A. Background
Since prehistoric times, the inhabitants of the archipelago of the archipelago are known as voyagers capable of sailing the vast ocean. Since early BC there have been shipping and trade routes between the archipelago of Nusantara with various regions in the mainland of Southeast Asia. The western region of Nusantara and around Malacca since ancient times is the area of concern, mainly because the produce sold there attracts traders, And become an important trajectory between China and India. Meanwhile, nutmeg and cloves originating from Maluku are marketed in Java and Sumatra, to be sold to foreign traders. Important ports in Sumatra and Java between the 1st and 7th centuries AD often visited foreign traders like Lamuri (Aceh), Barus, and Palembang in Sumatra, Sunda Kelapa and Gresik in Java.
And then, came also the traders who came from the Middle East. They not only buy and peddle merchandise, but some are trying to spread Islam. Thus, Islam has existed in this archipelago along with the presence of the Arab traders. Although not spread intensively to the entire archipelago.
At the time of arrival and spread of Islam in the archipelago there are various ethnic groups, government organizations, economic structures, and socio-cultural. Nusantara ethnic groups residing in inland areas, when viewed from the point of cultural anthropology, Nations and cultures from outside, such as from India, Persia, Arabia, and Europe. Its social, economic, and cultural structures are rather static compared to ethnic groups inhabiting coastal areas. Those who settled on the coast, more so in the port city, exhibited more developed physical and socio-cultural features due to the mixing with the nation and the culture from the outside.
In the period of the arrival and spread of Islam in the archipelago, there are countries that patterned Nusantara-Hindu.Di Sumatra there are kingdoms of Sriwijaya and Nusantaradi Java, Majapahit, in Sunda, Pajajaran and in Kalimantan, Daha and Kutai. Islam is coming to the archipelago to get special attention from most people who have embraced Hindu.Agama Islam is considered better by people who originally adheres to Hinduism, because Islam does not know caste, and Islam does not know the different groups in society. The attractiveness of Islam for merchants who live under the dominion of Hindu-king kings seems to be found in the minds of the little people. Islam gives something in common for his personality as a member of the Muslim community. Meanwhile, according to the Hindu nature of mind, he is only a creature lower than the other castes. In Islam, he feels himself equal to or even higher than non-Muslims, although in the structure of society occupies a subordinate position.
B. Geographical Condition of Nusantara Pre Islam
Archipelago archipelago that lies between the continent of Asia and Australia is often likened to a bridge between the two continents. The result of prehistoric research shows that in the past various tribes have entered this archipelago from mainland Southeast Asia. They crossed the sea that separates the archipelago of Nusantara in mainland Asia.
Archipelago Archipelago is located between 5 45 'North Latitude and 11 South Latitude, and 95 0101' East Longitude and 141 02 'West Longitude. Therefore it includes the equatorial region and the Indo-Australian wind blowing season. The characteristics of the climate is tropical weather and high rainfall.
The archipelago has a tropical climate that is strongly influenced by mountains and sea. Temperatures range from 20C / 30C. Rainfall is more than 102cm a year. Some areas such as Sumatra, Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi, and Maluku are more rainy with 200-250cm bulk per year . The Indonesian archipelago is affected by two seasons: the dry season and the rainy season. The dry season lasts between May and September, and the rainy season is October to April.
The geographical and territorial conditions of this nation have shaped the diversity and differentiation of its community structure. Simply put, this diversity is demonstrated by at least three types of community groups that are developing throughout the archipelago. Group I, is a society that lives in remote areas and remote areas. This community usually has an animist faith and a strong tribal commitment. Group II, is a community living along the coastline, where marine trade routes have made it easier for them to get to know and exchange cultures with the outside world. While group III, is a society that is influenced by the cultural structure of the palace. In general, this community group lives in a city around the palace area that is easily accessible. This allows them to be called an elite group with a high culture.
Of the three types of society, Islam first came to the archipelago through the second community, the people living around the coastal areas. Therefore, the trade patterns contained in the coastal routes, has developed into a pattern of mutual relations and cultural exchange between coastal communities with foreign traders. Therefore, it is a historical fact that there is no doubt that the pattern of trade relations around the coastal areas, has introduced Islam as a cultural religion spread by peaceful means, without any tendency to power or politics.
C. Government Situation in Pre-Islamic Archipelago
The arrival of Islam in various regions in the archipelago is not simultaneous. And so do the kingdoms and the areas he came to have different governmental and socio-cultural situations. At the time of the kingdom of Sriwijaya developed its power around the seventh and eighth century, the Malacca Strait has begun to pass by traders Muslim traders in their voyages to the countries of Asia Tenggaradan East Asia. Based on the Chinese news of the Tang Age, in those centuries it was suspected that Muslim societies existed both in the canaries (Cantonese) as well as in Sumatra itself. The development of international shipping and trade between countries in western and eastern Asia may be due to the activities of the Islamic empire under the Umayyads in the western and Chinese empires of the Tang Dynasty in East Asia and the Sriwijaya empire in Southeast Asia.
From the seventh to the twelfth centuries the kingdom of Sriwijaya still shows its economic and political progress since the end of the 12th century began to show signs of decline in the field of trade. Sriwijaya's political and economic decline was accelerated by the efforts of the rising Singasari kingdom in Java . This kingdom of Java did pamalayu expedition in 1275 AD and managed to defeat the Malay kingdom in Sumatra.Keadaan it encouraged the areas in the strait of Malacca controlled by the kingdom of Sriwijaya escape from the royal power.
D. Religion in Pre-Islamic Nations
When viewed from the angle of archeology after prehistoric times ended in the archipelago was born a new culture. The culture is characterized by the arrival of Indian people as a carrier of Hindu culture, the influence of the mind and behavior of the Indian people who come to the archipelago. This influence led to changes in the way The life of the people of the archipelago both in the way of life of society, economy and religion.
Already since prehistoric times there has been a maritime relationship between India and the archipelago. Among the two nations there are similarities of culture so that their arrival is not perceived as a nation that will dominate the archipelago.
