Batak Muslims or Islamized Bataks[a] (Toba Batak: ᯅᯖ᯲ᯖ ᯘᯪᯞᯬᯔ᯲, Batta Silom) refers to the Batak (native of central and northern regions of the Indonesian island of Sumatra) who embraced Islam as their religion. Historically, the Batak people practiced animism, with a strong emphasis on ancestral worship and other traditional beliefs. The transition to Islam among the Batak occurred gradually, with the early historical record started since at least 8th or 9th century,[b] as a result of trade relations, missionary activities, and the influence of nearby Islamic-based monarchs in pre-colonial Indonesia.
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