It is beyond my understanding of reasons and records.
I am trying to investigate but it does not come in terms with the outcome/ result.
Here is the brief info for readers.
The two biggest religions in this world ( number of followers) as all should know :
Christianity
Islam
Now we all can guess that both religions spread all over world due to preacher’s effort and teachings etc.
Here comes the mystery ( For me for now atleast as I think no one else ever thought about it )
**Q. Which country has Largest muslim Population in the world ? **
A. Indonesia ( approx. 230 million with majority of muslims, It has vast land and country consists on 17,000 islands )
Q. Nice, Largest muslim population wow. The country must be ruled by muslim or it was colony of Otoman empire ?
According to historical record there never came any muslim army in indonesia and Islam was introduced by Muslim traders in 13th century quite a long time after birth of Islam in 6th century and spread of muslims armies in Africa, South Asia, middle east and Europe. The vast Ottoman empire established in 9th century and even the crusade lasted for centuries but Islam reached Indonesia after all these historical events in muslim history.
Q. Its strange. There is no mention of Indonesia in Islamic historical adventures, and now it is most densely populated muslim nation. How is this possible ? The religion is some sort of disiease which can spread so fast with infection only ( haha ! )
I have no answer to this question as it is very strange phenomena that so huge population which spread over vast terrain of land, jungle ,islands and volcanos and have indigineous culture and language can convert to a foreign religion wholeheartidly in little time, without any force or widespread preachings.
Well that is most insane thinking of some hate monger of past few centuries.
A sensible person with little education in history and geography can throw it out without having a second thought.
Please pay attention :
I not interested in repeling the crapy statemtent of Islam's spread by sword. I want to know reasons of widespread Islam in that specific region (Indonesia and Malaysia). And that too in a very little time. I can not fathom the reasons.
I have brief knowledge of preaching religions in other parts of the world. For instance, In South East Asia Islam is widely followed for centuries. In fact preachers and traders started comming shortly after the establishment of Islamic Empire in Middle East and Africa. The credit of Islam's spread goes to saints and preachers. In the end, after more than thousand years of preaching and Muslim empire, Islam still does not have largest following in the region.
How on earth the muslims turned the tables in Far East Asia ? What are the names of saints who preached Islam in those thousands of islands ? Did they have any magic wind or they casted spell on whole region with a centries old foreign language and culture ?
I know this is difficult question but i want to know the answers to quench my thirst and resolve the mystery
Yes. The primary interaction of Muslims were from trade ships. Different nations have different natures and the people of that region are naturally kind and mellow spirited. They would look to those who they ‘warmed’ to and become like them, give their daughters to them to marry and hence have families from Muslims. Many Shaykhs have come from that region and who settled in that region. They are not a very arrogant or stuborn nation.
Perhaps the biggest factor of the conversion in my understanding is that the Indonesian Muslims view their Indonesian Animist and Indonesian Buddhists and Indonesian Hindus as brother and sister. They live with them work with them and share their community festivities with them. By integrating the strong message of Islam is as you say infectious.
In the areas where Islam did not spread so quickly the people would create sides and the enemies of Islam would be present to create war like them and you situations. The community spirit and integration was never allowed to form. Since the people of the Archipelago did not have this ‘fitna’ or preformed premeditated ideas about Muslims they saw Islam for what it is. I would say that Islam would have spread just as quickly in other regions if there were not those evil people who created the segregation and enmity.
The conversion was top down in that region. Firs the kings , rulers and elite accepted Islam then masses followed.
There are many books written on the subject.
One of them is
*Understanding Islam in Indonesia: Politics and Diversity *
Here is the introduction of the book.
This is an insightful and authoritative exploration of the history and development of Islam in Indonesia. With nearly 90 per cent of its inhabitants - over 200 million people - identifying themselves as Muslims, Indonesia has the world's largest Muslim population, but most people outside the region know little about the nation, and much less about the practice of Islam among its diverse peoples or the religion's influence on the country's politics. Written by an expert on Islam, "Understanding Islam in Indonesia" provides readers with an insightful and authoritative explanation of the advent of Islam in the region, its developments, and its contemporary circumstances, as well as demystifying the broad spectrum of politically active Muslim groups in Indonesia today.
acordin to my opnion they may also didnt have great culture and civilisation so when they saw traders and and there culture
they got impressed also which i have heard that some of there king accepted Islam first so everybody followed him but now
they are one of the most practising muslim just to there mosques at fajr any Pakistani will feel that may be its juma time because\
there are so much people in masjid
acordin to my opnion they may also didnt have great culture and civilisation so when they saw traders and and there culture
they got impressed also which i have heard that some of there king accepted Islam first so everybody followed him but now
they are one of the most practising muslim just to there mosques at fajr any Pakistani will feel that may be its juma time because\
there are so much people in masjid
That's wrong. They had an ancient and flourishing civilisation there - they were mainly Hindus and Bhuddists, before a to-down conversion process started under the influence of Muslim traders.
The primary reason is understandable but gaining whooping majority is beyond comprehension.
I am not saying that, in your link it is repeatidly stated that there is something missing.
If it was 30% , 40% or even 50% then we can understand as we have similar model in history. And we can applaud and give credit to preachers and muslim trader and all noble visitors.
Indonesia is not only the biggest muslim country, it is also 4th largest populated country in the world.
I totally disagree with post #6.
Mr Zarvan
Indonesia has a rich culture and their own traditions. They accepted this new religion (for them it was new) on their own free will. And they project most beautiful image of thier religion to world. The society is most peaceful, kind and observing muslim society on the face of earth.
There was never a single king or ruler who could goven and rule 17 thousand islands in that region. Your idea is only bit plausible for a tiny state of Brunai Darussalam. but you can not say that for indonessia because
indonessia consist of 17,000 islands
Brunai is a tiny part of land surrounded by malaysia on a single island
Population of Indonesia = 230 million
Population of Brunai Darussalam = 0.38 million
Both countries are muslim countries in the same region. The theory of influence and following is aplicable on one of them only.