Reformist
Muslim thinkers were a component in the connection that developed between Islam
and politics in Malaysia. Their goal and (pembaruan) mean a shift from the old
to the new, the rethinking and reconceptualization of all thing (normatively)
Islamic and a rejection of antiquated and outdated elements, such as saint
worship and veneration of thombs , that were deemed no longer relevant or
necessary.
The
influence of islamic reformists in Malaya was, however, checked by many factors
or forces that lay in their path. First, the reformist philosophy had to
grapple with a culture which, as noted earlier,was influenced by ‘traditional’
values such as some Hindu aspects of the adat and other syncretic Sufi
practices, and the unquestioning loyalty to Rulers. Secondly , the radical
nature of the reformists orientation and virulent attacks against the status
quo leadership of the time (sultans, tok guru, and traditional ulama-naturally
were not well received; in fact a collision course between the Younger Group
(Kaum Muda) reformists and Older Group (Kaum Tua) traditional leaders aligned
to the religious hierarchy , became inevitable, given their long and deep
conflict. Although their schism was particularly pervasive during the first two decades after the
launching of Al-Imam , even until the 1940 ,it was observed that ‘there was
hardly a village in Malaya where the Malays did not argue and discuss the
teachings of the Kaum Muda. The Kaum Muda charged the Kaum Tua to be the ‘hawkers
of religion’. The real obstacles to Mlay progress, and the destroyers of islam.
This was retaliated by the Kaum Tua who not only dubbed the young reformist as
deviants and communist , but even
boycotted their prayers, wedding ceremonies and other functions.
A
third obstacle that came in the way of islamic reformism in Malaya was the
communal and ethnic-oriented nature of the Malays. Although the relationship
between islam and Malay ethnic sentiments is dialectical, and the notion of a pristine Islamic culture
to which Muslims can aspire to , is often influenced by ethno-cultural
elements, it became apparent that when the crunch comes. Malays tended to side
their parochial ethnic learnings rather than act as Muslims who haved adopted the non-ethnic and
universelatic principles of their path. From time to time , Muslims such as
Arabs and Indians found themselves being
treated as outsiders, and Malay leaders often exploited the ethnic status of
such ‘Malays ‘ when necessary. Finally , the reformist impact onBritish Malaya
was also checked by British policies wuth regard to islam , and , as
illustrated earlier, the ‘bureaucratisation’ of the faith.
