Aqidah as a Basis of Social Tolerance: The Malaysian Experience

Abstract

The need for religion is innately present in every human being. This need is comprised of a number of aspects, namely instinct, sensory experience and feelings. Allah s.w.t created these aspects in order to guide humans into initiating a quest for knowledge that will ultimately benefit them. In themselves, the three aspects admit that humans are created weak and are therefore incapable of grasping matters beyond their reach. These aspects need to be developed by way of continuing education as well as having a clear set of guidelines in order to avoid confusion in life. This confusion will lead to humans exploring beliefs that suit their thoughts, whims and desires. Islam is sent to rectify this situation. Its aim is to develop and cater to every aspect of human needs based on creed (hereafter mentioned as aqidah), which is total faith in aspects regarding the divine, guidance and creed, or the conviction that Allah exists and that His orders must be followed without a shred of a doubt. It is this aqidah that will lead to the good life in this world and the next (Mahmud Syaltut 1966; Sayid Sabiq 2000). Neglect of these innate, fundamental aspects and their related characteristics will result in the decline of values to the point of them being contradictory to the basic norms of life (Haron Din et al. 1988). The significance of aqidah to our lives is evident during the first 13 years of revelation and spread of Rasululllah's message in Madinah. 13 years is a long period of time and the fact that the message and effort were focused on the basic Islamic creed is proof that this creed has extraordinary power in shaping human souls. The Qur'anic verses revealed at this period deal with the most basic of questions: the question of aqidah. They provide answers to questions pertaining to human's relationship with God, other human beings and the environment (Syed Muhammad Qutb 2003).Background of the StudyIn Islam education goes beyond academia and examinations. It should be able to mould a person into an individual with such a profound knowledge of the approach of Islam that Islam becomes his guiding force. Awareness of Islamic principles is the basis for understanding Islamic teachings (Hassan 1987) and the basis of knowledge in Islam is aqidah because it is the force that prevents one from committing sins. The true aqidah can only be obtained through a combination of knowledge, dalil naqli (traditional proof) and logic (al-Ghazali 1939). In this regard, Tajul Ariffin dan Nor'Aini (2002) is of the view that the formation of a truly Muslim individual must begin with the development of aqidah because a strong aqidah will pave the way for high morals which would be realized through cognitive, affective and psychomotor. Said Ibrahim (1996) opined that learning and understanding aqidah are essential in moulding the mukmin kamil, that is, the perfect believer. Yusuf al-Qaradhawi (2000) meanwhile states that continuous efforts in building the aqidah in Muslim societies can shield attacks from nonbelievers and doubts from those who go astray. A society that has faith or aqidah as its guiding principle will be able to realize a good deed and later positively impact other individuals and societies. In a nutshell, knowledge of aqidah and the ability to understand it can create exceptional human beings, realizing their true potential as prescribed by Islam (al-Qaradhawi 1990; al-Qaradhawi 2000; Ibn Khaldun 2002; al-Ghazali 1939; Tajul Ariffin & Nor 'Aini Dan 2002). In Malaysia, the emphasis in Islamic education is in integration, in particular the integration of knowledge, practice and appreciation. Students are provided with adequate information and thorough understanding about a variety of aspects of life which shape the lifestyle of the Muslim society (Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia 2001; Tajul Ariffin & Nor'Aini 2002). If we look at the scenario of Islamic education in Malaysia, whether through the historical point of view or a systematic point of view, combined with a systematic education programme, a comprehensive curriculum, supported by able educators trained in government-backed institutions, it can be assumed that Muslim students in Malaysia are capable of putting the Islamic knowledge that they have learned into practice, fulfilling the aspirations stated in the National Education Philosophy. …