A STUDY OF MUSLIM CULTURE IN SOUTHERN THAILAND ABSTRACT OF THESIS SUBMITTED FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF mortor of l3btlo~opb!' IN ISLAMIC STUDIES BY ZULKIFLEE MASAE Under the Supervision of DR. ABDUL HAMID FAZILI DEPARTMENT OF ISLAMIC STUDIES AliGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY AliGARH (INDIA) 2016 DEPARTMENT OF ISLAMIC STUDIES AUGARH MUSUM UNIVERSI1Y AUGARH-202002. U.P.• INDIA Phones: Ext. 0571·2701131 InL 1365. 1366 Fax: 0571·2700528 Email: [email protected] CERTIFICATE This is to certify that the thesis entitled "A Study of Muslim Culture in Southern Thailand" is in an original work done by Mr. Zulkiflee Masae under my supervision. The thesis is fit for submission for the award of the degree of Ph.D. in lslamic Studies. (Dr.~J~amidu~ct1tli~ZiiI 7 Supervisor ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First of all, I would like to thank Almighty Allah, the most merciful, the most benevolent, and without His blessing, the completion of this thesis was not possible. This thesis has been an exciting and challenging experience for me and I have been accompanied by a great number of people whose contributions are worth to mention. This thesis would not have been completed without the support, encouragement, and valuable and timely help of many individuals and institutions. I would like to express my heartiest thanks and sincere gratitude to my supervisor Dr. Abdul Hamid Fazili, Department of Islamic Studies, Aligarh Muslim University, (AMU) Aligarh, for his benevolent guidance, inspiring attitude, sympathetic behavior, keen interest and devotion throughout the tenure of this work. Without his whole hearted cooperation, it would have been rather impossible to complete the present work. I am also indebted to Prof. Sayyid Ahsan, Chairman, Department of Islamic Studies, AMU, for his moral and academic encouragements and for providing the necessary facilities. Prof. Zafarul Islam, former Chairman, Department of Islamic Studies, AMU, must also be thanked for his invaluable suggestions and encouragements. I am also thankful to all teachers of the Department of Islamic studies AMU, especially Prof. Mohammad Ismail, Prof. Obaidullah Fahad, Dr. Ahsanul Haq, Dr. Adam Malik Khan, Dr. Abdul Majid Khan, Dr. Aijaz Ahmad, Dr. Bilal Ahmad Kutty, and Dr. Imtiyaz al-Huda. I would also like to extend my gratitude to my colleagues in Thailand, for their continuous support and assistance they extended to this research. Especially, I would like to thank Dr. Anas Amatayakul, Mahidol University Thailand, Dr. Muhammadtolan Kaemah, Yala Rajabhat University Thailand; for their kind cooperation and all the help they extended to me when I was in need of it. I am also thankful to my friends and fellow scholars, viz. Dr. Pervez Ahmad Khandey, Dr. Cheruhaya Luebaeluwong, Dr. Rahmatullah Khan, Dr. Arifeen Yama, Dr. Hafeez Patla, Mr. Muhammad Yaseen Gada, Mr. Waleed Easor, Mrs. Nasra Mulor, Mr. Chakrapob Sasukul, and Mr. Natatapol Madnuraks. Behind every success, there lies always the unending support of family members; the cooperation of my mother Rorkiyoh Puteh, father Mr. Dorloh Haleng Masae, my wife, Saniyah Adae, my sons, Ashraf Masae and Ilham Masae, and my wife’s friends –Miss. Rureena Chema, Miss. Subaika Alee and Miss. Salwa Bangpu cannot be overlooked as they all made it possible for me to devote to my work with full time and concentration. i The more pain-taking part of this research-work has been greatly facilitated by the help and cooperation of the library staff of the Department of Islamic Studies, AMU, library of Prince Songkhla University campus Pattani, Thailand; Library Mahidol University Thailand, and Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. My special thanks are due to Mr. Kabir Ahmad Khan, Librarian, Department of Islamic Studies, AMU, who whole- heartedly supplied to me the necessary materials whenever needed. It is difficult to find the right words with which I can express my indebtedness to the Office-Staff, Department of Islamic Studies, AMU, for their continuous cooperation. Dr. Mahamud Khan, a Post Doctoral Fellow, Department of Education, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, also specially provided me invaluable insights and suggestions regarding my research work. Apart from the department, I am also very thankful to my dear friends for being with me in my long stay at AMU, during all the good and bad times of my life. I feel really blessed when I count the names of those friends who were with me and still remember me in their busy life. I am also thankful to my step-parents step-father Haji Hama Saraseh, step-mother Mrs. Ropee–ah Sasu, and their family, for their support. Last but not least, I want to thank all those who helped and supported me in one way or the other throughout my research work. I do not have words to express my gratitude towards all of them. Today I have a feeling of both