Salafi Ulama in UMNO : political convergence or expediency?

The Salafi ulama (religious scholars) in Malaysia have seen their religious and political influence amplified over the last five years. Operating within a newly formed organization, the Pertubuhan Ilmuwan Malaysia (ILMU) and the newly augmented United Malays National Organization’s (UMNO) young ulam...

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Main Author: Mohamed Nawab Mohamed Osman
Other Authors: S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: 2014
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Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10356/101904
http://hdl.handle.net/10220/24227
http://muse.jhu.edu/login?auth=0&type=summary&url=/journals/contemporary_southeast_asia_a_journal_of_international_and_strategic_affairs/v036/36.2.mohamed-osman.html
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spelling sg-ntu-dr.10356-1019042019-12-06T20:46:30Z Salafi Ulama in UMNO : political convergence or expediency? Mohamed Nawab Mohamed Osman S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies DRNTU::Social sciences::Sociology::Social history and conditions DRNTU::Social sciences::Political science::Political theory The Salafi ulama (religious scholars) in Malaysia have seen their religious and political influence amplified over the last five years. Operating within a newly formed organization, the Pertubuhan Ilmuwan Malaysia (ILMU) and the newly augmented United Malays National Organization’s (UMNO) young ulama wing, Salafi scholars play a key role in providing Islamic legitimacy to the government and defending it against the opposition Islamist party, the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS). The decision by Salafi scholars to support the Malaysian government is striking given their hardline views on the implementation of Islamic laws and their opposition to democracy. This paper seeks to understand the reasons for the Salafi ulama’s support for UMNO. It argues that the Salafi ulama’s involvement in UMNO is due to a convergence of interest between the two groups and as part of a strategy by the Salafi ulama to expand their influence at both the state and societal levels. The paper examines the religious-political positions of the Salafi ulama on issues such as the Islamic state, the implementation of Islamic laws and democratic political system, and argues that they are opposed to the current state of religious affairs and the political structure of the Malaysian state. Nevertheless, the ulama are working within UMNO to change the political system. For UMNO leaders, the Salafi ulama form an important group that could defend the party against religious attacks from PAS and provide the party with greater religious credence. 2014-11-14T01:47:03Z 2019-12-06T20:46:30Z 2014-11-14T01:47:03Z 2019-12-06T20:46:30Z 2014 2014 Journal Article Osman, M. N. M. (2014). Salafi Ulama in UMNO : political convergence or expediency? Contemporary Southeast Asia, 36,(2), 206-231. https://hdl.handle.net/10356/101904 http://hdl.handle.net/10220/24227 http://muse.jhu.edu/login?auth=0&type=summary&url=/journals/contemporary_southeast_asia_a_journal_of_international_and_strategic_affairs/v036/36.2.mohamed-osman.html en Contemporary Southeast Asia © 2014 ISEAS.
institution Nanyang Technological University
building NTU Library
country Singapore
collection DR-NTU
language English
topic DRNTU::Social sciences::Sociology::Social history and conditions
DRNTU::Social sciences::Political science::Political theory
spellingShingle DRNTU::Social sciences::Sociology::Social history and conditions
DRNTU::Social sciences::Political science::Political theory
Mohamed Nawab Mohamed Osman
Salafi Ulama in UMNO : political convergence or expediency?
description The Salafi ulama (religious scholars) in Malaysia have seen their religious and political influence amplified over the last five years. Operating within a newly formed organization, the Pertubuhan Ilmuwan Malaysia (ILMU) and the newly augmented United Malays National Organization’s (UMNO) young ulama wing, Salafi scholars play a key role in providing Islamic legitimacy to the government and defending it against the opposition Islamist party, the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS). The decision by Salafi scholars to support the Malaysian government is striking given their hardline views on the implementation of Islamic laws and their opposition to democracy. This paper seeks to understand the reasons for the Salafi ulama’s support for UMNO. It argues that the Salafi ulama’s involvement in UMNO is due to a convergence of interest between the two groups and as part of a strategy by the Salafi ulama to expand their influence at both the state and societal levels. The paper examines the religious-political positions of the Salafi ulama on issues such as the Islamic state, the implementation of Islamic laws and democratic political system, and argues that they are opposed to the current state of religious affairs and the political structure of the Malaysian state. Nevertheless, the ulama are working within UMNO to change the political system. For UMNO leaders, the Salafi ulama form an important group that could defend the party against religious attacks from PAS and provide the party with greater religious credence.
author2 S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies
author_facet S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies
Mohamed Nawab Mohamed Osman
format Article
author Mohamed Nawab Mohamed Osman
author_sort Mohamed Nawab Mohamed Osman
title Salafi Ulama in UMNO : political convergence or expediency?
title_short Salafi Ulama in UMNO : political convergence or expediency?
title_full Salafi Ulama in UMNO : political convergence or expediency?
title_fullStr Salafi Ulama in UMNO : political convergence or expediency?
title_full_unstemmed Salafi Ulama in UMNO : political convergence or expediency?
title_sort salafi ulama in umno : political convergence or expediency?
publishDate 2014
url https://hdl.handle.net/10356/101904
http://hdl.handle.net/10220/24227
http://muse.jhu.edu/login?auth=0&type=summary&url=/journals/contemporary_southeast_asia_a_journal_of_international_and_strategic_affairs/v036/36.2.mohamed-osman.html
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