Abbasid Traces in Tapanuli: Dirham Coin Finds and Sriwijaya Correspondence with Caliph Muawiyah

Recent archaeological discoveries in North Sumatra are challenging established historical narratives about the arrival of Islam in the Nusantara archipelago. The finding of Abbasid dirham coins and other Middle Eastern artifacts at the Bongal Site in Tapanuli Tengah suggests that interactions with the Islamic world occurred much earlier than the commonly accepted 12th or 13th century timeframe.

These new pieces of evidence potentially alter the mainstream understanding, which has largely relied on theories by Western scholars like Pijnapel, Snouck Hurgronje, and J.P. Moquette. Their theories proposed that Islam's introduction to the region originated from Gujarat and Malabar, India, based on the dating of ancient tombstones from Pasai and Gresik to the 15th century. However, these theories often overlooked earlier direct interactions between West Asia and the Nusantara.

Scholarly works by the late Professor Azyumardi Azra, a prominent historian of Islam, had previously highlighted ancient documents recording early diplomatic ties. These include references in the Kitab al-Hayawan by al-Jahizh (783–869 AD) and al-'Iqd al-Farid by Ibn 'Abd al-Rabbih (860–940 AD). These texts mention correspondence between the Maharaja of Hind, ruling the camphor and spice-rich region, and Caliph Mu'awiyah bin Abu Sufyan, as well as Caliph 'Umar bin 'Abd al-'Aziz (717–720 AD). During the 7th to 8th centuries AD, the Maharaja title in Nusantara was exclusively held by the rulers of the Sriwijaya Kingdom.

Further corroboration comes from the travelogue 'Ajaib al-Hind (Wonders of India) by Buzurg ibn Shahriyar al-Ramhurmuzi (circa 1000 AD), which reports the presence of Muslim communities within the territory of the Zabaj/Zabag Kingdom (Sriwijaya). Additionally, the records of Yijing (I-Tsing) from the 7th century mention Arab/Persian (Ta-shi) merchant ships navigating the route from Guangzhou to Sumatra. The recent discovery of Abbasid dirham coins and Middle Eastern artifacts provides tangible, on-the-ground proof, solidifying the historical understanding of early Islamic influence in the archipelago.

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Abbasid Coins in North Sumatra: Evidence of Interactions With Islamic Civilization in The 8th-9th Century AD