Introduction
Malaysia is a secular state, whereby it is quite neutral in matters of religion despite having Islam as the most widely professed religion making up 61.3 per cent of the population in 2010.[ Available on http://www.statistics.gov.my/portal/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1215%3Apopulation-distribution-and-basic-demographic-characteristic-report-population-and-housing-census-malaysia-2010-updated-2972011&catid=130%3Apopulation-distribution-and-basic-demographic-characteristic-report-population-and-housing-census-malaysia-2010&lang=en] However, since the 1970s, there have been a number of incidents of Islamic resurgence and movements led by people who want to see Malaysia turn into an Islamic state. In the 1970s, under the New Economic Policy (NEP)[ New Economic Policy (NEP) is a socio-economic restructuring affirmative action program launched by the Malaysian government in 1971.], a large number of Malay students were enrolled at universities, some of which studied abroad and were in turn influenced by the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. In Malaysia, the most influential of all Islamic revivalist groups among youth at that time was known as ABIM or the Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement, which was formed in 1971. ABIM focused on "dakwah"[ In Malaysia, the term is commonly used to describe organizations devoted to raising the level of Islamic consciousness and to carry out conversions.] (reassertion) activities and propagation of Islamic tenets. "Dakwah" movements are viewed with alarm by moderate Malays and the groups that practise them are seen as extremists, with the government keeping a close watch on their activities. Other major Islamic groups besides ABIM are PAS or the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, KMM...
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Articles
Sharifah Zaleha Syed Hassan, Islam, State and Civil Society in Malaysia: The Case of the Al Arqam, NIASnytt Asia Insights, 4 December 2004.
Internet Sources
Department of Statistics, Malaysia - http://www.statistics.gov.my/portal/index.php
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The Sunni and Shiite branches of Islam have been feuding for hundreds of years dating back to the beginning of the Islamic religion. The deity or god of the Sunnis is Allah. The Sunni branch of Islam is the larger of the two branches with over 80% of the Muslim population. The Sunni are the majority in most of the countries that have Islamic followers. There are a few different translations of what Sunna stands for, one of which is “Habitual Practice.” The differences between the two branches can be traced all the back to the 7th century CE when the disagreements as to who should succeed Muhammad. Sunnis believe that the Muslim community should maintain the right to select who the successor to Muhammad is going to be. The Shiite branch maintains the belief that Muhammad has selected his son-in-law to be the successor. Even though the two branches agree on most matters, the Sunni put more power behind god and his determination of fate, and are more inclusive about their definition of being Muslim. The Sunni place heavy belief in the role of religion in some aspects of life and a lot of weight is put on the Islamic law known as Shariah as the standard for a vast range of social issues including marriage and divorce. (Patheos.com)
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Although the Nation of Islam is most widely known for their outspoken leaders and aggressive methods, the Nation of Islam is one of the most important black activist groups of the 1960’s. In a matter of just a few years the Nation of Islam’s members had increased from 400 to 400,000 (Taylor par.19). During the 1960’s, the emergence of the Nation of Islam constituted a change in the minds of many African-Americans. Therefore, caused a major influence in the Civil Rights Movement.
Thomas W. Lippman gives an introduction to the Muslim world in the book Understanding Islam. He has traveled throughout the Islamic world as Washington Post bureau chief for the Middle East, and as a correspondent in Indochina. This gave him, in his own words, "sharp insight into the complexities of that turbulent region." However, the purpose of the book is not to produce a critical or controversial interpretation of Islamic scripture. It is instead to give the American layman an broad understanding of a religion that is highly misunderstood by many Americans. In this way he dispels many myths about "Muslim militants," and the otherwise untrue perception of Islamic violence. In this way the American reader will become more knowledgeable about an otherwise unfamiliar topic. However, the most significant element of Lippman’s book is that it presents Islam in a simple way that makes the reader feels his awareness rise after each chapter. This encourages him to continue learning about the world’s youngest major religion. Understanding Islam dispels many misconceptions about the Muslim world, and presents the subject in a way that urges his reader to further his understanding of Islam through continued study.
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Lastly, but most importantly, understanding the culture and its background provides a valuable insight and an ‘umbrella theme’ of a country. According to Geert Hofstede’s Cultural dimensions, Malaysia has one of the highest power distance index in the world, with one of the lowest uncertainty avoidance index. It is highly related to the beliefs of Islam and this creates a society where leaders have virtually ultimate power and authority, and the rules, laws, and regulations developed by those in power, reinforce their own leadership and control. It is not unusual for new leadership to arise from armed insurrection – the ultimate power, rather than from diplomatic or democratic change .
G. Esposito, John L (2002) Islam; What Everyone Should Know. New York. Oxford University Press Inc.
In the 1999 elections for the first time in Malaysia’s history opposition parties united under Barisan Alternatif (Alternative Front or BA). Party Keadilan is a small multi-ethnic party formed in 1999 by activists in the reformation movement. Besides, PAS (Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party) had provided strong competition for UMNO. Another major ...