Pan-Islamism in the Malay States and British Reaction (1912-1918) (Pan-Islamisme di Negeri-Negeri Melayu dan Reaksi British (1912-1918))

Abstract

This article analyses the growing of Pan-Islamism in the Malay States during the First World War. Before the First World War broke out, the British government in the Malay States adopt diplomatic relations with various countries. This policy allows other countries to have economic and social relations with the Malay States. Turkey is one of the countries that have good relations with the British and hence are allowed to have diplomatic relations with the Malay States. Pan-Islamism began to become a problem when a group of young intellectuals in Turkey sparked the idea and movement of a universal Islamic union. As a result, Pan-Islamism has begun to spread across the Malay States. This movement influenced the Muslim community to support the Turkish government on the principle of universal unity of Muslims. Although the British realized that the growing support of Pan-Islamism are able to affect the loyalty of the people in the Malay States against the British but the British can not restrict the entry of Turkish missionaries or traders to come to the Malay States. This is because the British still have good relations with Turkey. As a result, Pan-Islamism continues to grow in the Malay States until the First World War broke out in 1914. As such, this article assesses the extent of the Pan-Islamism impact on the growing of Pan-Islamism in the Malay States during the First World War. This study uses qualitative research methods by examining primary sources such as the Straits Settlements Annual Report documents and the files of the British High Commissioner's Office. The results prove that Pan-Islamism has been accepted by the people of the Malay States, but the support was brought under control by the British throughout the First World War.

Keywords: Pan-Islamism, Turkey, British, First World War, Diplomatic Relations.

Abstrak

Artikel ini menganalisis perkembangan Pan-Islamisme di Negeri-Negeri Melayu pada zaman Perang Dunia Pertama. Sebelum Perang Dunia Pertama meletus, kerajaan British di Negeri-Negeri Melayu mengamalkan hubungan diplomatik dengan pelbagai negara. Keterbukaan ini memberi ruang kepada negara-negara lain untuk mengadakan hubungan ekonomi dan sosial dengan penduduk Negeri-Negeri Melayu. Turki merupakan antara negara yang mempunyai hubungan baik dengan British telah memberi ruang kepada negara tersebut untuk mempunyai hubungan diplomatik dengan Negeri-Negeri Melayu. Pan-Islamisme mula menjadi isu hangat apabila sekumpulan inteklekual muda di Turki telah mencetus idea dan gerakan kesatuan Islam sejagat. Kesannya, semangat Pan-Islamisme telah mula tersebar ke Negeri-Negeri Melayu. Semangat ini mempengaruhi masyarakat Islam untuk menyokong kerajaan Turki atas prinsip kesatuan umat Islam sejagat. Walaupun British sedar bahawa perkembangan semangat Pan-Islamisme ini mampu mempengaruhi kesetiaan penduduk Negeri-Negeri Melayu terhadap British namun British tidak dapat menyekat kemasukan pendakwah atau pedagang Turki untuk datang ke Negeri-Negeri Melayu. Hal ini disebabkan British masih mempunyai hubungan baik dengan Turki. Maka, semangat Pan-Islamisme terus berkembang di Negeri-Negeri Melayu sehingga Perang Dunia Pertama meletus pada tahun 1914. Justeru itu, artikel ini menilai sejauhmanakah Pan-Islamisme memberi kesan terhadap perkembangan Pan-Islamisme di Negeri-Negeri Melayu pada zaman Perang Dunia Pertama. Kajian ini menggunakan kaedah penyelidikan kualititatif dengan meneliti sumber primer seperti dokumen Laporan Tahunan Negeri-Negeri Selat dan fail-fail Pejabat Pesuruhjaya Tinggi British. Hasil kajian membuktikan semangat Pan-Islamisme telah diterima oleh penduduk Negeri-Negeri Melayu namun sokongan ini berjaya dikawal oleh British sepanjang zaman Perang Dunia Pertama. 

Kata kunci: Pan-Islamisme, Turki, British, Perang Dunia Pertama, Hubungan Diplomatik.