MARITIME MUSEUM PHASE I (Flor de La Mar)
MELAKA AND ISLAMIZATION
Melaka emerged as a reknown empire, and important centers of trade and islamization in the Malay world during the 15th and early 16th centuries. Islam was embraced in Melaka since Sultan Iskandar Shah came to power. The islamization of Melaka was linked with the missionary efforts by merchants and propagators from a far especially Pasai and West Asia. Islam was practiced by the natives and served as the foundation for the Melaka legal codes. The contents of the scriptures and religious matters were refined. Scholars, especially Makhdum Sayyid Abd Aziz, Maulana Abu Bakar, Maulana Sadar Jahan, Kadzi Munawar Syah and others were highly respected by rules and the people of Melaka. From Melaka, Islam spread throughout the Malay world.
The sanctity and truthfulness of Islam attracted Muslims. Melaka enabled Islam to spread further though trade relations and social interactions. Other factors such as the arranged marriages of nobilities also promoted Islam. The Malay Language and Jawi script accelerated the process of Islamization. The Melaka rulers sent missionaries to various places to promote islamization in this region.
THE MALACCA ISLAMIC PROPAGATORS SENT OVERSEAS
When the Malacca’s received Islamic scholars and were tought Islamic teachings thoroughly, they learned and adapted the Islamic way of life. When the Malacca were so adaptive and become faithful followers, the Malacca Sultanate task the initiative the spreed Islamic teachings across the sea. It sent teachers from Malacca and sponsored notable scholars from overseas to spread Islam whenever it had influenced or conqured. Soon Malacca became an Islamic centre for this archipelago Malacca’s role in spreading. Islam around this region was so prominent that the Portuguese King proudly notified the Pope in 1513 that he had conquered the Islamic centre of the East.
Malacca never used force to convert or teach. Islam even though it was in a positionS to do so. Ships were always waiting to send religious teachers to any region. The rise of Malacca as trade entrepot and its conquests in the Peninsular and cross the sea helped to smoothen its efforts to propate Islam. The reign of Sultan Mansur Shah saw many scholars went to Kampar, Siak, Perak, Kedah, Minangkabau, Jambi and to island states to teach the Islamic way of life.
