The Spread of Islam in Lampung: History, Figures, and Routes

Abstract

This study aims to examine the history of the arrival and development of Islam in the region of Lampung by highlighting the routes of dissemination, key figures, and the methods of Islamic propagation (da'wah) employed. The research utilizes a historical-qualitative method, incorporating document analysis, observation, and interviews with primary sources such as local manuscripts, mosque archives, and narratives from community leaders. The findings indicate that Islam spread across Lampung through three main routes: the western route from Minangkabau (via Belalau, West Lampung), the northern route from Palembang and Komering, and the southern route from Banten to the Keratuan Back region. Central figures in this Islamization process include Sheikh Al Hajj Ngali Hasyim, KH Ahmad Nawawi, KH Muhammad Thaib, as well as spiritual leaders ( mursyid ) of the Qadiriyah and Naqshabandiyah Sufi orders. The Jami' Al Anwar Mosque in Metro emerged as a major center for Islamic education and propagation. The spread of Islam was carried out through integrated strategies involving trade, Islamic boarding school -based education, intermarriage, and spiritual approaches via Sufism. These findings reinforce the understanding that Islam in Lampung is accommodative of local culture, and they emphasize the crucial role of religious scholars and institutions in the broader Islamization process of the Indonesian archipelago.