This pair of wall panels features the names of the four caliphs who were Prophet Muhammad’s companions and successors. They were Abu Bakr, Omar, Uthman and Ali. The wall panels were made in Kudus, Java, which is well known for its wood-working tradition. They would traditionally have been hung in homes or public buildings as a form of decoration as well as testament of faith. They also serve as a reminder to Muslims to emulate the virtues of the Prophet and his followers.Although it is not certain when Islam first arrived in Southeast Asia, it first made significant impact on some Southeast Asian societies during the 14th-15th centuries. Many of the first Southeast Asian communities which adopted Islam, were coastal trading areas, such as Java.
