Hide
Show all
Navigating Against Salafi-Wahabi Expansion in Malaysia: The Role of State and Society
Abstract
This article argues that Salafi-Wahhabism’s political ideology has major effects on Malaysia’s socio-political orders. It also argues that the levels of resilience to the Salafi-Wahabi expansion are varied between state and society. At the level of society, resilience is weakened by multiple layers of grievances, which produced various effects brought by stages of reformist movements and terrors of neo-Salafi groups. The crucial indicator is its changing characteristics from being accommodative to a defensive one. The increasing tendency of Muslims embracing Salafi-Wahabism is the result of years of indoctrination, transnational Islamist networking, an external source of religious-funded activities, and the politicization of Islam. Yet this has been outweighed by the state’s resilience. Several attributes could explain the state’s ability to resist internal and external sources of radical ideologies, among others, long experience with terror threats, the state’s defined Islam, strong control on religious affairs, and the law enforcement that existed since the colonial periods.
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Abdul Hamid, Ahmad Fauzi. 2007. “Patterns of State Interaction with Islamic Movements in Malaysia During the Formative Years of Islamic Resurgence.” Japanese Journal of Southeast Asian Studies 4 (4): 444-65.
———. 2015. “The Challenge of Religious Pluralism in Malaysia with Special Reference to the Sufi Thought of Ustaz Ashaari Muhammad.” Comparative Islamic Studies 9(1): 9–40.
———. 2020. “Interview. Kuala Lumpur.”
Abdullah, Kamarulnizam. 2003. The Politics of Islam in Contemporary Malaysia. Bangi: Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
———. 2019. “Political Islam and Democracy in Malaysia.” In Secularism, Religion, and Democracy in Southeast Asia, Delhi & London: Oxford University Press.
Ahmad, Mohd Parid Sheikh. 2015. “Ucapan Dasar PTI 2015: Memacu Perubahan Malaysia Rahmah Berasaskan Maqasid Syariah.” Policy Speech of the President of the IKRAM Annual Assembly (PTI 2015). Kuala Lumpur.
Al-Atas, Syed Farid. 2014. “Salafism and the Persecution of Shi‘ites in Malaysia.” Middle East Institute. https://www.mei.edu/publications/salafism-and-persecution-shiites-malaysia (January 23, 2021).
Alrebh, Abdullah F. 2017. “A Wahhabi Ethic in Saudi Arabia: Power, Authority, and Religion in a Muslim Society.” Sociology of Islam 5(4): 278–302.
Aly, Abd al-Monein Said, and Manfred W. Wenner. 1982. “Modern Islamic Reform Movements: The Muslim Brotherhood in Contemporary Egypt.” Middle East Journal 36(3): 336–61.
Aslam, Mohammad Mizan. 2009. “A Critical Study of Kumpulan Militant Malaysia, Its Wider Connections in the Region and the Implications of Radical Islam for the Stability of Southeast Asia.” Ph.D. Thesis. Victoria University of Wellington.
Augustin. 2021. “There’s ‘Religious Thuggery’ in the Country, Says Ramli Ibrahim.” Free Malaysia Today. https://www.msn.com/en-my/news/national/there-s-religious-thuggery-in-the-country-says-ramli-ibrahim/ar-AAKUAxG?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531 (June 16, 2021).
Azmi, Hadi, and Muzliza Mustafa. 2021. “Malaysian Police: Foiled Is Sympathizer’s Plot to Kill PM Mahathir Last Year.” Benar News. https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/malaysian/my-is-plot-03252021174904.html (June 16, 2021).
Baharuddin, Shamsul Amri. 1996. “Debating about Identity in Malaysia: A Discourse Analysis.” Japanese Journal of Southeast Asian Studies 34(3): 476–99.
———. 2005. “Islam Embedded:‘Moderate’Political Islam and Governance in the Malay World.” In Islam in Southeast Asia: Political, Social and Strategic Challenges for the 21st Century, Singapore: ISEAS, 103–20.
Bajunid, Omar Farouk. 1998. The Dynamics of Islamic, Arabisation and Localisation in the Malay World. Wellington: Victoria University of Wellington.
Bowie, Nile. 2017. “Malaysia’s ‘Arabization’ Owes to Saudi Ties.” Asia Times. https://asiatimes.com/2017/11/malaysias-arabization-owes-ties-saudi-regime/ (May 13, 2021).
