Apart from the debate on who was the first Kutai ruler who bersyahadat, Islamic da'wah growing rapidly since the era of the King of the Crown.
Archaeological evidence suggests, one of the oldest civilizations of a naval army appeared in East Kalimantan. So far, researchers have discovered seven yupa, a kind of stone pillar whose function is to link sacrificial animals.
On these seven objects, there is a Sanskrit text with the Pallawa script from the beginning of the fifth century. It describes the praise of the brahmins for the generous attitude of King Mula warman who has donated 20,000 bulls for a great celebration.
Mulawarman is the grandson of the founder of Kutai Martadipura Kingdom, Kudungga. Since 350, his grandfather was in power, but not much influenced by Hindu (Indian) culture. The influence of India began to enter in the era of the rule of Mulawarman's father, Aswawarman. When Mulawarman became ruler, Kutai Martadipura experienced the heyday as the oldest Hindu kingdom in the archipelago.
Kutai Martadipura is based in Muara Ka man, the area that is now the sub-district northwest of Samarinda. Not far from there, the mouth of the Mahakam River is also the center of Kutai Kartanegara. The Kingdom was founded in 1300 by Aji Batara Agung Dewa Sakti. She later married Princess Swallow so as to lower the lineage of Kutai Kartanegara kings.
Dutch proprietor Pieter Johannes Veth argues that the two Kutai kingdoms were part of Majapahit powers expanding in the 14th century. The Nagarakretagama Book calls this kingdom as Tanjung Kute which Mahapatih Gajah Mada has captured.
In the fifteenth century, Majapahit influence began to fade across the archipelago. After that, Kutai Kartanegara is under the influence of the Kingdom of Banjarmasin led by Prince Samudra, the first king of Banjarmasin who embraced Islam. However, the government still held the Kutai Kartanegara king who sent tribute to Banjarmasin. The Sultanate of Banjar has been reviewed by Islam Digest in previous editions.
In the 16th century, Kutai Kartanegara, led by Anum Panji Mendapa successfully conquered Maharaja Dharma Setia, the ruler of Kutai Martadipura. The 13th Kutai Kartanegara then united the two kingdoms to become Kutai Kartanegara ing Martadipura.
The influence of Islam in Kutai is thought to have started since the expansion of Banjarmasin Kingdom. However, this religious propagation of religion can be done since the propagation of Islamic preaching by preachers from Sumatra to Sulawesi. Two of them, Datuk Dibandang and Datuk Ditiro, successfully broadcast Islaam in several kingdoms in South Sulawesi.
They then moved from Ma kassar to Kutai at the end of the 16th century by conveying the teachings of Islam. Ra ja Kutai, Crown (1545-1610), received these two dai well and in 1605 came to Islam. Such is the description of Ramli Nawawi et al in Salasilah Kutai.
Like the kingdoms at the mouth of the river, Kutai also has a bustling port with traders from various tribes. The Chinese, Indians, and Bugis often make Kutai a base for trading commodities at least since the 10th century.
Based on this fact, some historians suspect Islam has entered the Kutai neighborhood long before the time of the Crown Prince. In fact, the third Kutai Kartanegara king named Maharaja Sultan clearly signifies the influence of Islam. This ruler ruled in the period 1370-1420.
Apart from the debate on who was the first Kutai ruler who bersyahadat, dak wah Islam growing rapidly since the era of the Crown Prince. Once he became a Muslim, he ordered the construction of a mosque as a center for the spread of Islam in Kutai. He educated his son, Aji Batara Agung Paduka Nirta, to become a devout follower of Islam. Since 1620, the Kingdom