Dawr al-Sulṭān Zayn al-‘Ābidīn fī Nashr al-Islām fī Sulṭānah al-Tarnātī fī al-Qarn al-Rābī’ ‘Ashr al-Mīlādīyah

Abstract

Until now, there has yet to be any agreement amongst scholars on Indonesian Islam regarding the -precise date that Islam came to Maluku, in particular Ternate. One thing that is certain, hozvever, is that the process of Islamization of the community of this region occurred in the 15th century. This process occurred in line with the migration of droves of Arab Muslim merchants to the Kingdom of Ternate. A number of the rulers of Ternate and surrounding areas were at that time using Islamic names, although it's not certain for sure that they were all in fact Muslims. This article looks closely at the process of the growth and development of Islam in Malaku, focusing on the role of one of the rulers ofTarnate, Sultan Zainal Abidin, in this process. As the oldest son of the previous ruler, Kolano Marhum, Zainal Abidin was the logical choice to become the 19th Sultan of the Ternate Kingdom; this was bolstered by the fact that he inherited all of his father's good character traits. Zainal Abidin ruled the Kingdom of Ternate from 1468 until 1500. The northern area of Maluku (Ternate-Halamahera) is a region which is rich in spices. It was this that brought merchants on masse from the Middle East to Maluku. Further to their business activities, the Arab merchants also carried out dakwah activities. This is what sparked the interest of the locals in Islam and the growth of Islam gained momentum when Sultan Zainal Abidin came to power. In general, the process of Islamization in Ternate can be divided into three periods. The first period began ivith the coming of Arab merchants for the spice trade, including such spices as cloves, nutmeg and mace. These spices were then sold in Europe entering the market first through the main port in Iraq. The second period began in the 12th century when the people of Ternate, Tidore, failolo and Bacan had been exposed to the teachings and practices of Islam. This period is marked by the appearance of Sultans with Islamic names, such as Sultan Masyhur Malamo (1257-1277', originally known as Cici Bunga) in the Kingdom of Ternate, Sultan Syahajati in the Kingdom of Tidore, and Sultan Darajati in the Kingdom ofjailolo. By simply looking at the names of these rulers, it's evident that there was indeed a direct influence from the Arab traders who came to Maluku. The third period is that in which the Islamization was most intensive. This had a great deal to do with Sultan Zainal Abidin accepting Islam officially. It is believed that he studied Islam from Sunan Giri in Jawa, where he became known as "Sultan Bualaiva" (The Sultan of Cloves). In fact, it is also said that he studied Islam as far away as Malacca. Besides this, Sultan Zainal Abidin was responsible for a number of acts that helped facilitate the Islamization process. For example, he did away with the title o/'Kolano' and replaced it with Sultan. Islam was made the official religion of the Kingdom and Islamic law was adopted throughout the Kingdom as the rule of law. What's more, he also established a number of institutions that accorded with Islamic law and involved Islamic scholars (ulama). Such steps were followed by other rulers throughout Maluku. He also established the first madrasah in Ternate. The experience of Ternate in Maluku reflects the process of Islamization in Southeast Asia in general. Islam, commerce and the establishment of kingdoms throughout the area are all important factors in the spread of Islam. In the context of Malaku, the successful spread of Islam can be explained by the strategic position of the Kingdom of Ternate as the centre of the spice trade and commerce in the area, as well as the commitment of the ruler to spreading Islam. Thus it should be no surprise to us today that North Malaku remains one of the centres of Islam in Indonesia.