page_title: Islam in Malaysia
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Islam in Malaysia / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Kampung Laut Mosque
context_page_description: Malaysia is a country whose most professed religion is Islam. As of 2013, there were approximately 19.5 million Muslim adherents, or 61.3% of the population.
  Islam in Malaysia is represented by the Shafi‘i version of Sunni theology and jurisprudence, while defining Malaysia constitutionally a secular state. Islam was introduced by traders arriving from Arabia, China and the Indian subcontinent. It became firmly established in the 15th century. In the Constitution of Malaysia, Islam is granted as the "religion of the Federation" to symbolize its importance to Malaysian society. However, other religions can be practiced freely. According to Pew Research, 18% of Malaysian Muslims are non-denominational Muslims whilst another 7% adhere to smaller branches.
  Various Islamic holidays such as Mawlid have been declared national holidays alongside Christmas, Chinese New Year and Deepavali.
context_section_description: Individual Arab traders, including Sahabas, preached in the Malay Archipelago, Indo-China, and China in the early seventh century. Islam was introduced to the Sumatran coast by Arabs in 674 CE.
  Islam was also brought to Malaysia by Indian Muslim traders in the 12th century AD. It is commonly held that Islam first arrived in Malay peninsular since Sultan Mudzafar Shah I (12th century) of Kedah (Hindu name Phra Ong Mahawangsa), the first ruler to be known to convert to Islam after being introduced to it by Indian traders who themselves were recent converts. In the 13th century, the Terengganu Stone Monument was found at Kuala Berang, Terengganu, where the first Malay state to receive Islam in 1303 Sultan Megat Iskandar Shah, known as Parameswara prior to his conversion, is the first Sultan of Melaka. He converted to Islam after marrying a princess from Pasai, of present-day Indonesia.
  The religion was adopted peacefully by the coastal trading ports people of Malaysia and Indonesia, absorbing rather than conquering existing beliefs. By the 15th and 16th centuries it was the majority faith of the Malay people.
caption: Kampung Laut Mosque in Tumpat is one of the oldest mosques in Malaysia, dating to early 18th century
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