Early Islamic Civilization in Borneo

Discovered 127 Hijri years gravestones 745 AD in District Sandai, Ketapang District, West Kalimantan, which is located in the territory of the Kingdom Tanjungpura, caused a stir among the historians archipelago. Some speculation and research the history of the kingdoms of civilization existing in the archipelago had been developed, with the inventions of civilization site empire. Research and pengaliaan history continues to experience ups and downs, due to some theories about the introduction of Islam into the archipelago to be refuted by the discovery of a new reinforced, such as the discovery of an ancient tomb in the district. Sandai is engraved in 127 Hijri. Some literature states that the entry of Islam into the archipelago have been there in the 6th century AD, the region of Sumatra, it is because the Malacca Strait has long been the territory of passes merchant ships from around the world screen.

The arrival of Islam in the archipelago have each theory, there are some theories that say that Islam entered the archipelago from the merchants of Gujarat, India. Width Leaf Foundation coordinator, Ir. Gusti Kamboja said when Islamization in Ocean Pasai, Aceh, first king Malik Al - Salih, died in 698 H or 1297 AD , and in the same year Gujarat is still a Hindu kingdom. "So at that time Islam has not been established and developed in Gujarat, so it may not be able to spread Islam to the archipelago, "said Kamboja.

Italian historian, in his book futher G.E.Gerini India and Indo - Malay Archipelago, recorded circa 606-699 AD has many Arabs , who live in the archipelago. They went through Swarnabhumi Barus and Aceh in the north. From there it spread throughout the archipelago to the south of China. In the 7th century AD, Srivijaya empire has had ties to the Caliph of Islam in Syria, in one text a letter addressed to the Caliph Umar bin Abdul Aziz ( 717-720 AD ) with a request that the Caliph refused to submit to the court Preachers Sriwijaya, according to Network Middle East scholars and Nsantara Islands XVII & XVIII centuries ; Authorship Prof. Dr. Azyumardi Azra MA. Noted also in about the year 717 AD, reported there were 35 warships from the present in the Umayyad dynasty of Srivijaya, and further accelerate the development of Islam in Sriwijaya, according to the History of Islam ; Authorship Prof. Dr. Hamka.

According to Ir. Gusti Kamboja, the kingdom Tanjungpura in some records already have a relationship with the kingdom of Srivijaya, Sriwijaya kingdom once ruled as the West Borneo (Kingdom Tanjungpura ) in the 7th century AD From the results of the study concluded that the width Leaf Foundation Sandai inscription form is not the same as the shape of gravestones in Pasai and Gresik, East Java. The stone is a stone nor a native of Ketapang, but imported stone. Although research conducted fully completed yet, the Foundation also vigorously collect a lot of literature to strengthen the findings.

Gusti Iswandi Haliem in his book Land of Enchantment Kayong, United Tanjungpura In Historical Perspective, said that King Tanjungpura named Burjaya had converted to Islam, he was the son of the daughter of one of the scum and Segara Uphold Buana. After the king embraced Islam Burjaya all Buddhist temples razed, and other worship sites hoarded, because Burjaya king had converted to Islam so he holds Majesty Sultan Raja Maha Burjaya. Of note Gusti Iswandi Haliem, some of the greatest scholars ever stopped and settled in the kingdom Tanjungpura, such as during the reign of Sultan Mu'aziddin, came a cleric named Syaid Martalaya to Hashim bin Yahya. The cleric known brave and fanatical, if he runs always carry a stick of iron that weighs eight catty or eight pounds. Typically, he always disemirnya with bearded boyfriend ( Henna ) kind of red plant. He therefore called also Redbeard. Some time later came also to Martalaya cleric named al - Habib Husein with Shaykh Salim Hanbal, and many more are yet known of its history.

Can be concluded that the kingdom Tanjungpura sememangnya also a great empire in the 7th century AD, due to Arab traders also have to stop in the harbor and the city in the kingdom Tanjungpura. Sandai tombstone to be one of the important discoveries support the theories of the new Islamic presence in the archipelago, it also strengthens the civilizations of other large kingdoms and empires such as the Srivijaya empire Barus, which became the symbols of Islam directly from Arab lands by Dai specifically sent by the Caliph as well as by Arab traders.