Ancient Records Reveal Islam Known in Sriwijaya Since 7th Century

Ancient records indicate that Islam was present in the Sriwijaya Kingdom as early as the 7th century, challenging the perception of the kingdom solely as a center for Buddhist scholarship. Sriwijaya, a prominent maritime empire in Southeast Asia, was known for its openness to diverse cultures and peoples.

Evidence suggests that Sriwijaya's ports were frequently visited by Arab and Persian ships. These interactions facilitated early contact between the local inhabitants and Islam. Through these traders and sailors, the people of the maritime kingdom began to learn about Islamic teachings. Some accounts even suggest the existence of indigenous Muslims within Sriwijaya.

Historical texts, such as "Jaringan Ulama Timur Tengah dan Kepulauan Nusantara Abad XVII-VXIII" by Prof. Azyumardi Azra, highlight Sriwijaya's cosmopolitan nature. Chinese traveler I-Tsing noted that he traveled on Arab and Persian ships to reach Sriwijaya. Further details from Yuantchao's "Tcheng-yuan-sin-ting-che-kiao-mou-lou" mention that around 35 Persian ships arrived in Palembang in 717 M (99 Hijriah).

Following unrest in Canton, many Arab and Persian Muslims sought refuge in Palembang. Prof. Azra's research, based on I-Tsing's accounts, points to interactions between Sriwijaya's residents and Middle Eastern Muslims, indicating that the locals had some understanding of Islamic teachings. Al-Ramhurmuzi's "Aja'ib al-Hind" further supports this by suggesting the presence of indigenous Muslims among Sriwijaya's population. This is potentially corroborated by Chau Ju-Kua's observation that a significant number of the kingdom's inhabitants had names derived from "P'u," which Hirth and Rockhill interpret as originating from "Abu," a common prefix in Muslim names.

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