Introduction
Religion is an organized collection of cultural systems, belief systems and world views that relate humanity to spirituality and at times moral values. Religions are characterised by symbols, traditions, narratives, sacred places, people, beings that are intended to explain the origin of life, meaning of life and the universe. Religions have over the years helped define human nature and the known and the unknown world. They have also defined and set standards on ethics, morality and general human lifestyle.
It is estimated that there are about 4,200 religions in the world. The most dominant religions in the world are Christianity with approximately 2 billion people (33%) of the world’s population. Islam follows with 1.2 billion (19.6%) and Hinduism comes in the third position with 811 million adherents (13.4%), Chinese folk religion and Buddhism close in at the fourth and fifth positions with 385 million (6.4%) and 360 million adherents (5.9%) respectively. As such nearly all the 6 billion people in the world are adherents of one or more religions. Religion therefore influences human behaviour and emotions to a great extent.
Religion is the source of human understanding as it brings togetherness, peace, love, unity, integration, spiritual understanding and prestige. All these factors lead to human happiness in human life. For better understanding of the Islamic religious knowledge, it is vital to understand the beginning of Muslim in Malaysia. Malaysia is an interesting, important but understudied context in which to explore these issues. The associations between religion and happiness have been researched already, but primarily in western, Judeo-Christian societies.
So does religion make people happy in their life? This paper seeks to respond to this question by exploring the religious beliefs in Malaysia and in particular Islam and how it has contributed to happiness among Malaysians. The study will be guided by the current trends in religious affiliations and teachings especially among the Islam population in Malaysia.
Suitability of Malaysia In this study
Several social-economic and cultural aspects suit Malaysia to this study. The country is highly multi-cultural and multi-ethnic. It has a sizeable population of approximately 28 million people and it has one of the best growth rates in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Human Development Index (HDI) aspects of which are reflected in the social lives of its people. The reflection of these economic indicators is coupled with the religious beliefs of Malaysians and the emotions derived from religion. The constitution of Malaysia declares that Islam is the state religion but it also protects the freedom of religion. This makes Malaysia suitable for the investigation of Islam and the effects it has on human happiness.
The scholarly work that has been done on religion focuses on other religions like Christianity many tend to imagine that the Islamic culture is complex to understand if one is not Muslim. For instance, in Most Asian countries, majority of people are Muslims yet the study of religion in these areas has not been given an upper hand. In addition, as per the date given previously on the warship in Malaysia, 60% of the population is Islam and there is peace among the other religions in the country.
The major focus in this study will be, the importance of religion to the Malay people and the immediate effect it has to their lives. From this perspective, the approach to be followed has to dwell on positivism. This is because the review is based on the impact of religion towards happiness and happiness is a positive virtue to mankind.
This study will contribute to a greater understanding of the role of religion in influencing human behaviour in the quest for sought after emotions such as happiness. A strong belief and practise in the teachings of Islamic religion, leads to greater happiness among its adherents.
Literature Review
History of Malaysia
The inhabitants of Malaysia are believed to have migrated from Southern Asia and have lived in the country for many years. The early settlers like the Senoi community have been replaced trough intermarriages with other communities forming an integrated society resulting to cultural and religion change. By 2000 BC, it is stipulated that Senoi community had occupied the land, however, in 1000BC the other community by name Proto Malays arrived in the Malay land fuelling more intermarriages and beliefs (Geertz 2000). Today, Proto-Malay is seen as the ancestors of the land having combined with different groups in order to form the Malay people. For instance, it is believed that the intermarriage between the Micronesian and Polynesian resulted to emergency of the Malay people.
Islamic religion arrived in Malaysia through the influence of trade by Arabs who always moved across the region for trade. The religion was boosted even further by 1402 when Sultanate of Malacca was formed at Bertam River at its finishing line. This empire later united with China for protection to open up more trade routes purposely to widen up trade. This in the end was a propeller of Islam in the region. The modern Malaysia is simply a dynasty left by Sultanate of Malacca because it comprises Chinese, Indians, Malays and other groups.
