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International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

Open Access Journal

ISSN: 2222-6990

The Issue of Islam and Christianity in the State of Terengganu and its Relationship with the Right to Freedom of Religion

Aman Daima Md. Zain, Engku Ahmad Zaki Engku Alwi, Muhammad Rashidi Wahab, Mohd A’Tarahim Mohd Razali, Akila Mamat

http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v13-i12/20009

Open access

The issue of religion is a highly sensitive topic, especially in diverse societies like Malaysia. In the context of Terengganu, which has a predominantly Malay-Muslim population today, the relationship between Islam and other religions, especially Christianity, is generally not seen as causing significant religious issues compared to what has occurred in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur. Based on four primary sources of reference, namely Terengganu's history, the Terengganu State Constitution (Itqan al-Muluk bi Ta’dil al-Suluk), the Official Statements of the Terengganu State Legislative Assembly (1994-2014), and Enactment A37: Non-Islamic Religions Control and Restriction Enactment, this article attempts to discuss the position of the Islam-Christianity issue in Terengganu and its relationship with the rights of religious freedom and tolerance. By using a content analysis approach on these four sources, the article finds that the relationship between Islam and Christianity in Terengganu, as well as the Christianization movement, has its own historical context dating back to the time of Sultan Zainal Abidin III. This movement is still present within the Malay-Muslim community in Terengganu and is documented in the Official Statements of the Terengganu State Legislative Assembly. Although religious freedom rights were granted to non-Muslim communities in Terengganu through the amendment of Article 51 of the Itqan al-Muluk bi Ta’dil al-Suluk in 1948, they are still bound by Article 11(4) of the Federal Constitution and Enactment A37: Non-Islamic Religions Control and Restriction Enactment, which was enacted at the state level in Terengganu in 1980. Therefore, it is the presence of religious freedom rights and religious tolerance within the Malay-Muslim community that has enabled Christians to establish 19 churches in Terengganu.

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