Business Today. 2020. “Malaysia Halal Industry Stays Resilient Despite Challenging Times.” https://www.businesstoday.com.my/. https://www.businesstoday.com.my/2020/03/25/malaysia-halal-industry-stays-resilient-despite-challenging-times/ (January 23, 2021).
Commins, David. 1991. “Taqī Al-Din al-Nabhānī and the Islamic Liberation Party.” The Muslim World LXXXI 3(4): 204–21.
———. 2006. The Wahhabi Mission and Saudi Arabia. London: I.B.Tauris.
Fernando, Joseph M. 2006. “The Position of Islam in the Constitution of Malaysia.” Journal of Southeast Asian Studies 37(2): 249–66.
Gaus, A.F., and Herdi Sahrasad. 2019. “Culture And Religion: The Movement And Thought Of Islam Nusantara Nowadays, A Socio-Cultural Reflection.” El Harakah 21(1): 1-18.
Ghoshal, Baladas. 2010. “Arabization: The Changing Face of Islam in Asia.” India Quarterly 66(1): 69–89.
———. 2016. “Arabisation of Islam in Asia: A Clash within Civilisation.” The Straits Times. https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/arabisation-of-islam-in-asia-a-clash-within-civilisation (May 13, 2021).
Hashim, Rosnani. 2011. “Educational Dualism in Malaysia: Implications for Theory and Practice.” Second Edition. Second Reprint. Petaling Jaya: The Other Press.
———. 2014. “The Reformation of Muslim Education in Malaysia: Ensuring Relevance and Overcoming Challenges.” In International Symposium of Imam-Hatip (Vocational Religious) Schools in Their Centennial Anniversary. Istanbul, Turkey: November. Istanbul, Turkey.
Haynes, Jeffrey. 2005. “Al Qaeda: Ideology and Action.” Critical Review of International Social and Political Philosophy 8(2): 177–91.
Isma Perak. 2010. “Konvensyen Pemikiran Hassan Al-Banna Dalam Melakar Agenda Bangsa.” Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia Cawangan Ipoh (PERAK). https://ismaperakdr.wordpress.com/2010/01/05/konvensyen-pemikiran-hassan-al-banna-dalam-melakar-agenda-bangsa/ (June 16, 2021).
Jansen, Godfrey H. 1979. Militant Islam. New York: Harper & Row.
Jore, Sissel H. 2020. “Is Resilience a Good Concept in Terrorism Research? A Conceptual Adequacy Analysis of Terrorism Resilience.” Studies in Conflict & Terrorism 1–20. DOI: 10.1080/1057610X.2020.1738681.
Kathirasen, A. 2019. “Racial Discrimination Continues in ‘New Malaysia’, Says Report.” Free Malaysia Today (FMT). https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2022/03/31/racial-discrimination-on-the-rise/ (January 23, 2021).
Koelbl, Susanne, Samiha Shafy, and Bernhard Zand. 2016. “Saudia Arabia Iran and the New Middle Eastern Cold War.” Der Spiegel. https://www.spiegel.de/international/world/saudia-arabia-iran-and-the-new-middle-eastern-cold-war-a-1090725.html (January 23, 2021).
Lim, By Ida. 2018. “Simplified: The Federal Court’s Groundbreaking Indira Gandhi Judgment.” Malay Mail. https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2018/02/01/simplified-the-federal-courts-groundbreaking-indira-gandhi-judgment/1567409 (January 23, 2021).
Liow, Joseph Chiyong. 2009. Piety and Politics: Islamism in Contemporary Malaysia. New York: Oxford University Press.
Malik, Maszlee. 2014. “Islamic Movement and Human Rights: Pertubuhan Jamaah Islah Malaysia’s Involvement in the ‘Abolish Internal Security Act Movement,’ 2000-2012.” Intellectual Discourse 22(2): 139-65.
———. 2017. “From Political Islam to Democrat Muslim: A Case Study of Rashid Ghannouchi’s Influence on Abim, Ikram, Amanah and Dap.” Intellectual Discourse 25(1): 21–55.
Malkki, Leena, and Teemu Sinkkonen. 2016. “Political Resilience to Terrorism in Europe: Introduction to the Special Issue.” Studies in Conflict & Terrorism 39(4): 281–91.
Mastern, Ann S. 2009. “Resilience in Development.” In The Oxford Handbook of Positive Psychology, Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press.
