Salafism in Malaysia: Historical Account on Its Emergence and Motivations
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sociology of islam 5 (2017) 303-333 brill.com/soi Salafism in Malaysia: Historical Account on Its Emergence and Motivations Maszlee Malik International Islamic University, Malaysia [email protected]; [email protected] Abstract The term Salafism refers to an interpretation of Islam that seeks to restore Islamic faith and practice to the way they existed at the time of Prophet Muhammad and the early generations of his followers. Since this early period represented the golden age of Islam in its pure form, Salafis believe it should be the example followed by all Mus- lims today. Salafism as a trend and theological movement has been a point of interest to many researchers due to the current global political escalation. It has been a focal point of issues related to global terrorism, radicalism, post-Arab Spring politics, reli- gious trends as well as theological debates. Salafism, more often known as Wahabism, has come to Malaysia at different times and with different motivations. The early brand of Salafism in pre-Malaysia Tanah Melayu, or Malaya, was the emergence of the early 20th century reformist Salafi movement, known as Kaum Muda, inspired by the Middle Eastern Abduh-Afghani Pan Islamism. Despite the differences between that and the current global Salafism they share the same roots. Additionally, according to numerous historical accounts, the current Salafi trend in Malaysia is closely related to the global Islamic revivalism of the 1970s and 1980s, and was also affected by the return of Malaysian students studying abroad during the 1990s and early 2000s. Evidence has shown that the emergence of Salafism in Malaysia has contributed directly and indi- rectly to the mainstream discourse of Islamic theology and Islamic worldview amongst Malaysian Muslims in general, and Islamic organizations in particular. This paper em- ploys a historical approach in explaining the emergence of Salafism in Malaysia and offers a critical examination of certain historical events that led to the existence of the different trends and groupings of Salafism in Malaysia and its implications for Islamic discourse in the country. © koninklijke brill nv, leiden, 2017 | doi 10.1163/22131418-00504003Downloaded from Brill.com09/26/2021 05:53:46PM via free access <UN> 304 Malik Keywords Salafism – Sunnah – Kaum Muda – Malaysia – abim – Saudi Arabia Introduction Salafism, as a trend and theological movement, has become a point of interest for many researchers due to the current global political escalation, in particu- lar regarding issues related to global terrorism, radicalism, post-Arab Spring politics, religious trends, as well as theological debates. Similarly, although Salafism is strongly associated with its geographical cradle, due to the recent post 9/11 interest in global terrorism, research on Salafism as an alleged moti- vations of global terrorism has skyrocketed. Researchers have started looking at the influence of Salafism in the Southeast Asian region, due to its sizeable Muslim population and certain events that occurred which are related to Salaf- ism as an ideology. The myriad studies that have been conducted on the Salafi phenomenon of Southeast Asia have mainly dealt with issues of Salafism in Indonesia, with very few on the cases of Salafism in Malaysia.1 In its religious-technical usage, salaf is an Arabic noun, which translates to “predecessor”, or “forefather”. This meaning can be general or, in its technical context, it can refer to the first three generations of Islam after the Prophet Muḥammad: the Companions, their Followers, and the Followers of the Fol- lowers, the so-called ‘Pious Predecessors’ who were guaranteed by the Prophet 1 See Greg Fealy, “Islamic Radicalism in Indonesia: The Faltering Revival?” Southeast Asian Affairs, (2004): 104–121; Saliha Hassan, “Islamic non-governmental organisations.” Social Movements in Malaysia (2004): 105–107; Norhaidi Hasan, Laskar Jihad: Islam, militancy, and the quest for identity in post-New Order Indonesia. Ithaca, (ny: Southeast Asia Program Pub- lications, Southeast Asia Program, Cornell University, 2006); Asip M. Iqbal, Salafism and the Internet in Contemporary Indonesia (Doctoral dissertation, Flinders University, 2008); Ken Miichi, Salafism Traits Among Militant Islamists in Indonesia (Asia Europe Institute, University of Malaya, 2008); Jajang Jahroni, “The Political Economy of Knowledge: Shariah and Saudi Scholarship in Indonesia”, Journal Of Indonesian Islam 7, no. 1 (2013): pp. 165–186; Abdul Gaffar Karim, “A Fertile Soil? Indonesia and Islamic Fundamentalism”, Journal of In- donesian Islam 1, no. 1, (2007): pp. 223–228; Amanda Kovacs, Saudi Arabia Exporting Salafi Education and Radicalizing Indonesia’s Muslims. Hamburg: German Institute of Global and Area Studies (giga), (2014); Din Wahid, “The Challenge of Democracy in Indonesia: The Case of Salafi Movement”, Islamika Indonesiana, 1, no. 1 (2014): 51–64; Mark Woodward, M. Sani Umar, Inayah Rohmaniyah, & Mariani