This clearly-referenced study outlines Malay relationships with the Middle Eastern centres of religious education mainly in the Hijaz, Egypt and Turkey, in the pre-1940 period. The role of overseas Islamic education, and publishing in Malay and the rising importance of Cairo in the 1930s are discussed. Malay publishing and journalism in Makka, Istanbul and Cairo continued to be a force for political change until the rise of local publishing in Malaya and Singapore. Includes an extensive bibliography.