Legasi Dakwah Saad bin Abi Waqqas di China: Analisis Mekanisme Perkahwinan Silang Budaya dalam Konteks Malaysia [The Dakwah Legacy of Saad bin Abi Waqqas in China: An Analysis of Cross-Cultural Marriage Mechanisms within The Malaysian Context]

Abstract

Kedatangan tokoh sahabat, Saad bin Abi Waqqas ke wilayah China, khususnya ke kota Hangzhou, telah meninggalkan kesan sejarah yang mendalam terhadap trajektori penerimaan masyarakat tempatan terhadap ajaran Islam. Kajian ini meneliti dengan kritis pendekatan utama yang digunakan oleh beliau, iaitu perkahwinan silang budaya (interkultural), sebuah strategi sosio-dakwah yang secara efektif menghubungkan dua tamadun besar menerusi pengukuhan institusi kekeluargaan. Objektif utama kajian ini adalah untuk menganalisis mekanisme dakwah Saad bin Abi Waqqas serta menilai potensi adaptasi pendekatan tersebut dalam kerangka masyarakat majmuk di Malaysia. Fokus khusus diberikan kepada peranan mualaf sebagai agen dakwah (agen pemujuk) yang berupaya meruntuhkan tembok prejudis budaya. Penyelidikan ini menggunakan metodologi kualitatif melalui analisis dokumen sejarah yang komprehensif, kajian kes kontemporari, serta pemerhatian lapangan untuk melihat dinamika interaksi sosial. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa perkahwinan silang budaya bukan sekadar instrumen penyebaran agama, malah berfungsi sebagai ejen asimilasi harmoni yang mengurangkan jurang etnosentrisme. Mualaf yang berjaya mengintegrasikan identiti budaya asal dengan nilai-nilai syumul Islam didapati mampu bertindak sebagai jambatan dakwah yang lebih efektif dan organik berbanding kaedah dakwah arus perdana yang kadangkala bersifat teoretikal. Walau bagaimanapun, kajian turut mendapati bahawa keberkesanan strategi ini amat bergantung kepada pengurusan cabaran sosiopsikologi serta tahap sokongan institusi agama dalam menyantuni keperluan unik pasangan silang budaya. Kajian ini merumuskan bahawa model dakwah dari zaman Dinasti Tang ini masih relevan untuk diaplikasikan di Malaysia bagi membina naratif Islam yang lebih inklusif dalam kepelbagaian kaum.

Abstract: The arrival of the prominent Companion, Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas, in China specifically in the city of Hangzhou left a profound historical impact on the local community's acceptance of Islamic teachings. This study critically examines the primary approach he utilized: cross-cultural (intercultural) marriage, a socio-dakwah strategy that effectively bridged two great civilizations by strengthening the family institution. The primary objective of this study is to analyze Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas's dakwah mechanism and evaluate the potential adaptation of this approach within the framework of Malaysia's pluralistic society. Specific focus is given to the role of converts (mualaf) as agents of dakwah (persuasive agents) capable of breaking down the walls of cultural prejudice. This research employs a qualitative methodology through comprehensive historical document analysis, contemporary case studies, and field observations to examine the dynamics of social interaction. The findings indicate that cross-cultural marriage serves not only as an instrument for the propagation of religion but also functions as an agent of harmonious assimilation that reduces ethnocentric gaps. Converts who successfully integrate their original cultural identity with the universal values of Islam were found to act as more effective and organic dakwah bridges compared to mainstream dakwah methods, which can sometimes be theoretical. However, the study also reveals that the effectiveness of this strategy heavily depends on managing socio-psychological challenges and the level of support from religious institutions in attending to the unique needs of cross-cultural couples. This study concludes that this dakwah model from the Tang Dynasty era remains highly relevant for application in Malaysia to build a more inclusive narrative of Islam amidst racial diversity.