The evidence available on the spread of Islam in Southeast Asia is reliant on tombstones and scattered evidence.
Significant examples include a Muslim tombstone found in Champa dating from early 11th century, an Islamic tombstone of Gresik (Java) dated late 11th century, the Trengganu stone dated 1303, records of Muslim settlers in Majapahit and a Muslim trading colony in Northern Malaya and of rulers in Pasai converting to Islam in 1282.
Islam was mainly confined to Sumatran ports before the rise of Malacca. Evidence of the presence of Islam in these ports included a report in 1292 by Marco Polo that the states of Pasai and Perlak had Muslim rulers, a tombstone of a Pasai ruler who died in 1297 had the Islamic name of Malek-al-Salleh.
These ports were among the earliest in Southeast Asia to be converted. The reasons for this early conversion include the distance of these areas from the influence of Hindu Majapahit, the long trading links these areas had with Indian traders who had converted to Islam (these converted Indians included those from the Coromandel coast and those from Gujerat).
There are at least two theories on the arrival of Islam. The first theory is that Islam first came to Southeast Asia through Indians via what would be the last wave of Indian cultural influence/Indianization. This theory suggests it would be easier for Southeast Asians to accept Islam as they were familiar with the Indians who brought it. The second theory is that Islam was brought by the Chinese. Evidence for this theory is provided in records on the north coast of Java which have shown some of the Wali Songo were of Chinese ethnic origin.
