Malaysian Religions

Introduction

All of the world's major religions have substantial representation in Malaysia, the main adherents of each largely reflecting the multi-ethnic character of the population.

The variety of religions found in Malaysia is a direct reflection of the diversity of races living there. Although Islam is the state religion of Malaysia, freedom of religion is guaranteed. The Malays are almost all Muslims. The Chinese embrace an eclectic brew of Taoism, Buddhism and ancestor worship, though some are Christians. Although Christianity has made no great inroads into Peninsular Malaysia it has had a much greater impact upon East Malaysia, where many indigenious people have converted to Christianity, although others still follow their animist traditions.



Islam

Islam came into this part of the world in C.E. 674 (42 years after the death of Prophet Muhammad, pbuh) when the Umayyad ruler Muawiyah was in power at Damascus. Two hundred years later in C.E. 878 Islam was embraced by people along the coast of Peninsular Malaysia including the port of Klang, which was a well-known trading centre.

Before the arrival of Islam, the local Malays embraced an ancient religion with various forms of belief with some of the population belonging to the Hindu/Buddha religion. Life was structured and arranged in ways that showed the influence of more than one religion.

At the political level, the royal ruler and the head of state in most communities in the Malay world embraced the Islamic religion. The people were impressed and attracted by the provision in the Qur'an and the Hadith that mankind should be ranked on a basis of interpersonal equality.

In Islam there was no discrimination, or division on the basis of colour, class tribal affiliation, race, homeland and birthplace, all of which gave rise to problems. Equal rights seemed the right human solution, which in practice meant the acceptance of rights and obligation as a member of the Muslim Ummah (community).

The local population saw that Islam could extricate them from this bondage and provide the means for the extirpation of social evils. The new religion gave the small man a sense of this individual worth - the dignity of man - as a member of the Ummah.

The efforts of the ulama' in implementing Islamic teachings gradually reached rulers, officials, community leaders and the ordinary people. Their efforts left its mark in such places as Banten (formerly Bantam), East Java, Macassar, Kalimantan, the Southern Philippines, Southern Thailand, Melaka, Trengganu and elsewhere. The ulama' also played a part in the administration, and some of the powerful sultans held firmly to the teachings of Islam.

Buddhism

Indian influence spread well beyond the sub-continent to include South East Asia. That trade was the motivating force in this is clear from the Sanskrit names given to South East Asian ports such as Takkolo (market of cardamom), Karpuradvipa (island of camphor) and Suvarnabhumi (land of gold).

Colonists from India established a number of independent States in the Malay Peninsula during the first five centuries CE. Buddhism (along with Hinduism) may therefore have entered the Malay Peninsula at a very early period, in association with Indian trading and colonising activities in the region. There is evidence for this early contact in the mention of several place names from the peninsula in Pali canonical works such as the Niddesa and the Milindapanha.

Buddhist missionary activities in Malaysia might have occurred as early as the 3rd century CE. After the kingdom of Sri Vijaya fell, Buddhist ideas and practice continued to enter the Malay Peninsula as the northern Malayan States fell under the influence of the Thais, and the southern Malayan States fell under the control of the Javanese empire of Majapahit.

Archaeologists have found evidence of this early Buddhist influence in finds of Buddhist sculptures from the Amaravati School (2nd to 4th century CE) in the present day Malaysian State of Kedah, in the north west of the peninsula. Unfortunately, these finds have not so far included any written evidence, such as inscriptions on stone, from this very early period.




Hinduism

Around nine percent of the population of Malaysia are Tamil Indians, of whom nearly 90 percent are practising Hindus. Hinduism spread to Malaysia very early, and was important until Islam arrived in the 15th century. Traces remain in the Malay language, literature and art.

Indian settlers came to Malaysia from Tamil Nadu in the late 19th and early 20th centuries: labourers to work on rubber plantations and a few English-educated Indians, forerunners of today's professional middle class. There is also a minority from Northern India.

Malaysian Hinduism is diverse, with large urban temples dedicated to specific deities, and smaller temples on estates. The estate temples generally follow the tradition of the Indian region from which the workers originate. Many people follow the Shaivite, or Saivite, tradition (worship of Shiva), of Southern India.

Shaivism is a devotionalist grace-based concept and emphasises love for the deity, rather than fear. Folk Hinduism is most common, including spiritualism, animal sacrifice and worship of local gods.

Since the Second World War a revival of Hinduism has occurred among Indian Malaysians, with the foundation of organisations and councils to bring unity or to promote reform.

Most Hindus do recognise one God, or supreme deity. However, often God is seen as an impersonal force, or one of many gods. Jesus is also likely to be identified as one of many deities.

There are many paths to God. To be 'born again' implies reincarnation.

Sikhism

The Sikh community in Malaysia owes its beginnings in the country to the British connection and in particular with the recruitment of Sikhs for the paramilitary and police units which formed the nucleus from which the modern police and military forces of the nation derived. The first of these units was the Perak Sikhs.

The Sikhs believe and worship the one and only God who is formless. Hence, idol worship is denounced by the Sikh scriptures. The Sikhs' place of worship is known as a 'Gurdwara' which is open to all irrespective of race, religion, colour or sex.

The Sikhs celebrate the principal festival which is also the Sikh New Year that is called Vasakhi , each April and the birthdays and martyrdom of Sikh Gurus and the installation of the Holy Guru Granth Sahib as the 'living Guru of the Sikhs for all times', amongst others.

Christianity

Francis Xavier set foot in Malaya in 1545, and in 1814 Robert Morrison began work in Melaka, where his Chinese translation of the New Testament was later printed. During the 1800s other churches were planted among the British settlers and government servants but, because of an understanding between the British government and the sultans, evangelistic work was not permitted among Muslims.

Meanwhile, in East Malaysia, Anglicans and Methodists were at work among the animist tribal peoples.