The Emergence of Wahhabism in Malaysia: an Analysis
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
THE EMERGENCE OF WAHHABISM IN MALAYSIA: AN ANALYSIS BY WAN SUHAILI BINTI WAN MOHD YUSOF A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Heritage (Uṣūl al-Dīn and Comparative Religion) Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences International Islamic University Malaysia OCTOBER 2018 ABSTRACT This research seeks to determine the accuracy of the presumptive definition given to the terminology Wahhābī and also to uncover the origin of the terminology, the historical background, and the teachings of Wahhabism in Malaysia. The study comprises of a small-scale qualitative research with convenience sampling of three renowned Malaysian celebrities who accepted the call for hijrah (spiritual migration)—Wardina Safiyyah, Natasha Hudson and Mizz Nina—and four representatives of international Islamic institutes in Malaysia—Bayyinah Institute, Mercy Mission, AlMaghrib Institute, and The Straight Path committee. The study also involves an analysis of samples from official statements and documents by religious institutions in Malaysia in order to investigate the understanding of religious institutions in Malaysia towards Wahhabism. Unwarranted labelling is present, which indicates unhealthy stereotypes among the religious authorities, thus influencing the society. The label Wahhābī is used to describe someone who is against the idea of the traditional conventions. Furthermore, there are also misapprehensions on the real teachings of Wahhabism in existing publications. Subsequently, Wahhabism is considered a threat to the common teachings practiced by the Malaysian Muslims. This scenario incites disunity of the ummah as well as promotes extremism in character judging. A number of observations and recommendations have been made in curbing the problem from spreading and becoming more severe in the Muslim society in Malaysia. ii '! ﻠﹶ ﺨ# "! ﺍ ﻟ ﺒ ﺤ ﺚ ﻳﺘﻨﺎﻭﻝ ﻫﺬﺍ ﺍﻟﺒﺤﺚ ﲢﺪﻳﺪ ﺍﻟﺘﻌﺮﻳﻒ ﺍﻻﻓﺘﺮﺍﺿﻲ ﺍﻟﺪﻗﻴﻖ ﺍﳌﻌﻄﻰ ﳌﺼﻄﻠﺢ " ﻭ ﻫ ﺎ ﰊ"، ﻫﺎﺩﻓﹰﺎ ﺇﱃ ﺇﺯﺍﻟﺔ ﺍﻟﻮﻫﻢ ﻋﻦ ﺃﺻﻞ ﻣﺼﻄﻠﺢ " ﻭ ﻫ ﺎ ﰊ" ﻭﺗﻌﺎﻟﻴﻢ ﺍﻟﻮﻫﺎﺑﻴ"ﺔ ﰲ ﻣﺎﻟﻴﺰﻳﺎ ﻭﺟﺬﻭﺭﻫﺎ ﺍﻟﺘﺎﺭﳜﻴ"ﺔ. ﺍﻋﺘﻤﺪ ﻫﺬﺍ ﺍﻟﺒﺤﺚ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﺒﺤﺚ ﺍﻟﻨﻮﻋﻲ ﺍﻟﺬﻱ ﺃﹸﺟﺮﻱ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻧﻄﺎﻕ ﺿﻴﻖ، ﻣﻊ ﺃﺧﺬ ﻋﻴﻨﺎﺕ ﻣﻼﺋﻤﺔ ﺗﺘﻜﻮﻥ ﻣﻦ ﺛﻼﺙ ﺳﻴ$ﺪﺍﺕ ﻣﺎﻟﻴﺰﻳ#ﺎﺕ ﻣﺸﻬﻮﺭﺍﺕ، ﻭﺍﻟﻼﰐ ﻗﺒﻠﻦ ﺍﻟﺪ$ﻋﻮﺓ ﺇﱃ ﺍﳍﺠﺮﺓ (ﺍﳍﺠﺮﺓ ﺍﻟﺮﻭﺣﻴ"ﺔ)، ﻭ ﻫ ﻦ: ﻭﺭﺩﻳﻨﺎ ﺻﻔﻴ#ﺔ، ﻭﻧﺘﺎﺷﺎ ﻫﻮﺩﺳﻮﻥ، ﻭﻣﻴﺰ ﻧﻴﻨﺎ، ﻭﺃﺭﺑﻌﺔ ﻣﻤﺜﻠﲔ ﳌﺆﺳﺴﺎﺕ ﺇﺳﻼﻣﻴ"ﺔ ﺩﻭﻟﻴ"ﺔ ﰲ ﻣﺎﻟﻴﺰﻳﺎ، ﻭﻫﻲ: ﻣﺆﺳﺴﺔ ﺍﻟﺒﻴﻨﺔ (Bayyinah Institute)، ﻭﺑﻌﺜﺔ ﺍﻟﺮﲪﺔ (Mercy Mission)، ﻭﻣﺆﺳﺴﺔ ﺍﳌﻐﺮﺏ (AlMaghrib Institute)، ﻭﳉﻨﺔ ﺍﻟﺼﺮﺍﻁ ﺍﳌﺴﺘﻘﻴﻢ (The Straight Path committee)، ﺑﺎﻹﺿﺎﻓﺔ ﺇﱃ ﺫﻟﻚ ﴰﻞ ﺍﻟﺒﺤﺚ ﲢﻠﻴﻞ ﻋﻴﻨﺎﺕ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﺒﻴﺎﻧﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﺮﲰﻴ#ﺔ، ﻭﺍﻟﻮﺛﺎﺋﻖ ﺍﻟﺼﺎﺩﺭﺓ ﻋﻦ ﺍﳌﺆﺳﺴﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﺪﻳﻨﻴ"ﺔ ﰲ ﻣﺎﻟﻴﺰﻳﺎ، ﺇﺫﹾ ﻳﺮﻛﹼﺰ ﻫﺬﺍ ﺍﻟﺒﺤﺚ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﺘﺤﻘﻖ ﻣﻦ ﻓﻬﻢ ﺍﳌﺆﺳﺴﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﺪﻳﻨﻴ"ﺔ ﰲ ﻣﺎﻟﻴﺰﻳﺎ ﲡﺎﻩ ﺍﻟﻮﻫﺎﺑﻴ#ﺔ، ﻭﻛﺬﻟﻚ ﲡﺎﺭ"ﻢ ﺍﳊﻘﻴﻘﻴﺔ ﳓﻮ ﻣﺴﺄﻟﺔ ﻭﺿﻊ ﺍﻟﻌﻼﻣﺎﺕ. ﻭﻗﺪ ﻟﹸﻮﺣﻆ ﻭﺟﻮﺩ ﻋﻼﻣﺎﺕ ﻏﲑ ﻣﱪﺭﺓ؛ ﳑﺎ ﻳﺸﲑ ﺇﱃ ﺍﻟﺼﻮﺭ ﺍﻟﻨﻤﻄﻴ"ﺔ ﻏﲑ ﺍﻟﺼﺤﻴﺤﺔ ﺑﲔ ﺍﳌﺆﺳﺴﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﺪﻳﻨﻴ"ﺔ ﺍﻟﱵ ﺗﺆﺛﹼﺮ ﰲ ﺍﺘﻤﻊ، ﺇﺫ ﻳ ﺘ ﻢ ﺍﺳﺘﺨﺪﺍﻡ ﻭﺻﻒ "ﺍﻟﻮﻫﺎﺑﻴ"ﺔ"؛ ﻟﻴﻄﻠﻖ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﺸﺨﺺ ﺍﳌﹸﻌﺎﺭﺽ ﻟﻔﻜﺮﺓ ﺍﻻﺗﻔﺎﻗﻴﺎﺕ [ﺍﻷﻋﺮﺍﻑ] ﺍﻟﺘﻘﻠﻴﺪﻳ"ﺔ. ﻛﻤﺎ ﺃ ﻥﱠ ﻫﻨﺎﻙ ﻓﻬﻤﺎ ﺧﺎﻃﺌﹰﺎ ﻟﺘﻌﺎﻟﻴﻢ ﺍﻟﻮﻫﺎﺑﻴ"ﺔ ﺍﳊﻘﻴﻘﻴﺔ ﰲ ﺍﳌﻨﺸﻮﺭﺍﺕ ﺍﳊﺎﻟﻴ#ﺔ، ﻭ ﺑ ﻨ ﺎ ﺀً ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺗ% ﻌ# "! ﺍﻟﻮﻫﺎﺑﻴ"ﺔ %ﺪﻳﺪﺍ ﻟﻠﻤﻤﺎﺭﺳﺎﺕ، ﺃﻭ ﺍﻟﺘﻌﺎﻟﻴﻢ ﺍﻟﺸﺎﺋﻌﺔ ﺑﲔ ﺍﳌﺴﻠﻤﲔ ﺍﳌﺎﻟﻴﺰﻳﲔ، ﻫﺬﺍ ﺍﻟﻮﺿﻊ ﻳ%ﺤﺮ"ﺽ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺗﺸﺘﺖ ﺍﻷﻣﺔ، ﻭﻛﺬﻟﻚ ﻳ$ﻌﺰﺯ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﺘﻄﺮﻑ ﰲ ﺍﳊﻜﻢ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﺸﺨﺼﻴ"ﺔ. ﻛﻤﺎ ﰎﹼ ﺗﻘﺪﱘ ﻋﺪﺩ ﻣﻦ ﺍﳌﻼﺣﻈﺎﺕ ﻭﺍﻟﺘﻮﺻﻴﺎﺕ ﻟ ﻠ ﺤ ﺪ ﻣﻦ ﺗﻔﺎﻗﻢ ﻣﺸﻜﻠﺔ ﺍﻟﺘﺸﺪﺩ، ﻭﺍﻧﺘﺸﺎﺭﻫﺎ ﺑﲔ ﺃﻓﺮﺍﺩ ﺍﺘﻤﻊ ﺍﻹﺳﻼﻣﻲ! ﰲ ﻣﺎﻟﻴﺰﻳﺎ. iii APPROVAL PAGE I certify that I have supervised and read this study and that in my opinion, it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a thesis for the degree of Master of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Heritagein the Department of Uṣūl al-Dīn and Comparative Religion. ………………………………….. Wan Mohd Azam Mohd Amin Supervisor I certify that I have read this study and that in my opinion it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a thesis for the degree of Master of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Heritagein the Department of Uṣūl al-Dīn and Comparative Religion. ………………………………….. Amilah Awang Abd Rahman@Jusoh Examiner This dissertation was submitted to the Department of Uṣūl al-Dīn and Comparative Religion and is accepted as a fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Heritagein the Department of Uṣūl al-Dīn and Comparative Religion. ………………………………….. Amilah Awang Abd Rahman@Jusoh Head, Department of Uṣūl al-Dīn and Comparative Religion This dissertation was submitted to the Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences and is accepted as a fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Heritage in the Department of Uṣūl al- Dīn and Comparative Religion. ………………………………….. Mohammad Abdul Quayum Abdus Salam Dean, Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences iv DECLARATION I hereby declare that this project paper is the result of my own investigations, except where otherwise stated. I also declare that it has not been previously or concurrently submitted as a whole for any other degrees at IIUM or other institutions. Wan Suhaili Binti Wan Mohd Yusof Signature ........................................... Date ......................................... v INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA DECLARATION OF COPYRIGHT AND AFFIRMATION OF FAIR USE OF UNPUBLISHED RESEARCH THE EMERGENCE OF WAHHABISM IN MALAYSIA: AN ANALYSIS I declare that the copyright holders of this dissertation are jointly owned by the student and IIUM. Copyright © 2018 Wan Suhaili Binti Wan Mohd Yusof and International Islamic University Malaysia. All rights reserved. No part of this unpublished research may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written permission of the copyright holder except as provided below 1. Any material contained in or derived from this unpublished research may be used by others in their writing with due acknowledgement. 2. IIUM or its library will have the right to make and transmit copies (print or electronic) for institutional and academic purposes. 