Page 232 - INDONESIAN ISLAMIC CULTURE IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES

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 Samudera Pasai as an Islamic kingdom. 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 This is further strengthened by another 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 local source, the Hikayat Raja-raja the Malay Language
of the most important elements along (adapted Arabic script for Malay) in books trade in Southeast Asia, particularly in Pasai ---a classic Malay text about the has been used as a
with the historical development of the in Malay emphasizes the importance of the trade route between India and China. kingdom--- that notes that Malik al-Saleh formal language in
society and culture of the Nusantara Islamic elements within the process of Because of this, Malay gradually grew was the first Muslim king. Furthermore, the kingdoms in the
World. The important role of the Malay the development of the Malay language. into an intermediary trade language in the text mentions that Merah Silu archipelago since the 7
th
language runs parallel with the spread Therefore, the process of Islamization the port cities along the coasts of the --- Malik al-Saleh’s name before he century.
of Islam and Malay became the lingua at the same time meant the acceptance archipelago and the Malay Peninsula. became a Muslim --- had built a palace Source: Atlas Sejarah
franca in the Malay-Indonesian world, and use of Malay by Indonesian society. This language became the only lingua in a certain area in Sumatra, i.e. Pasai. Indonesia Klasik masa
not only for social interactions, political franca between the population of the Shortly after he came to power, he had Hindu-Buddha (Historical
diplomacy and trade, but also for Islam. The Kingdom of Samudera region and outside traders. This is converted to Islam and adopted the title Map of Classical
1
The Islamization process in various Pasai: The Early Basis of the further strengthened by the record of a Sultan Malik al-Saleh. Indonesia during the
areas in Southeast Asia caused Malay Developmentof Malay Chinese traveler, I-Tsing, who, at the end An important thing to be underlined Hindu-Buddhist Era),
to be used by people over a large of the 7 century, lived for a number of here is that the Kingdom of Samudera 2010.
th
geographic area and helped to unite Archaeological evidence shows that the years in Sriwijaya to learn Sanskrit and Pasai did not inherit Malay as the official
them. The transformation of Malay into Malay language was already used as an to translate Buddhist texts into Chinese. language of the palace, unlike the
the Indonesian national language is proof official language in the region as early I-Tsing mentioned the term Kw’un-Lun as Kingdom of Sriwijaya, but that it facilitated
of this. Malay has contributed greatly as the 7 century as witnessed by some the name for the local language used to Malay to grow in both a geographic and
th
to unite the disparate communities into inscriptions dating from that period. The learn Sanskrit and Buddhism and which linguistic sense. This is in line with the
Indonesia as a nation-state. inscriptions are written in Pallawa script was the for erunner of Malay. 2 kingdom’s position as an international
This essay presents a discussion of the in an ancient form of the Malay language. trade hub, visited by many merchants
history of the Malay languageand its Some examples are the Kedukan Bukit The momentum in the development of from various countries who were engaged
relation to the development of Islam in inscription (605 Caka or 683 AD) that Malay in the Kingdom of Samudera Pasai in economic transactions in the kingdom.
th
Indonesia. In this context, Malay is seen contains a charter of the establishment began in the 13 century. Samudera In addition to traders from China and
as an important element of Indonesian of the Kingdom of Sriwijaya;the Talang Pasai was the first Islamic kingdom in India, Samudera Pasai also welcomed the
Islamic culture. The main focus of the Tuwo inscription (606 Caka or 684 AD), Indonesia. Historians accept the year arrival of traders from the Muslim world
present discussion is the process of the that lists all the plants and fruits used 1297 as inscribed on Malik al-Saleh’s in the Middle East, particularly Arabs and
evolution, change, and development of for social welfare; and the Kota Kapur tombstone as the time of the founding of Persians. In these circumstances and
Malay into the widely used language inscription in the island of Bangka (606 1. A. Teeuw, Modern Indonesian Literature, (The especially when the contacts with traders
in Indonesia. This historical process, Caka) that contains the curses against Hague: Matinus Nijhoff, 1979), p. 5. from various countries intensified, Malay
as will be explained later, cannot be those who do not submit as subject to 2. T. Iskandar, Kesustraan Klasik Melayu went through a process of enrichment
Sepanjang Abad (Brunei: Universitas Brunei
seen in isolation of its function as the the King of Sriwijaya. Darussalam, 1996), p. 3. as it accepted linguistic elements mostly

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