CULTURE IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES

Islamized by their respective trade Sultan Suryansyah (1525). Banjarmasin political and economic situation of trading Clearly the latter is said by Hikayat The Grand Mosque
communities, whose number and Sultanate was then established. cities on the north coastal regions of Java. Patani, “only idolatrous and eating pork of Demak before the
political role continued to grow. Ternate The Islamization of the palaces of It is understandable that scholars of that were abandoned; other than that, all construction of its
was finally Islamized throughthe close Patani and the royal twin Gowa- comparative religions would give a pagan work remained unchanged.” minaret.
trade relations with Java. Being the Tallo as mentioned by traditional negative reaction to the simplification of But in both patterns of religious Source: Atlas Sejarah
“Prime Minister” of Gowa, King Tallo’s historiography of the two regions, which the process of conversion as described conversion, the power centers, whether Indonesia Masa Islam
affinity with the teachings of Islam was is also justified by other sources, above. For religious conversions could in the form of districts located on the (Historical Atlas of
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propagated by hisMuslim community, reflects the king’s recognition of a not be seen as a transfer of political edges of rivers or the relatively centralized Indonesia’s Islamic
as then in 1605 he accepted Islam and possibility given by Islam to overcome parties with differing political programs. maritime empire, play their role as the Period), 2010.
persuaded the king of Gowa to follow. 39 the cultural and economic problems But what is important is that these types “crossing bridge” or “beachhead” of

Conversions to Islam in Banjarmasin, at that time, whereas Islamization of of cultural encounters and conversion Islamization for the surrounding areas.
as told in the Hikayat Banjar, were Ternate clearly demonstrates their processes that seem to vary show In the Islamization process of the bridge,
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driven by urgent need felt by Pangeran economic motives. Perhaps, this was a very impressive similarity. Unlike one can clearly talk about the peaceful
Samudera, the crown prince of Daha also driven by the interests of traders in Samudera Pasai, the Islamization penetration of Islam, or arguing whether
state. After the old king’s demise, i.e. and the Muslim preachers to win the processes in Malacca, Gowa-Tallo and traders or Sufis-travelers who became
his father, the throne was taken by “race with Christianity” as suggested so forth, did not provide the basis for the major carriers of “revelations”, or whether
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his uncle. He himself was only a local by Schrieke. While the Islamization establishment of power centers or, say, a Islam came directly from Arabia or
authority in Banjar, which was a region process in Banjarmasin seems to state. Islam does not transform a village possibly via India or even from China.
conquered as a vassal state of Daha. justify the renowned opinion of van into a new form of power organization, as The nature of the Islamization of the
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In such a disposal Pangeran Samudera Leur. The Islamization process, he said, happened in Samudera Pasai. Religious surrounding areas had started to
asked for military help to Demak, which is sociologically (as if all the causes of conversion was run at the power center depend on the internal dynamics as well
had attained the hegemony in Java social events were only legitimate to be that had been previously there. as external pressures of the subsequent
after the fall of Majapahit. The Sultan found merely within the dynamics of the So, from a comparison of the various “crossing bridges”. And this can take
of Demak would only help Pengeran social world) driven by political interests. types of Islamization process and the place in an atmosphere of peace or not.
Samudera if he promised to embrace This case refers to van Leur’s competing establishment of those states, there Efforts of Samudera-Pasai to Islamize
Islam. After he expressed his readiness, 41. The Islamization process according to traditions appear two dominant patterns. The first interior regions may not only be driven
Demak sent their troops to punish Daha in the regions, see Rusel Jones, “Ten Conversion is the situation in which Islam plays a by religious fervors, but can also be
Myths from Indonesia” dalam Nehemia Levtzion
and raised Pangeran Samudera as (eels.) Conversion to Islam, New York: Homes & decisive role in the process of the state driven by economic and political factors,
39. Mattulada, “Islam di Sulawesi Selatan”, dalam Meier Publisher, Inc. 1979, p. 129-158 formation or the supra-village pattern while the “Islamic war” firstly launched
Taufik Abdullah (ed.) Agama dan Perubahan Sosial, 42. B. Schrieke, Indonesia Sociological Studies, central authority, while the second is a by Gowa-Tallo to all other kingdoms in
Jakarta: Rajawali Press, 1983, hal 237-244. Part II, The Hague-Bandung: W. van Hoeve, 1955.
40. JJ. Ras, Hikayat Banjar, The Hague: Martinus 43. J.C. van Leur, Indonesian Trade and Society, condition in which Muslims have to face South Sulawesi has another story. The
Nijhoff, 1968. The Hague-Bandung: W. van Hoeve, 1955. problems of structural accommodation. grounds for maintaining the tradition that

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