KELANTAN THE LITTLE MECCA: ITS INFLUENCE ON THE ARCHIPELAGO'S 15th-19th CENTURY ISLAMIC CIVILISATION TO THE PRESENT DAY

Abstract

Kelantan has a historic role as the gateway to Islamic enlightenment in the archipelago. Kelantan has transformed into an area that has become a center of Islamic learning. Together with Aceh and Patani, Kelantan is also called the 'Little Mecca'. The arrival of Islam raised Kelantan's status to be reckoned with in the world of Nusantara's Islamic cultural treasures and as a representative of the Muslim state in contemporary Malaysia. This paper aims to explore the role of Kelantan as the gateway of Islam of the archipelago in the 15th-19th centuries, and its significance in the development of contemporary Islam in Malaysia. The study employed the historical research, with the data collected through literature study. Data analysis was carried out simultaneously with the process of source criticism. This was done interactively from the beginning of the research to the final stage of drawing conclusions. The results showed that the arrival of Islam brought many changes and impressions to the way of thinking and socio-culture of the Kelantan Malay community. Kelantan Malay emerged as a civilization that developed the Islamic intellectuality of the archipelago in the 15th-19th centuries. Kelantan also played an active role in the Islamic struggle against Western colonialism. Contemporary Kelantanese society has not lost its identity as an Islamic country under the secularism brought by the British. Kelantan has presented a positive image that Islamic law can be well accepted in a multicultural country and under the secular government, such as the Federation of Malaysia.