“As a Muslim, you have laws in your religion, which Allah commands you to follow, but your country asks you to follow (their) laws, some of which are based on Western sources (and) are different from your religion. You are not upset and sad?” he said, adding that Islamic teachings cover all aspects of life.
He believes that Sharia law is the best set of laws, which will guarantee the welfare of Muslims and non-Muslims.
“This is because the law is based on sources of law for Muslims such as the Koran,” he explained.
According to a Pew Research Center study in 2022, the majority of Muslim communities in Malaysia and neighboring Indonesia prefer to make Sharia the official state law.
The results of research published in September last year stated that 86 percent of the Muslim population in Malaysia supports the implementation of Sharia principles as official law in their country, while in Indonesia, only 64 percent of Muslims support this idea.
However, people in these two countries are still debating whether these rules apply to everyone, or whether the influence of Islam can limit the diversity and freedom of society.
According to the Pew Research Center, Sharia, or Islamic law, contains moral and legal guidelines regarding almost all aspects of life – from marriage, divorce, inheritance, contracts, to criminal punishment.
According to official statistics, there are around 63.5 percent of Malaysians who embrace Islam.
Azmi Hassan, a political analyst from the Nusantara Strategic Academy, stated that the majority of Muslim communities in Malaysia believe that Sharia law must be applied to regulate their lives, regardless of their origin or status.
“Generally this belief already exists there. Sharia law is considered the most important law in government and Muslims believe that it is the best law compared to other laws that are being implemented,” he said.