Religious composition
Islam takes the upper hand as the official religion in the country having 61.3% Islamic faithful followers in Malaysia. Primarily, Chinese Buddhists have 19.8 % followers as per religion in the country thus becoming the second most popular religion among the people. Christians are only 9.2% in Malaysia, 6.3% practise Hinduism while 1.3% of Malaysian practise Taoism, Confucianism and other ancient Chinese religions. Of the remaining population, 1.4% practises other minor religions and 0.7% of Malaysians are pagans.
Ethnic composition
Malaysia is highly multiethnic. According to the Malaysian Department of Statistics the country had a population of 28, 334,000 people in 2005 (Saw, 2006). Out of these, the largest ethnic group comprises of people of Austronesian origin who are known as the Bumiputras. The Bumiputras are divided into the Malays who form approximately 50.4% of the population, and other Bumiputras who make up 11% of the population. These other Bumiputra comprise of the Chams, Sabah, Thais, Khmers and Sarawak. The Han Chinese or the Hikkien, the Tamil and the Han Chinnese (Hakka), form approximately 2% each of the population. There are other numerous ethnic groups with each forming less than 2% of the entire population.
Half of the population in Malaysia ethnically is Malay, since they are related to Polynesia and Micronesia thus having further relationship with the people of China and Indonesia. Han Chinese is other largest group in Malaysia making almost quarter of the Malaysia population. To make the population complete in Malaysia, other ethnic communities are Han Chinese and other sub-ethnic groups (Schalbler 2004).
The country has different language groups but Malaysian language is only recognized official language. The language is largely related to other languages; however, the closest language to it is Indonesian, unlike the Polynesian languages. Malaysian native people speak mandarin and Cantonese Chinese languages. However, English has been perceived the second popular common language in Malaysia.
Economic and social developments
Malaysia has one of the fastest and most sustainable economic growth rates in the world. The country has managed to grow at an average of 5.6% for the last 50 years (Dixon & Smith, 1993). The country has a GDP (nominal) of $10,578 and a GDP (Purchasing Power, Parity) of $16, 942, and a HDI of 0.769 which places Malaysia as a country with a “high” quality of life for its citizens (CIA, 2013). The economy of Malaysia is fuelled by natural resources such as minerals but of late the drivers of the economy have been technology, tourism, medicinal tourism and science. The country has a booming service and manufacturing industry which are driving its push to become a developed nation in the next few years.
The economic advancements in Malaysia have been reflected in the social aspects of its population. Malaysia has leading institutions of higher learning and its universities comprise of students from different cultural backgrounds around the world. The country has a vibrant culture and religion with Islam being the most dominant religion in the country. The numerous ethnicities in Malaysia make for a vibrant social life with numerous dynamics.
Although the Malaysian constitution has stated that Islam is the state religion of Malaysia, it also allows for the freedom of religious affiliation and worship. Religious affiliation is closely linked with ethnicity. For instance, nearly all the Bumiputras are considered to be Muslims while most of the Chinese in Malaysia (83.6%) of them are affiliated to Buddhism and the majority of Indians (86.2%) of them adhering to Hinduism. The adherents of Christianity in Malaysia comprise a mixture of Chinese (11%) of Chinese-Malaysians, Indians (4%) of Malaysians of Indian origin.
With the exception of all ethnic Malays who are constitutionally recognised as Muslims, all the other ethnic groups are not constitutionally bound to follow certain religions. These efforts amount to a considerable degree of religious freedoms among Malaysians. This by extension means that the degree of happiness as determined by religion is also considerably high.
Religion and Happiness
Research shows that the Islamic religion started in the early times of Arabic influence in large parts of the Asian continent. Since the Indians were part of the inventions, they brought the idea of Islamic religion in Malaysia and Indonesia (Lapidus, 2002). In the current era, Islam has contributed to upholding peace in Malaysia as a country. Indeed, this is evident in the Islamic courts that promote unity and peace among the people (Peletez, 2002). The Islamic law has been emphasized to solve international and national conflicts leading to the nation`s integration.
Malaysia has been dominated by the rapid increase of Islamic religion thus suppressing the other religions like Hinduism and Christianity. There is strong respect among the people from different religions as the peace from the Malaysian people has been a tool. However, the denomination a person chooses, the art of love, and brotherhood from the Muslim people dominates leading to unity.
