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Religious Syncretism and the Formation of National Identity in the History of Malaysia

Field of Science:HistoryReligious StudiesPsychologyPsychology (miscellaneous)Social Sciences
National field of science (HAC):14.00.18 — Psychiatry and narcology19.00.01 — History and theory of psychology. General psychology. Personality psychology19.00.02 — Psychophysiology19.00.03 — Psychology of human professional activity (by designation)19.00.04 — Medical and special psychology19.00.05 — Social psychology. Ethnopsychology19.00.06 — Developmental and educational psychology. Developmental psychology19.00.07 — Psychology of religion
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THE LIGHT OF ISLAM

THE LIGHT OF ISLAM

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ARTICLE ANNOTATION

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This article examines the evolution of religious syncretism and its influence on the formation of national identity in Malaysia across a historical continuum from the primitive communal system to the postcolonial period. The study draws on archaeological evidence from Kota Tampan, Nya, and Sungai Batu, including artifacts that illustrate the initial mechanisms of assimilation, migration, and intercultural exchange, highlighting the dynamics of Malaysia’s multicultural environment. These processes were further facilitated through trade relations with India, China, and the Middle East, enabling the synthesis of Hindu, Buddhist, and Islamic elements with animistic beliefs. The article reconstructs in detail the transformation from a tribal society to early state formations such as Ganga Negara and Langkasuka in the 1st–5th centuries CE, where urbanization and social differentiation stimulated religious syncretism. During the colonial period, between the 16th and 19th centuries, ethnic diversity increased due to the influx of Chinese, Indian, and Javanese migrants; however, the traditions of tolerance were preserved thanks to the religious autonomy of the sultans, reinforced by the Pangkor Treaty of 1874. The post-independence period since 1957 has been characterized by constitutional reforms, the New Economic Policy, and the Rukunegara Program, which consolidated identity based on moderate Shafi’i Islam, interfaith harmony, and Malayization, helping to reduce socioeconomic disparities. The methodological foundation of the study is based on the principles of historicity, comparative-historical and systematic analysis, the problem-chronological approach, and an interdisciplinary perspective. This, in turn, facilitates the integration of works by specialists such as Majid Z., Higham C., Andaya B., and others, as well as archival sources. The findings of the study highlight the role of state institutions such as the IKIM and SYARAK, the country’s foreign policy strategies, and its participation in ASEAN. Particular attention is drawn to the ZOPFAN concept and its role in ensuring a sustainable model of multicultural coexistence. All of these factors contribute to Malaysia’s current status as a developed nation characterized by harmony and peace as central objectives.

AUTHORS

G.Sharipova

"O`ZBEKISTON XALQARO ISLOM AKADEMIYASI" DAVLAT MUASSASASI

Tags

# Kota Tampan# Sungai Batu# Sarawak# Kedah# Malay Peninsula# Rukun Negara# Malaysia# Malayization

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