Yahya, “Salafi violence and Sufi tolerance? Rethinking conventional wisdom”, Perspectives on Terrorism 7, no. 6 (2013). sociologyDownloaded of islam from 5 Brill.com09/26/2021 (2017) 303-333 05:53:46PM via free access <UN> Salafism in Malaysia 305 of the authenticity of their Islamic practices and teaching.2 The term salaf is often placed in opposition to the term khalaf, which linguistically is defined as what is behind and, in religious terms, refers to any later generation of Mus- lims, most particularly those who come after the first three. Despite its techni- cal usage, the term Salafi in the modern and contemporary convention can be defined as fundamentalist Sunni Islamic thought looking back to the first three generations of Muslims for inspiration and guidance.3 However, despite the usage of the term, there is no specific definition or presence of the term Salafi found in the original sources of Islam (al-Quran and the traditions of Prophet Muhammad).4 In terms of its political utility, the label ‘Salafi’ or Salafism has always been associated and used interchangeably with Wahhabi or Wahhabism.5 Both theologians and politicians use Salafi and Wahhabi interchangeably to de- scribe a group of people who strongly adhere to the undisputed principle that Al-Quran and As-Sunnah (as understood by the first three generations of Mus- lims) should be the only references for Muslims when discussing Islam, with very limited reference afforded to reasoning and rationality.6 It condemned the rigid adherence to specific schools of Islamic law, the elaborate religious science of scholastic theology, and both the popular religious practices of Sufism and the strict hierarchies of Sufi orders. Salafis considered theirs to be “the only true method of understanding and practising Islam which follows 2 See Muhammad ibn ‘Umar Bazmul, The Salafi Methodology, its definition, distinct character- istics & its call towards rectifications. (Michiggan: Sunnah Publisher, 2010). 3 Other similar terms that have been used by those who proclaimed themselves to be Salafi- yyun or Salafists are: Ahlus Sunnah, Ahl al-Hadith, Ansar al-Sunnah, Ahlul Athar and al- Jama’ah. (See Ahmad Farid, “al-Salafiyyah: Qawa’id wa Usul” (Alexandria: Dar al-Khulafa al-Rashidun, 2011), pp. 6–9). 4 Muḥammad ibn ‘Abd al-Raḥmān al Maghrāwī, Al-Masadir al-‘lmiyya fi al-Difa’ ‘an al-‘Aqida al- Salafiyya. (Riyad: Dar al-Raya, 1996). 5 ‘Wahhabism’ as another facet of Salafism refers to a movement established by a reformist from the Arabian Peninsula in the 18th century, Muhammad bin Abdul Wahab, that sought to purify the Islamic religion of any innovations or practices that deviate from the teach- ings of the Prophet Muhammad and his companions. It is currently a dominant ideology in Saudi Arabia and it is at present spreading to various parts of the world including Malaysia. (Richard Gauvain, Salafi ritual purity: in the presence of God. (London: Routledge, 2012) pp. 7–10). Wahhabism is also known for its strong emphasis on the concept of sola scrip- tura: back to the scripture only, in which, the followers of Wahabbism are also considered as literalists (Febe Armanios, The Islamic traditions of Wahhabism and Salafiyya. (crs Report for Congress, 2003): p. 1). 6 Muhammad ibn ‘Umar Bazmul, The Salafi Methodology, its definition, distinct characteristics & its call towards rectifications. sociology of islam 5 (2017) 303-333 Downloaded from Brill.com09/26/2021 05:53:46PM via free access <UN> 306 Malik the Qur’an and Sunnah” as claimed by the late prominent Saudi scholar, Ibn Uthaymin.7 This definition implies that only those who follow the teaching of Muhammad Abdul Wahab8 and his like are to be considered true Salafis. While in a similar tone, Nasir al Din al-Albani asserts that the only path leading to the truth is the method of the Salaf, which is the only group of Muslims that should be followed.9 The term ‘Salafism’ used in this article mainly refers to a global contempo- rary trend or movement to reassert the ideals of the pious generations of the first three generations following the death of the Prophet Muhammad, wheth- er they are individuals, groups, or thoughts. Salafism in this sense is adhered to by those who mainly follow the Wahabism form of aqidah teaching, which is mostly based on the Hanabilah (Hanbali school of thought) approach. The writings used to explain their creed are predominantly those of: Ahmad bin Hanbal (Usul al-Sunnah), Ibn Taimiyyah (al-Aqidah al-Wasitiyah) and Muham- mad Abdul Wahab (Risalat al-Tauhid, Syarh al-Usul al-Thalathah, etc.) and oth- er contemporary Salafi scholars such as former Saudi mufti, Abdullah Bin Baz (1910–1999), the prominent Saudi scholar, Abdullah bin Uthaymin (1925–2001), and the modern Jordanian based Albanian scholar, Nasiruldin al-Albani (1914– 1999).10 Their influence has been felt greatly among Muslims in the Middle 7 “Ibn al-Uthaymin – ‘The Salafi Sect’ vs. The Way of the Salaf,” YouTube video, 2:58, from a private Lecture, posted by “SFAvfx.” 10 Dec 2009, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2v _qeMxc_vY.