The art of integration in the people of Malaysia contributes to their happiness. They are thought to maintain their integrity as depicted in their constitution. The Malaysian integration into global peace initiatives has been promoted by the beliefs from the Islamic religion. Their psychological being leads them to maintain happiness between themselves.
According to Rubenstein (2002), positivism as seen in Malaysia largely targets a number of intellectuals in the Malaysian nation as higher institutions of learning are coming up (p. 135). A clear example of an institution promoting integration is at Pedaling Jayan Islamic University at Jaya in Malaysia located at Kuala Lumpur. The institution hosts many students from different parts of Malaysia in order to learn and acquire knowledge.
Happiness is promoted through integration as many socialize and get to learn more about Islam from different people coming from different areas of the country. Either students or lecturers exchange ideas for the use of Islamic language for communication. By sharing, knowledge acquired is through religious studies. This creates cohesion, thus promoting happiness and togetherness among the Malaysian Muslims. Through lectures and discussions at the institution, the university environment brings togetherness and proper dependence among the Islamic culture.
Dispute resolution in Malaysia becomes easy than that of converting Islamic ideas into laws of proper justice. Many people with conflict can be at peace and continue living their lives happily in Malaysia which is evident in the people`s attitudes towards the law (Pryles, 2007). The assessment that has been done is based in their private lives. Its effectiveness relies on the legal systems in operation. They have been interpreted to the people to understand the importance of law and integration to their happiness as a whole. To their understanding, Islamic language has been used to make it even easy for their understanding as a nation. This is primarily emphasized in areas that are predominantly populated by high Muslim cultures and religion. Communication has been given a way forward in Malaysia to make integration possible. However, its positivity is a continuous process for communication to be maintained in the dominated Islamic religion.
Spirituality towards happiness in Malaysia
The Muslim culture has its uniqueness for interpretation and understanding. Islam as a religion in Malaysia has its beliefs to which the Muslim communities in Malaysia commit. This promotes better socialization among the people in the Muslim religion. The concept of spirituality lacks a clear definition, but some scholars view it as a transformation process of an external understanding of an individual. For happiness, it is necessary for a person to understand himself or herself as per the cultures of his/her religion.
Spirituality, though many view it as a tradition sought in Islamic religion in Malaysia, has also been reflected in the green politics and the feminist theory. In Malaysia, women take a step in politics to meet their self-actualization; and this has been analyzed in different broadcasting stations in the nation boosting women’s attitude towards the Islamic religion. Moreover, spirituality has been associated in controlling drug substance abuse in Malaysia as the youths are always exposed to these substances than the elderly. Spiritual education has been on the rise in the recent past to manage the menace. As a result, the youths engage in different co-curriculum activities that promote happiness than substance abuse, which include sporting events, youth religious education, and empowerment. All these activities are tied to a person`s spiritual being as it creates an art of personal dedication in the youth life of the Malaysia youngsters.
The country has taken a step recently in spiritual empowerment, for instance, on March 12th, 2011, an article posted by Hafidzi Razali, in the Malaysian Outsider, empowered the youth to combat the multi-ethnicity in their social settings. It encouraged the youths to voice their concerns about the importance of having a unitary nation free of hate and anger.
This indeed leads to happiness, as many youths will live in unity, full of love and togetherness. Razali calls for the prime minister to promote racial unity in Malaysia among the people and the youths. This can only be achieved if the media coverage will not favor some areas but cover a whole. This is a significant step because the youths are empowered to feel the pride of being citizens of Malaysia. If this is achieved in Malaysia, educational racial integrity will be controlled in the Muslim nation thus education to all. If this is to be achieved, the government should involve all citizens and promote better understanding for the need of happiness.
Youth empowerment forms a source of happiness in Malaysia since it creates opportunities for the youths to enjoy the national resources. This is fundamentally seen in the educational sector as many Muslim youths are taught of spiritual identity. For instance, it is happiness for them to be associated with other Muslim youths without discrimination of either race or class.
