The Role of Salaf People in the Development of Muslim Society in the Three Southern Border Provinces

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to study 1) the theory  and the ideology of Salaf in brief, 2) the history of the Salaf approach in the three southern border provinces, and 3) the development of the Muslim society for those who adhere to the Salaf ideology in the three southern border provinces. This research is a qualitative research consisting of data, documents, and field work. Which has a sample group of 45 people from the three southern border provinces, each province with 15 people. The tool using in this research consist of in-depth interviews structured, participatory observation and small group discussion and calculated using descriptive data analysis. The results of the research were as follows:      1) in the language, word Salaf means the previous generation referring to those of Ulama who have inherited the inheritance from the Prophet Muhammad. Which has existed during the first three centuries of Hijra and the Prophet confirmed that these people are of great value, which use the Qur’an and Al-Hadith verses as evidence for reference before intellectual evidence to seize the understanding of the Sahabah, tabi’in tabi' al-tabi'in and contemporary Muslim scholars who follow the Salaf ideology etc. 2) This Salaf ideology has approach to the southern border provinces starting from Bangkok and gradually into Pattani province around the year 1943, and 3) those who take the Salaf ideology  using different forms to develop the Muslim society  such as  to establish educational institutions at all levels and build more  mosques that ready to revive and establish a place to live and care for orphans, build a comprehensive Islamic cooperative in all provinces in the southern region. Thai

Muslims giving an importance to education in both religion and academic at the same time, and Thai Muslim women dress appropriately according to religious principles etc.