The Constitution of Malaysia establishes a right to freedom of religion in Article 11. However, Islam is also established as the state religion of the country in article 3, and article 11 provides for legal restrictions on proselytizing to Muslims. According to Freedom House, the country was scored 1 out of 4 for freedom of religion, with 0 being the worst and 4 being the best, in 2023. Muslims themselves are subject to state enforcement of religious practices; they can be fined by the state for not fasting or praying, may be prohibited from converting, and ethnic Malay are legally defined as Muslim. Other religious communities are a large fraction of the population, while individuals with no religious affiliation (atheist, agnostic or other irreligious life stances) are much rarer.
HINT:
In this Dossier
- ⭐ Core Definition: Freedom of religion in Malaysia
- Freedom of religion in Malaysia in the context of Islam in Malaysia
Freedom of religion in Malaysia in the context of Islam in Malaysia
Islam in Malaysia is represented by the Shafi‘i school of Sunni jurisprudence. Islam was introduced to Malaysia by traders arriving from Persia, Arabia, China and the Indian subcontinent. It became firmly established in the 15th century. In the Constitution of Malaysia, Islam is granted the status of "religion of the Federation" to symbolize its importance to Malaysian society, while defining Malaysia constitutionally as a secular state. Therefore, other religions can be practiced legally, though freedom of religion is still limited in Malaysia.
Malaysia is a country whose most professed religion is Islam. As of 2024, there were approximately 22.4 million Muslim adherents, or 65% of the population.
View the full Wikipedia page for Islam in Malaysia