The Malay Sultanates and Islam
Like royal court of Samudra-Pasai, which served as its model, the royal court in Melaka was a centre for Islamic learning. The sultan often held audience with visitors from the Middle East as depicted here.
During the Hindu period, the Malay ruler was called a Devaraja, and he was considered a descendant of a Hindu god. This changed when the Malays converted to Islam. The title of the Malay ruler was changed to ‘sultan', and he became a head of state without the divine attributes associated with the Devaraja. The sultan is seen as the defender of the faith and head of religion in his state even today, a position guaranteed by the constitution.
- Information in the full article includes
- Hindu influence
- The Malay Sultanates and Islam
- The roles of the sultan and other officials
- Influence of Malay adat