Ensuing Collaboration in Religious Administration: Malaysia-Kazakhstan's New Phase Unfolds
Stepping Toward a Modern Silk Road: United by Faith, Driven by Progress
From ancient times, the Silk Road symbolized cultural exchange and trade between the East and West. Today, a new chapter unfolds as Malaysia and Kazakhstan usher in a modern version, with shared roots and a common vision guiding them.
Despite their geographical distance, both nations are intertwined through a Sunni tradition that forms the foundation for their modern partnership. However, their approaches to religious governance vary significantly due to historic and local influences, providing valuable lessons for each.
Walking the Tightrope of Faith and Progress
Shakila Yacob.
The Malaysian and Kazakhstani pathways are not without their contrasts. In Malaysia, a decentralized Islamic legal landscape grants states autonomy over religious matters, allowing flexibility to meet local demands. But this flexibility has sparked debates over issues such as apostasy, conversion, and minority rights.
Kazakhstan, on the other hand, has built a secular framework that encourages broad religious freedom and tolerance. This divide offers invaluable insights for both nations as they navigate the delicate balance between faith, tradition, and modernity.
Mentorship Across Borders: Laying the Foundations for a Shared Future
Malaysia's institutional frameworks, like the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM), showcase the country's expertise in integrating religious practice with modern legal and social norms. Offering this knowledge to Kazakhstan could help shape its governance and identity in the post-Soviet era.
Meanwhile, Kazakhstan's historical Islamic heritage, marked by centuries of coexistence and tempered by Soviet secularism, exposes Malaysia to new perspectives on managing diversity while preserving unity.
Together, these complementary strengths could foster innovative models of governance rooted in tradition and adaptability.
A Golden Opportunity: The Belt and Road Initiative
China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) presents another chance for collaboration, transcending traditional trade to encompass intellectual and institutional exchange. With approximately 50 Muslim-majority nations involved, Malaysia and Kazakhstan can make use of their strategic positions along BRI corridors to deepen their relations on multiple fronts: government-to-government (G2G), business-to-business (B2B), and people-to-people (P2P).
Sharing Malaysia's expertise in Islamic finance, halal industries, and multi-jurisdictional governance while absorbing insights from Kazakhstan's experiments in cultural identity could lead to models that resonate beyond their borders, benefiting Muslim-majority nations that face similar challenges.
United by Islam, United Against Division
Beyond interfaith dialogue, today's challenge lies within the Muslim community itself. Divergent interpretations of Islam threaten to divide the younger generation and foster extremism. Malaysia's structured approach to Islamic governance presents a potential blueprint for managing religious diversity while maintaining national cohesion, offering valuable lessons for countering the fragmentation exploited by external forces.
One proposal is establishing a Center for Muslim Unity and Dialogue in Kazakhstan—a neutral platform bridging various sects to promote understanding and forge a unified front against common challenges. This center could partner with established Malaysian institutions, such as the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC) and the International Institute for Muslim Unity, leveraging their expertise in promoting unity and addressing sectarian divides.
Pioneers in Islamic Governance
In a world divided by internal strife and external pressures, unity is critical. For Malaysia, this moment presents an opportunity to take the global stage, not just as a commercial hub, but as a thought leader in Islamic governance. Moving beyond superficial collaborations like halal certification, Malaysia is poised to engage in deeper policy dialogues involving the complex interplay between religion, governance, and modernity.
This engagement is not about exporting Malaysia's model wholesale, but rather fostering structured exchanges that respect local contexts. By doing so, Malaysia could position itself as an architect of 21st-century Muslim governance, influencing policies aimed at overcoming sectarian divides and promoting harmony.
Reviving an Ancient Silk Road
As Kazakhstan ventures into a post-secular era, and Malaysia refines its model of Islamic governance, both nations hold the power to redefine their religious identity in the modern world. Seizing platforms like the Belt and Road Initiative, Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF), and even establishing institutions like the Center for Muslim Unity and Dialogue, Malaysia and Kazakhstan can lead efforts toward global Muslim unity.
Can Malaysia and Kazakhstan rise to the challenge and pave the way for the global ummah (community of Muslims)? The journey ahead is promising.
Professor Shakila Yacob is a scholar at the Jeffrey Cheah Institute on Southeast Asia, Sunway University.
Disclaimer: The opinions presented in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the stance of The Astana Times.
- The modern Silk Road, representing cultural exchange and trade, is being revived by Malaysia and Kazakhstan, with shared roots and a common vision shaping their partnership, even amidst differences in their approaches to religious governance.
- Malaysia's expertise in integrating religious practice with modern legal and social norms, as demonstrated by institutions like the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM), could provide valuable insights for Kazakhstan in shaping its governance and identity.
- Kazakhstan's historical Islamic heritage, characterized by centuries of coexistence and tempered by Soviet secularism, offers Malaysia fresh perspectives on managing diversity while preserving unity.
- By collaborating on the Belt and Road Initiative, Malaysia and Kazakhstan can deepen their relations on multiple fronts, share their respective expertise in Islamic finance, halal industries, and multi-jurisdictional governance, and develop innovative models that resonate beyond their borders.