The nation’s spirituality has been increasing even to the elderly because they are mentors to the young. The senior members in the government equally participate in different activities organized nationally to ensure that people are at peace and happy in their environment. When bureaucracy unites an Islamic nation like Malaysia, the art of happiness is the propeller to all its citizens thus decision-making becomes easy in some sectors of the Malaysian nation. For example, in 2005, as per the report given online by the Star, the ministry of education took progress in upgrading teachers’ academic levels in Malaysia. Teachers in colleges were taken to teacher training institutes to enhance the quality of teaching services in Malaysia.
The upgrade was seen as a spiritual boost to teachers nationally as they attained degrees at the institutes. It is been estimated that, by the year 2010, all the teachers will be graduates from different Islamic institutions of higher learning in Malaysia. To Malaysians, this was a happy moment as they were to gain economically, financially and acquire improved education levels. Most Islamic institutions played a role in their upgrade where they were to attain degrees.
Alieza Ghorban’s Contribution to Islam
Research on this area has its base also in Iran and on the growth of the music industry that influences the development of the Muslim culture in 1972 in Iran at Tehran. Ghorban began his Quran studies during his early age. However, he went higher by 1984 when he began music and poetry by the supervision of his senior mentors. Ghorban has travelled globally to attend various festivals and market his music. As a result, he has promoted happiness among different Muslim souls who listen to his works.
Music gives a soothing feeling to the listener and gives peace of mind. Many people in Malaysia have appreciated and purchased the work done by Alieza. His work has both English and Islamic versions that make it easy for the listener. The art of music was not much taken to greatness in the past until he appeared in the music scene in the early 1980s.
The work done by Ali in reading the Quran and later transforming the message to music has created happiness on many. His music is played in different social settings during events of which has Islamic message insinuated in music. Happiness emerges as many can dance and interact freely. This is a notable contribution to the Islamic culture globally as singing has been seen as a tool of social togetherness. Indeed, it is an ideology of social change.
Data Presentation and Analysis on Religion and happiness
The following data tables show comparison between happiness and religious belief and religious affiliation done by a social survey center (Miller 1998).
The data in the table 1 shows that there is a relationship between religious beliefs and happiness. 34.2% of the respondents interviewed indicated that they very happy when they belief in God, and a further 52.1% felt considerably happy when they belief in God as opposed to when they do not belief in God. On the other hand 17% of the respondents felt that their happiness diminished when they belief in God as opposed to when they do not belief in God.
The second table presents religious affiliations with biasness to Christianity. Unlike Islam which is highly cohesive and guided by almost similar principles throughout the world, Christianity has several points of distinction between the various denominations making up the religion. The information presented in the table shows that regardless of one’s denominational affiliation, religion makes them happier.
Various research work that has been done suggested that people who are religious tend to be the happiest and with less stress. However, religion has certain features that make this possible. This community is involved in personal support and social interactions among the religious. Some scholars have argued in their research that, religion can bring optimism, hope and satisfaction. Consequently, optimism results from volunteering, and copying the key strategies on how to deal with the imbedded stress within the religion (Wood, 2012).
However, some scholars like Larson (2012), discussed the work done on religion and health in human socialization. They argue that, there is less or no relationship between unhappiness and religious disaffiliations. On the other hand, people without religious affiliations tend to have a greater risk towards depression than the ones affiliated with one (Lachman, 1993). The positivity in people having religious engagement and God as extremely influential in their lives tends to have the satisfaction in their lives.
Surveys done by Gallup indicate that persons committed to religion are likely to be happy than those less religiously committed. Hence, they have a lower risk towards drug and substance abuse, depression, suicide and are more satisfied with their sex life thus a veritable human sense of well-being.
Psychological explanation of religious involvement to happiness
Many scholars have given a clear view that church attendance is a way of measuring an individual’s religiosity. They have examined the impact of religion to happiness and experience related to it and patterns in them. The experiences felt during prayer in particular have powerful positive impacts to a person thus a predictor to individual happiness (Aegyle & Hills, 2000). However, in this approach the happiness is more felt to the elderly than the people of the younger age for the elders tend to have more information than the growing young generation.
Psychologists have given three explanations that prove the involvement of religion to human happiness in any social setting dictated by religion towards human satisfaction. The explanations have been listed and grouped into three approaches for easy understanding. They include:
- Firm belief – Human happiness tends to increase and satisfy lives when people have proper direction to follow in life, as this is a crucial set in life. Many people feel this if they have religious inspiration. This is evident in what is currently happening in many churches that are becoming conservative as they offer certitude than liberal churches.
