This thesis focuses on biographic studies of two Islamic leaders in southern Thailand, i.e. Haji Sulong bin Abdulqader and Dr. Ismaellutfi Japakeeya. The objectives are: 1. To study the history of the problem in southern Thailand. 2. To study the biographies of two religious leaders to understand their way of life, role and ideology. 3. To study the role of the two religious leaders in the social movements, the operation, the pattern of the social movements, the adoption of the concept. The research found that factors which encouraged the leadership of the two Islamic religious leaders are : socialization in the family, religious learning, and the practice of Islamization. In term of social movements, both religious leaders use religious concept of jihad, dakwah and tabliq. In addition, they also integrate religious and secular studies in the Islamization process. Haji Sulong bin Abdulqader, also adopted a parallel movement, the Rights Movement, calling for political rights which is the primary human rights. Thus, Haji Sulong's social movement is the “New Social Movement”. On the other hand, Dr. Ismaellutfi’s social movement is not the “New Social Movement”. The pattern and the characteristic of both social movements adopt nonviolence concept.