joy and sorrow at a time that I have completed the long cherished dream of my father in the form of this thesis but he is no more in this world. I pray to Almighty Allah to bless him with eternal bliss. (Zulkiflee Masae) ii Abstract ABSTRACT Thailand has a total area of approximately 198,000 square miles, and its population is around 70 million. The Thai Muslim population is about 5 million, making up roughly 7.5-8 % of the total population, out of them 44% of Muslim population reside in the south and the rest in the different provinces of Thailand. Thailand, one of the developing countries in South East Asia, has unique ethnic groups, government, religion, language, and customs. Its capital the land of tourism and its comprised geography has given certain amazing alleviation to its community and support for the peoples’ activities. The Southern Thailand region, previously was a semi independent Malay kingdoms, which was a part of the empire of Bangkok (Thailand), Sukhothai and Ayutthaya. After the Ayutthaya kingdoms collapsed in 1767, Pattani obtained its full independence, but under king Rama I (Chakri dynasty) administration it once again became a part of Thailand. In 1909, the Patani king integrated with the Siamese kingdoms as part of the agreement with England. Yala and Narathaiwat were initially part of Pattani but as they failed to integrate they became separate provinces. After that period, the rebellions and anti Siam (Bangkok) movement started and on several occasions resulted in conflict. The southern Thailand, which comprised three border provinces of Thailand include Yala, Narathiwat, and Pattani, are predominantly inhabited by Malay Muslim, also known as Melayu Pattani due to their Malay dialect. Historically, the southern Thailand region under King Malay and during the 16th century represented the height of Muslim civilization in South East Asia. The southeast Muslim Malay Sultanates. A loose relationship of vassalage was established by king Rama I and maintained with few changes until the ascent to the throne of Thailand by Chalalongkorn King V, in the late 19th century. It is consisting of near about 5-7 million of the total population out of which 80% are Muslims. In 1909, the Southern region of Thailand integrated with the Thai kingdom after an agreement with England. The Muslims of Southern Thailand of Pattani province have a significant position in the country and with the passage of time their culture, literature, tradition, and politics got moulded to a greater extent. 1 Abstract Southern Thailand is also probably one of the earliest Malay states to convert to Islam, certainly well before Melaka. One the scholars of Hikayat of Patani has said the story of its King Raja Phya Tu Nakpa who falls seriously sick, with apparently no cure to his ailment in sight. Then a holy man by the name of Syeikh Sa’ed came to him and said that he can cure the king, if he promises to convert to Islam. The ruler promised to do so and in a few days he was wonderfully healthy, however after getting fit he forgets his promise and fell ill, and again approached that holy man. This happened thrice and at last he accepted Islam and was called himself Sultan Ismail Shah. The kingdom of Thailand’s southern provinces like Pattani, Yala, Narathaiwat and part of Songkhla which were originally formed the center of the tribute; paying Malay Sultanate of Patani Kingdom but later on Thailand annexed those provinces in 1902 sparking a primarily ethnic Malay insurgency against the government Thailand. Moreover, Muslim population in Thailand is mainly divided into two groups-- The Thai -Muslim and the Malay-Muslim. Being the larger group and the main group the Thai Muslim have a group hold on the society while the Malay Muslim have concentration in south of Thailand and is also a largest ethnic group of that area. The majority of the Muslims are in the province of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, which are all very close to Malaysian. There is a difference between rural life and urban life. The main towns an district are mainly Buddhist. The southern Thailand’s however an exception. There the Muslim culture dominates everywhere. The separatist movement in Southern Thailand had emerged and struggled against the authority of Thailand Kingdom over Sempadan region in Southern Thailand. The Sempadan regions in Southern Thailand known as Changwad Chaiden Pak Thai has inhabited by Malay Muslim communities. They have their own behavior and customarily different from the rest of Thai communities. Based on historical overview, most of the Muslim communities had strong historical ties to Malay rather than to Thai. Therefore, as Muslim minority in Thailand, they exhibit distinct characteristics as compared to the homogeneous majority. Given such distinctions, minority groups tend to preserve their original identities in the face of new inventions that endanger their ethnicity.