Inter-faith Relations in Malaysia: A Reflection on Issues of Justice and Ethics

This article aims to offer some insights on how the issue of justice overrides inter-faith relationsin Malaysia. Materials used for logical analysisinclude relevant verses of the Qurʾān and Ḥadīthsand their authoritative interpretations includingEthics; official government records; and, baselinedata of recent research. Of concern here is Justicein all its dimensions, such as the national language,democratic politics, fair economics, and acceptanceof rich multi-cultural traditions. A brief analysisof the imperative character traits of courtesy and kindness—kesopanan dan kesusilaan in Rukun Negaraor the Malaysian national principles—is carriedout in the context of the Malaysian term muhibbah,identified as “affectionate friendship.” The originof such a friendship is the notion of “biological brotherhood” in the worldview of Islam. The articleshall also examine social disunity and enmity fromthe moral and ethical lens, arguing thus that disunity is an effect of the moral vice of envy, which is causedby rancour, which in turn, resulted from anger.