ROLES OF MUSLIM SCHOLARS IN SOUTHERN BORDER REGION: PAST AND PRESENT

Abstract

This article aims at studying the roles of Muslim scholars (ulama's) in southern border region of Thailand on Muslim society. In this research, the researcher employed qualitative method in collecting useful data and information. The data was gathered from documents written in both Thai and foreign languages, interview with local people, students, and well informed persons and researcher's experiences in the region. The collected data was then analyzed to arrive at conclusion. The findings of the study showed that, in the past, ulama's in Pattani played a very important role in teaching and producing related teaching materials, inventing and developing written language, administrating Islamic educational institutes, providing moral education, preaching Islam, leading society and providing solutions to religious issues. With the above mentioned reasons, they were very famous across Southeast Asia. As a result of that, Pattani had become centre for Islamic education, attracting a lot of people in Southeast Asia region to come and study here. In present-day, ulama's in Pattani still do play similar roles. Apart from in certain areas, their role however went into decline.