3. The IIUM library will have the right to make, store in a retrieved system and supply copies of this unpublished research if requested by other universities and research libraries. By signing this form, I acknowledged that I have read and understand the IIUM Intellectual Property Right and Commercialisation policy. Wan Suhaili Binti Wan Mohd Yusof ……..…………………….. ……………………….. Signature Date vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Glory is to Allah the Almighty, and in the loving memory of two remarkable persons in my life, i.e. my beloved mother Hjh. Nor Laila Binti A. Rahman (1959–2004) and my late father in law, Dato’ Hj. Razali Bin Ismail (1949–2008). There is a famous Arabic idiom saying, ﺃﹶﺧ4ﻮﻙ# ﻣ#ﻦ- ﻭﺍﺳ#ﺎﻙ# ﺑﹺﻨ#ﺸ#ﺐﹴ ﻻﹶ ﻣ#ﻦ- ﻭﺍﺳ#ﺎﻙ# ﺑﹺﻨ#ﺴ#ﺐﹴ Meaning: “Your brother is the one who helps you with concern and care, not the one who only claimed to be your brother due to the blood relationship”. Therefore, to those who have continuously supporting me throughout my Master’s journey, I loved to consider all of you as part of my family. Especially to this man - a father-figure who relentlessly guiding, supporting and advising me in various means, my dearest supervisor, Associate Professor Dr. Wan Mohd Azam Bin Mohd. Amin. Thank you very much, Sir. I also wished to thank those who have been supportive at a more personal level, my dearest father, Hj. Wan Mohd Yusof Bin Wan Sulaiman, the rest of family members and supportive friends . Finally, and most importantly, I would like to thank the apple of my eye, my husband, Khairul Amar for his abundance of encouragement, financial and emotional support as well as continuous sense of humor in seeing the completion of this dissertation through to the end. Juggling between assisting my husband in running his own business and the never-ending humanitarian works while completing this dissertation has been a huge challenge, but I am grateful for successfully going through this accompanied by his vigorous support and unconditional love. Last but not least, I hope and pray that this work will bring benefits to the field of religious studies as well as rectifying the misconception issues of Wahhabism in Malaysia . vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ................................................................................................................. ii Abstract in Arabic ................................................................................................. iii Approval Page ...................................................................................................... iv Declaration ............................................................................................................ v Copyright Page ..................................................................................................... vi Acknowledgments ................................................................................................ vii Transliteration ....................................................................................................... xi CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ............................................................... 1 1.1 Background of the Study ..................................................................... 1 1.2 Statement of the Problem .................................................................... 2 1.3 Research Questions ............................................................................. 3 1.4 Objectives of the Study