Muslim Population in Malaysia - ISLAM IN MALAYSIA - Muslims in Malaysia

HISTORY OF ISLAM IN MALAYSIA

Have you ever wondered, that why Malaysia, which is one of the most populous Muslim country the world, is so far away from the Middle East? whereas, the countries in between like China and India have Muslims in minority? Secondly, if the Islamic forces did not go to South east Asia, then how did Islam spread in this part of the world? Whether the Islam in Malaysia is brought by Muslim Traders or by Sufis? And What religion was being followed by Malaysian people before the arrival of Islam? If you are interested in answers to these questions, then you need to read this article, in which we are covering the history of Islam and muslims in Malaysia.

Before diving into the history of islam in Malaysia, lets briefly talk about the state of religion in Southeast Asia. Out of eleven South East Asian countries, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Singapore are predominantly Buddhist, then Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia are predominantly Muslim, while the only Philippines and Timor Lorosae are Catholic. Out of said three religion, Catholicism is the least practiced, Buddhist comes in the second place with more adherents than Catholicism, and Islam comes in the first place with 40% total adherents around South East Asian countries.

Consisting of two regions separated by some 640 miles of the South China Sea, Malaysia is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious federation of 13 states and three federal territories. Malaysia is bordered by Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and Brunei.  It has a population of 31.6 million people. The largest city and the national capital is Kuala Lumpur.

Malays and other indigenous peoples of Southeast Asia, including people in Indonesia and Brunei, are called Bumiputera. The term comes from the Sanskrit, which can be translated literally as, "son of the land" or, "son of the soil".

Malaysia is a multiracial country, with a population that currently stands at 31 million, of which approximately 60 percent are Muslims. Islam is constitutionally the country’s official religion; however, there is a freedom of religion in malaysia; where the population has the freedom to practise other religions. Malaysia along with Indonesia and Turkey, are regarded as, the most liberal and open Muslim countries. The Sharia Law, in Malaysia, is only applicable to Muslims and, is used to resolve conflicts relating to creed, and family matters.

Malaysia Religion Statistics


Malaysia is a multi-confessional and multicultural country. Almost, all religions in the world, such as Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism are present in the country. Religion in Malaysia, relates to ethnicity and as a result, most Hindus are Indian, Buddhist are Chinese, and Muslims are Malay.

The demographics of Malaysia, are represented by the multiple ethnic groups that exist in the country. The Population and Housing Census carried out in 2010, indicate that 61.3% percent of Malaysians practice Islam, 19.8% Buddhism, 9.2% Christianity, 6.3% Hinduism, and 1.3% traditional Chinese religions.

Islam in Malaysia

Islam is the dominant religion in Malaysia, and is the country's official religion. About 60% of Malaysians practice this faith. Most of the Muslim holy days are national holidays.The government in the country  supports a moderate version of Sunni Islam.


According to the latest study Pew Research Center, Muslims are expected to make up, 72.4 percent of Malaysia’s population in 2050, compared to just 60 per cent in 2010. In numbers, this means there will be over 32.7 million Muslims, out of the projected 45.2 million population in 2050, compared to around 18 million out of 28.4 million, in 2010.

History of Islam in Malaysia

Malaysia was a prime centre of trade and commerce since the 10th century. Back then, ancient Malay kingdoms within the northern region of the peninsula, were still under Buddhist and Hindu influence. Although, the first Muslim converts popped out mainly in Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula, somewhere in the 8th century, as result of there contact with Arab, Persian, and Gujarati traders. However, It is believed that Islam truly arrived in Malaysia sometime between the 13th and the 14th century, via Arab and Indian-Muslim traders. At this time, the religion was embraced by only few people. Local people seem to have converted gradually, while preserving many of their pre-Islamic beliefs. For a long time, Muslims remained a minority, and had to learn to rub along with people of other faiths.

Around the year 1390, a prince from Java, Parameswara, was forced to flee his homeland. Landing on the west coast of Malaya with a loyal following of about a thousand young men, the prince lived off in privacy for almost ten years. At that time, Siam (modern Thailand) was the imperial power in the area. Parameswara drove out the Siamese and established the town of Malacca, in 1403. The name Malacca, derives from the Arabic word, Malakoot, meaning market place. The Arabs had maintained a trading colony there since the 8th century.

Islam became widespread in the region, with the arrival and conversion of Parameswara, a Hindu prince and Singapore’s last king. After accepting Islam, he changed his name to Sultan Iskander Shah. During his prime period of success, in the 15th century CE, Melaka became a renowned hub of Islamic studies. He invited Muslim scholars from as far away as Mecca, honored them and encouraged the spread of Islam. Malacca became not only the hub of international trade, but also a center for Islamic learning. Islam continued to flourish in the peninsula during the 15th and the 16th century, which greatly influenced the Malay lifestyle and culture, as can be seen till today.

Islam spread in this part of the world mainly due to three reasons

1. Islam was quite attractive for the locals as it does not validate rulers power through the divine and that Islam does not have any kind of caste system.

2. The Sufis, the muslim missionaries spreading the religion also played a great factor in spreading Islam by syncretism, absorbing the local tradition into Islam, making it easier for the locals to accept Islam.

3. Last but not the least, the rulers of southeast Asia embraced Islam which further accelerates the spread of Islam in southeast Asia.

Malaysian Muslims generally follow the Shafi’e school of thought. Almost, all Muslim Malaysians belongs to Sunni sect. In some towns and cities, you can find Sufi brotherhoods. Mosques are part of the ordinary scene in Malaysia and are as much a cultural icon as a religious one. It is also the norm to hear the azan (call to prayer) on loudspeaker five times a day. On Fridays, government offices and banking institutions are closed for two hours during lunchtime for the Friday prayers.

Mosques in Malaysia can be found in almost every town and district in every state. The architectural styles of the mosques in Malaysia are interestingly diverse. Some are inspired by the world’s greatest mosques, while others adopt the classic design of traditional Malay architecture. A number of mosques in Malaysia have with Moorish-styled domes and minarets. Moorish architecture hails from North Africa and Spain. Characteristic elements include muqarnas, horseshoe arches, voussoirs, domes, crenellated arches, lancet arches, ogee arches, courtyards, and decorative tile work. Some of these mosques are globally recognised for their unsurpassed beauty; some have even made it into the list of the world’s most beautiful mosques, such as Terengganu’s Crystal Mosque and Perak’s Ubudiah Mosque. Malaysia is also home to reputedly the oldest mosque in the region, Kampung Laut Mosque, which is believed to be at least 250 years old.