- Social support - When a person is in a religion, his social life gains as psychological support is felt, as he tends to be happier to what religion offers. In a larger view in social strata, the elderly, the poor and single people’s happiness has been involved. This is clear since they are religious and their closeness to God makes them happier and God has been viewed as supportive personally.
- Religion itself - Religious experiences can also be supportive since they offer a person the feeling of having close contact to God that can also be called transcendence. This is seen in the positivity during the activities of a person. For instance, an individual actively involved in religious activities tends to be happier than those who are not active towards religion.
Islam Transition and Modernity in Malaysia
The Islamic religion has played a crucial role in changes be it economic, religious or social. The country has enjoyed a rich transitional contact in the Islamic world. This has significantly influenced the development of its plural society and its indigenous Islamic culture as well as the positivity propelling the people’s happiness. Malaysians have laid more importance in their Islamic identity as opposed to their national identity. This has promoted integration among people towards their religion as religious happiness has made Malaysians live happily with other people, who have different religious and racial diversity thus laid uniformity.
Islam, as the popular religion in Malaysia, has its policies to protect the culture among its citizens. To begin with, the government has mainstreamed the transnational Islamic integration. In this policy, the government shall not regard challenges resulting from transnational actors to its foreign Islamic dignitaries mostly used in legitimizing the Islam religion and the state brand. Malaysian friendly nations like the United States are to benefit from the Malaysian government through bringing mainstream in the transnational Islamists. This will not associate them with a terrorist threat.
Islam, being the main religion for Malaysian people, has been exhibiting vibrant dimensions nationally. In this modern global age, Islamic religion has gained diversity in advances made through transnational connections that have been diversified through advances made in communication and technology.
Islam and Social Change
Islam as a religion and culture guides people to live with happiness hence, satisfying their material needs. It is a fundamental factor in social change. To study Muslim in social change, it makes an individual to be of fundamental importance in social development as it involves socialization, interaction, worship and national cohesion. Change also concerns economic life, the ethic of Umah in Muslim as well as social and political aspects.
Max Weber claimed in his work that, the rise in protestant ethnicity, in the West, has facilitated economic growth and religion have provided individual initiative to its feudalistic religion. Weber argued that the Islamic culture and its traditional ethics have direct impacts to people`s paths in life. It also has an opposite effect controlling life found among the Puritans.
Islam has contributed immensely to Social change because they believe in a holy Quran and its teachings. People`s lives have been changed as those who were non-believers have been converted. This is a positive change resulting from Islamic culture and its diversity. Ethnic morality has come from different Islamic nations. For example, the people of Malaysia have been socialized positively to respect the diversity of multi-ethnic groups that are Muslim by identity. As depicted by Prophet Muhammad, the religion has commanded, altered, and modified human society and the social structure. This has led to some implementations within religion leading to the transformation of society as viewed by the Prophet. For example, the Sunnat Allah also known as the universal Islamic laws can be implemented in almost every society for the purpose of change and understanding (Algar, 1979).
Islamic laws come into two forms. As per the Sharia, the first type is basic principles. These laws are constitutional; meaning, none of the social factors can change them like inheritance while the other laws are just the subsidiary principles. These laws are flexible and can be altered in society depending on the change of time.
Change is a social phenomenon in Islamic culture because there are dynamics in human beings and is unavoidable. Therefore, it is necessary for societies to change too, for those who do not adjust to change will be extinct. Research by different scholars has indicated that literature affirm the Eastern and the Western necessity, universality, unavoidability and irreversibility of change to people. For example, Christians see change as a sin and violence while the Muslims view change as inseparable in life and should be propelled to take place by its nature both in societal and individual level.
However, change and its consequential effect to the lives of people in their religions can be explained in different ways because it is an evolutionary and cynical process. The theories indicate that change has its directions. Change also can emerge in differences between two groups of people because of conflict. Western sociologists and thinkers mostly are materialistic in nature. The reason is most theories were to oppose Christianity religion since it was against change. The theories have also indicated the importance of society to observe change since it will consequently disappear.
