While Hinduism and Buddhism have flourished, Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world today. But how was this enormous shift to a new religion achieved? This was not the seamless alteration that historians and optimists would have us believe it was. The reality, however, is far from rosy; in fact, it is far more brutally ruthless.

Long before the Islamic influence arrived in Indonesia, it was a melting pot for Hinduism and Buddhism. Today, the Borobudur and Prambanan temples have been preserved to remind us about the religious and cultural superiority of these beliefs. During the 5th century AD, Hinduism and Buddhism were present, and such empires as Majapahit and Srivijaya developed multicultural art and tolerant philosophy. It was indeed the age of prosperity for Indonesia, or what was then known as the Indies; commerce, intellectualism, and spirituality had made the place a fruitful economic destination.

It is from here that history becomes vague. Some argue that Middle Eastern and Indian traders brought this to the region in the 13th century, but this new religion spread primarily through trade. Islamic sultanates, however, did not suddenly appear; they emerged by the conquest of the Hindu-Buddhist dynasty, either by conversion or replacement. The Islamic states politically constructed dynastic marriages, and with them, the process of Hindu-Buddhist destruction began.

Hindu temples were closed, worship forbidden, and old customs that had been preserved for centuries were either prohibited or became practically impossible. It wasn’t the natural progression, but it was controlled, and this change was dictated by something far away. Islam did not just grow because people thought it was a more reliable religion; it grew due to politics and social force. While Indonesia interacted more with the Islamic world, there was a worse disconnect with Hinduism and Buddhism influence to the extent they nearly disappeared.

Later in the 16th century, the final nail in the coffin was dealt with when the Majapahit Empire crumbled. Aceh Demak and Mataram became strong Islamic kingdoms that spread Islam in every part of the region. What was once deemed the Indonesian pride, structuring the society, gradually turned into a marginal religion existing only in the form of Bali Hinduism.
No, this is not just a simple rotation; it is a complete cultural and political revolution. Oh no, it was not a peaceful transition; it was more like a gradual wiping out of the Hindu and Buddhist structures in the name of propagation of the new faith.

Today Indonesia is the largest Muslim country internationally, and yet what a price for such a title. The territory used to be full of Hindu-Buddhist culture, but almost everything has been wiped out. Temples remain there, but their purpose and relevance in society are shifted aside. Let’s not sugarcoat it: Converting to Islam in Indonesia was not a smooth affair; rather, it expressed violence, conquest, and ‘civilisational’ obliteration.

The next time people say that Indonesia became a Muslim country without bloodshed, tell the truth. This was the story of submission and not togetherness. And that’s the harsh truth.