Solehah Yaccob Believes Her Hypothesis Has Merits Based On ‘’Classical’’ Sources & References

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International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) Arabic lecturer Prof Dr Solehah Yaacob has doubled down on her divisive claims that Romans learned shipbuilding techniques from Malay seafarers.

READ MORE: Public University Professor Claims Romans Learned Shipbuilding From Malays

She posted a public statement on Facebook to address the reactions that have come with her bombshell of a claim.

Solehah said the findings were based on a research hypothesis developed through ‘’extensive study’’ since completing her PhD in 2005.

She shared that her hypothesis is grounded in classical Arabic sources and proposes that the Romans acquired aspects of the art of shipbuilding from the peoples of the Malay Archipelago.

She claimed her hypothesis is supported by numerous references, including:

READ MORE: Redditor Unearths Paper By One “Solehah Yaacob”, Citation Includes The Onion Article

Solehah added that the Malays’ superior knowledge and shipbuilding skills made them one of the earliest masters of the sea.

She also pointed out that the Roman empire did not engage in significant seafaring until after 31 BCE, following its conquest of Egypt.

During this period, she believed the Romans lacked advanced seafaring capabilities. However, the Romans, Vikings, and Slavs were known for seeking high-quality iron to forge weapons for warfare and conquest. She referred to several Arabic sources that mentioned ‘’Al-qal a al-Rumi,’’ the literal Roman sword of Qal’a’ aka the Al-Sharbuqan.

Solehah shared that classical Islamic scholars such as Al-Biruni noted that the art of iron-smelting was developed in Qal’a, which Arab philosopher Al-Kindi said was situated in ancient Kedah.

Solehah mentioned that the quality of European timber at the time was unsuitable for long-distance oceanic voyages.

She believes this prompted Romans to seek experienced navigators from Egypt and the Indian and Malay worlds, who could guide them towards the souce of Qal’a iron.

Solehah shared she found supporting evidence from museum archives in Australia which noted the finest deep-sea shipbuilders originated from Austronesia, or modern-day Indonesia.

“Historical newspaper reports even record the striking statement, ‘The first man to sail around the world was a Malay’,” she said.

She said that the term “Malay” predates the term “Austronesian”, which was only coined by European Orientalists in the 19th century.

In summary, she firmly believes her hypothesis that the Romans learned shipbuilding techniques from Malays has merits.

“Before this label emerged, who were these seafaring peoples? Clearly, during the period of the Srīvijaya Empire – known as the Great Maritime Malay Kingdom – our ancestors were already recognised as Malays. Their predecessors, too, must have been Malays, inheriting an ancient and continuous tradition of seafaring, navigation, and exploration,” she said.

In the same public statement, Solehah also addressed the claims that she said Sayyidatina Siti Khadijah originated from the Malay world.

She said the claims were false and the video circulating online has been edited and taken out of context. She included a link to the original video and the edited clip for the public to see and judge for themselves.

Solehah has also lodged a police report regarding this matter and denies making such claims about Siti Khadijah.

She hopes all the slanders, insults, disinformation, and ridicule will cease.

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