| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Routledge Handbook of Islam in Southeast Asia |
| Editors | Khairudin Aljunied |
| Place of Publication | Oxan |
| Publisher | Routledge |
| Pages | 30-47 |
| Edition | First |
| ISBN (Print) | 978-0-367-22537-7 |
| Publication status | Published - 2022 |
Abstract
Historically, monarchy (kerajaan) was the pivotal institution in Malay political and social life, and this influenced the process and probably the timing of Islamization. For the first 500 years of Muslim history, rulers in the Malay Archipelago displayed little enthusiasm for the new religion – partly, it can be argued, because its doctrines conveyed suspicion of monarchy and hierarchy more generally. With the growing importance of kingship in the Muslim world – particularly as a result of Persian influence – and also the development of certain mystical (Sufi) concepts of spiritual leadership, Islam became more congenial to the Archipelago monarchs.