The spread of Islam to Old Malaysia was brought about by the activities of the Arab traders, missionaries, and teachers who introduced their religious beliefs among the Malays. The foundation od Islam was laid in Malaysia by the Arabian scholar Mudum, who arrived in the Malay Peninsula about the middle of the 14th century. He succeeded in establishing in Malacca a rather tenous foothold for Islam.
About 1380, he proceeded to Sulu and preached the doctrines of Mohammed. In 1390, Raja Baginda, one of the petty rulers of Menangkabaw, Sumatra, arrived in Sulu anf promptly converted some of the natives to Islam. His religious activities were followed by Abu Bakr who, about 1450m left Palembang for Sulu. He married Rajah Baginda's daughter. Paramisuli. After Baginda's death, Abu Bakr exercised his powers as Sultan and established a government patterned after the Sultanate of Arabia. Islam spread rapidly to all parts of Sulu.
In Mindanao, Serif Kabungsuan, who had meanwhile arrived from Johore with his men, immediately began laying the foundation of Islam. He converted many tribes to his religion and having married into influential family, made himselt the first Sultan of Mindanao. From then on, Islam spread rapidly to the Visayas and Luzon.