C. Dynamics of Kamang Community Life
Ismail Yakoeb estimates that Islam gradually came to Minangkabau from two routes. First, from Aceh, Pariaman and through the villages in Minangkabau. Second, from another route Islam also entered from the Strait of Malacca to the Siak and Kampar areas of Riau and then entered the center of Minangkabau. Until now, it is not known exactly when Islam entered Minangkabau. This is because there are no clear records, mosques or gravestones and written evidence about it. However, there are several opinions about the arrival of Islam to Minangkabau with various analyzes and reasons including:
1. M. D. Mansur expressed the opinion that Islam had existed in Minangkabau in the 7th century. Given the existence of relations between China in East Asia and Arabia in West Asia through the Strait of Malacca. This was supported by Burhanuddin Daya by reinforcing that in the 7th and 8th centuries there were already Islamic communities in Sumatra.
2. Slamet Mulyana expressed his opinion that Islam only entered Minangkabau in approximately 1600. At that time the Minangkabau people had been Islamized by Islamic traders who sailed in Malacca along the Kampar and Indragiri Rivers. This is reinforced by the movement of Islamic traders' trade routes since the control of Malacca by the Portuguese in 1511. They chose to move to the west coast of Sumatra. Which resulted in the expansion of the Aceh Kingdom's power to the Minangkabau region.
3. According to Hamka, based on Chinese news that in 684 AD there was already an Arab community group in Minangkabau. This means that 42 years after the Prophet Muhammad died, Arabs already had settlements in Minangkabau. Hamka estimates that one of the names of the coastal city of Pariaman comes from the Arabic "Barri Aman", which means safe and secure land. Hamka's opinion is also in line with J.C van Vanleur's opinion that in 674, the Arabs were already on the west coast of Sumatra.
4. Holt argues that Islam entered Minangkabau in the 14th century with the spread coming from Aceh through Pidie and then to Pariaman. This was also the route taken by the new ideas of Islam that entered Minangkabau in the 19th century.
5. Tome Pires, who visited Java in 1511, noted that in that year some of the kings of Sumatra had embraced Islam, but others were not yet Muslim.
in Sumatra had embraced Islam, but others were still not Muslim.
6. Cornellis Snouck Hurgronje, estimated that Islam reached the archipelago in the middle of the century before Baghdad fell to Hulagu/Mongol King in 1258. So he estimated that around 1200 Islam was already present in various parts of the archipelago, including Sumatra.
7. Agus Salim argues that Islam entered Indonesia in the 7th and 8th centuries AD or 1st and 2nd centuries Hijri. The carriers were Arabs and Indonesians who had actively traded all the way to China. This is in line with Azyumardi Azra's analysis that there is an Islamic historiography record that states that Islam in Indonesia originated from Arabia. This religion had arrived in the 7th century AD. This theory also breaks the opinion that Islam in Indonesia came from India and Gujarat.
8. According to Ibn Batutah who visited Pasai in the 14th century, the king of Pasai, Al Malik Az Zahir, was the king who actively spread Islam to Minangkabau.
Although there are many analyzes and opinions, the certainty of when the entry into Minangkabau has not been resolved, but what is certain is that Islam has penetrated Minangkabau life starting from the surau. Surau has been considered like a home for a young man who has reached puberty. They live in surau- surau from the time of puberty until a man gets married, so surau has certainly become a school that will give a mark to every Minang man who is alitu. Meanwhile, the house is intended as a residence for women, sumando (husband of a sister) and children.
*A 19th century painting of a mosque in the interior of Minangkabau.