Means, Gordon P. 2009. Political Islam in Southeast Asia. Boulder: Lynne Rienner.
Osman, Mohamed Nawab Mohamed. 2019. “Insight: Is Hizbut Tahrir a Threat to Indonesia?” The Jakarta Post. https://www.thejakartapost.com/academia/2019/06/20/is-hizbut-tahrir-a-threat-to-indonesia.html (June 20, 2021).
Othman, Muhammad Atiullah, and Siti Boyman. 2018. “Political Islam in Islamism and Post Islamism: A Study on Islamic Renaissance Front (Irf).” International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences 8(1): 676–702.
Othman, Zarina, Nor Azizan Idris, and Abdul Halim Daud. 2020. “Pengharaman Fahaman Syiah Dan Hubungan Malaysia-Iran (the Banning of Shia Belief and Malaysia-Iran Relations).” Geografia: Malaysian Journal of Society and Space 16(4): 117–31.
Prior, Timothy, and Jonas Hagmann. 2014. “Measuring Resilience: Methodological and Political Challenges of a Trend Security Concept.” Journal of Risk Research 17(3): 281–98.
Rahman, Nur Farhana Abdul, and Khadijah Mohd Khambali. 2013. “Religious Tolerance in Malaysia: Problems and Challenges.” International Journal of Islamic Thought 3: 81–91.
Rodzi, Nadhirah H. 2018. “Malay Group Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia Wants Malaysia Declared an ‘Islamic State.’” https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malay-group-wants-malaysia-declared-an-islamic- state/ (June 23, 2021).
Rollins, John. 2011. Al Qaeda and Affiliates: Historical Perspective, Global Presence, and Implications for U.S. Policy. Washington, D.C.: DIANE Publishing.
Shah, Aliza. 2016. “New Extremist Groups Uncovered.” The New Straits Times.
Star Online Edition. 2007. “Lina Joy Loses Appeal | the Star.” https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2007/05/30/lina-joy-loses-appeal (January 23, 2021).
Stockwell, A.J. 1979. British Policy and Malay Politics during the Malayan Union Experiment, 1942-1948. Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society.
Suryadinata, Leo, ed. 2000. Nationalism and Globalisation: East and West. Singapore: ISEAS: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.
Tee, Kenneth. 2019. “Former Army Commander Keeps Re-Living the Sauk Siege so We Never Forget How Close Malaysia Came to Chaos.” Malay Mail. https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2019/09/08/former-army-commander-keeps-re-living-the-sauk-siege-so-we-never-forget-how/1788598 (January 23, 2021).
The Sundaily. 2014. “Tahfiz Schools Fast Becoming a Popular Choice, Says Lecturer.” The Sundaily. https://www.thesundaily.my/archive/1167840-KRARCH271864 (June 27, 2021).
Wan Husin, Wan Norhasniah, Norhana Abdul Halim, and Nur Farahana Zul Kernain. 2021. “Students’ Perceptions on Ethnic Tolerance in Malaysia: A Study in Three Public Universities.” Ethnicities 21(1): 98–119.
Wan Mat Yusoff, Wan Ruzailan. 2020. “Interview Senior Special Branch Officer (Terrorism Desk), Royal Malaysian Police. Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur.”
Yaacob, Che Mohd Aziz, Kamarulnizam Abdullah, and Mohd Sofian Omar Fauzee. 2019. “Pengaruh Kefahaman Dan Penerimaan Rakyat Malaysia Terhadap Perjuangan Ideologi Daesh (Malaysian Attitude and Perception on Daesh’s Ideological Struggle).” Kajian Malaysia: Journal of Malaysian Studies 37(2): 121–45.
Zain, Haspaizi. 2020. “Pertembungan Fahaman Melatari Isu Jawatan Mufti Wp.” Malaysiakini. https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/521260 (June 19, 2021).
Zain, Irwan Muhammad. 2019. “Pemilihan Amanah: Ikram Tidak Kuasai Amanah - Mat Sabu.” https://www.astroawani.com/berita-politik/pemilihan-amanah-ikram-tidak-kuasai-amanah-mat-sabu-217716%20(13 (June 13, 2021).
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36712/sdi.v29i1.25213 Abstract - 0 PDF - 0
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
All publication by Studia Islamika are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Studia Islamika, ISSN: 0215-0492, e-ISSN: 2355-6145
View My Stats