Bellringer
Read the Quranic verses about
commerce :
• What trends do you notice in the Quranic
verses?
• Cite two examples from the text to
support your conclusion.
Islam spreads
to:
•South Asia
•Southeast Asia
•Africa
…the power of trade
Islam & Trade
– “O you who believe, devour not excessive interest, doubling
the sum lent. Fear Allah, that you may really prosper.” (Quran)
– “Give just measure & cause no loss to others by fraud.
Weigh with scales true & upright. Withhold not things justly
due to men.” (Quran)
– “Truthfulness leads to righteousness, & righteousness leads
to Paradise. Falsehood leads to wickedness, & wickedness
leads to Hell.” (Hadith)
– “Gold is to be paid for by gold, silver by silver, wheat by
wheat - equal for equal, payment being made on the spot. If
the species differ, sell as you wish provided that payment is
made on the spot.” (Hadith)
South/Southeast Asia
Chapter 7
Interactions
• Islamic society interacted with India & SE
Asia very differently
– India = military & territorial conflict
– SE Asia = commerce
• Islam spread to practitioners in India & SE
Asia through conversion similarly
India
• After Gupta, controlled by regional kingdoms
• Arab & Turkish control gradually increased
during period
– From military raids for revenge
– To raids for wealth & spoils of war
– To land grabs & formation of Muslim ruled
kingdom
India
• Still, least affected region of Dar al-Islam
• Flexibility of Hinduism (Bhaktic cults)
• Islam gained converts among poor &
Buddhists, but mostly diffused Indian culture
– “Arabic” numerals
SE Asia
• Land of trade & converging influence
– Lots of contact with India and China
– Complex cultural mix:
• Animistic origins
• Classical exposure to Hinduism & Buddhism
SE Asia
• Dominated by 3 power zones
– Khmer Empire on mainland
– various kingdoms on Java
– Srivijayan Empire on Malay Peninsula & Sumatra
Khmer Empire
• Capital @ Angkor
• Buddhist & Hindu
influences
Java
• Rich volcanic soils & rainforest climate
– Agriculturally productive (3 rice crops)
• Well-positioned for trade of spices
Srivijayan
• Controlled Malacca (most important port)
• Buddhist
• Long contact with Muslim merchants
– Arabs & Indians
– Monsoon winds fostered lengthy visits & thus
greater cultural exchange
Spread of Islam in SE Asia
• Fall of Srivijayan dynasty provided an
opening for Islamic conversion
• Islamic conversion of Malacca created
domino effect
Spread of Islam in SE Asia
• Islam spread peacefully through:
– Trade
• Muslim brotherhood of trust
– Sufis
• Mystical approach to Islam (3rd branch)
• Allowed for much greater tolerance & local adaptation
• Conversion easier among animists
– Reason for greater influence than in India
Sufism
Come, come, whoever who are,
Wanderer, worshiper, lover of leaving.
It doesn’t matter.
Ours is a caravan of despair.
Come, even if you have broken your vow a thousand times,
Come, yet again, come, come.
Read the summary of Sufism :
1)How does Sufism differ from orthodox Islam?
2) Why were Sufis instrumental in spreading
Islam to India & SE Asia?
3) Cite examples from the poems that would
make Sufism attractive to Hindus. Buddhists?
Animists?
Overarching Idea…
Cultures spread through
syncretism?
Blending & Accommodation
• As religions spread, they are somewhat
forced to accommodate local traditions to
gain converts
– Example:
– Christianity & European paganism →
Halloween, Christmas
Blending & Accommodation in SE Asia?
Indonesian Mosque
Indonesian Mosque
Southeast Asia through Maps
c. 800 CE
-Chinese influence
seen in Buddhism
practice in Vietnam
-Indian influence seen
in Hinduism on
mainland & Buddhism
on western islands
-outer reaches of SE
Asian society still
dominated by animism
c. 1000 CE
-Islam converts many
poor & Buddhists in
Bengal through trade,
but trade contacts do
not yet bring
conversion in SE Asia
-Srivijayan dynasty
spreads Buddhist
influence
-Java shifts to
Hinduism
(Prambanan)
c. 1250 CE
-Fall of Srivijayan
dynasty & control of
Malacca opens path
for Islamic conversion
late in postclassical
period, particularly in
port cities & among
animists