Tolerance and pluralism: evolution and enlightenment of localization of Islam in Malaysia

Among the island countries in Southeast Asia, Malaysia is a typical multi-ethnic and multi-religious country. Different from other Islamic countries, as early as the early days of the founding of the Federation of Malaysia, although Malaysia granted Islam as the state religion in the form of the Constitution, it has been committed to maintaining a good pattern of tolerance, pluralism and harmony among different religions in the country. The introduction of Islam into Malaysia was carried out in stages. The communication modes of “bottom-up” and “top-down” have become the main path for the localization and evolution of Islam in Malaysia. Its localization is the direct result of the joint efforts of the multidimensional forces of “state-society-family-individual”. This path model is unique, praised and imitated by other multi-ethnic countries. At the same time, the government has long adhered to the religious and cultural policy of “pluralism and harmony”, effectively rationalized the nesting relationship between “foreign religions” and local beliefs and customs, and actively promoted the development process of Islam localization. In view of this, it is undoubtedly of great practical significance to analyze the development and evolution path of the localization of Islam in Malaysia.