Socio-historical factors and

their impact on the religious

orientation of the Malays
Traits of Islamization
 Islamization in the Malay
archipelago
 The dynamics of Islamisation
 Traits of the “carriers” of the

religion
 Malay feudalism and its impact on

the development of intellectual

tradition
The influence of feudalism
 Nature of the ruling class and impact on
development of intellectual tradition
 The influence of ideology of the ruling class
 Divine kingship
 Status of man
 Dualism between religious teachings and

sensate preoccupation
 The influence of myth, magic, mysticism
 Overemphasis on rituals in religious life
 Patronage of traditionalistic religious elite
Influence of “collective
representation” in mode of thought
 Concept or ideas formed concerning objects
or events which differ from those of
ordinary experience transmitted to social
groups through successive generations
 possesses power and influence over
individuals awakening in them sentiments
of fear, respect and awe
 Not the product of reason
 Empirically non-verifiable
 Has its own cause effect linkages
 Indifferent to contradictions
Colonialism

 Continuity of Tradition and nature of

modernisation
 Sultan as guardian of religion and Malay

custom
 Vernacular education for Malays
 Colonial idology and policies towards Muslim

reformers viz-a-viz dominant religious elite

Other factors
 The orientation of the dominant religious
elite
 The nature of religious education in

traditional centres of religious learning

 The lack of a vibrant intellectual tradition
 Influence of politics