The other point that deploys Islamic uniqueness is how it presents change and how it validates its nature. For a person to understand nature, he or she must know its levels, source, rate and identity. Islamic culture has many concepts that are termed as significant as it uses are not in other theories. The sources are obtained from basic Islam known as Sunnah and Quran that include islah, khoroj, tagghaiyyur, tahauwwl, tajdid and tabaddul. They do not oppose the Western concepts like development, progress and evolution though they offer different interpretations and definitions to them. For instance, it explains social change as a moral, spiritual and material change that happen in society in relation to the basics of Tawhid. Moreover, the Islamic theory contravenes with the Western theory about what changes to note.
Impact of Islamic Religion to Peace, Love and Freedom in Malaysia
For religion to be accepted in society, it should promote the pillars of social integrity in human lives. The art of freedom as a virtue has been incorporated in the Malaysian constitution as it states that any person within the nation has a right to enjoy his religion. This also has given the Islam the sense of peace to be practiced and share with others. However, there has been an emerging question whether Malaysia is a secular state or an Islamic state. In the recent past, different races within Malaysia have raised the issue. The basic understanding that has propagated peace in the nation is the parallel operation of law in the justice systems (Bernama, 2006). These are Sharia Islamic law and the secular system whose laws are gazette in parliament.
On the other hand, the country supports the Islamic religion in its administration as a whole with regard to religious freedom. However, Christians also form the minority in the Malaysian nation. A clear example is Sunday being the weekend holiday among the ten of the thirteen states unlike in the other Middle East Islamic states. This is a clear indication that religiousness has been on the rise in Malaysia. The interreligious differences do not divide the people but respect their mode of worship and culture.
Malaysia has initiated inter-faith efforts to bring respect and promote clear understanding among different religious groups in the country without favoring the dominant Islamic religion. This can be clearly seen by the efforts from the Muslims of respecting religious happiness every minor group should enjoy. For example, the religious groups from Buddhism, Christianity, Islamic, Sikhism and Hinduism have developed association to protect religious virtues and respect for different races. This is a stepping-stone for religious happiness within different groups.
Religious conversion in Malaysia has been accepted since people have a choice and freedom to worship God. For instance, if a person wants to change from other minority groups to Islam, he or she will have an easy process as the Islamic laws in Malaysia does not bar them in any way. This shows the direct link of togetherness from the Muslim community, who forms larger percentage. It shows their love and acceptance to any person regardless of their race. From this perspective, religion freedom of association is a personal choice to the population.
Significance of Islamic Ritual Requirements to the Malaysian People
Muslims worship in their own way unlike the way the Christians does their worship in churches. Here are the requirements of the Muslim worship that has maintained in their religion culture for centuries that have passed.
- Muslims should pray five times a day, facing Ka`bah in Saudi Arabia. These should happen before sunrise, in the afternoon, at sunset and before sleeping.
- The Muslim is encouraged to be part of pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
- All Muslims are supposed to fast during Ramadan or during the ninth month in their lunar calendar.
- A true Muslim is to pay ten percent tithe to the poor Muslims within their community.
- All Muslims are to keep Friday a holy day and worship in the mosque.
Acceptance in Malaysia is something that every Muslim has practiced as a community since it makes their lives easy and promotes love. Love is when living with your brother or sister of a different race and religion with joy and being happy with them. For a person to strive in Muslim society, it is essential to be a devout Muslim. These makes him meet what Allah expects a Muslim to be like and sail in it.
The Islamic religion law states that all people are equal before God. Any Muslim has to respect Allah, obey his commandments and expects all citizens to do everything according to Allah’s will. This has significantly promoted unity among the people because it brings equity among all before the above Father. When there is unity and understanding among religions in the same setting, there is peace and happiness attached to it. A clear example is what the Muslim people in Malaysia are practicing.
Religiosity leads to happiness in relation to the study of the Malaysian Muslim community. For a person to be happy, free of depression or ill health, having a belief in God plays a crucial role. For instance in Malaysia, peace, love, unity has prevailed because of the everlasting happiness among people emanating from understanding among religions. Respecting someone`s religion leads to love. The emotional atmosphere among the people results in harmony thus creating a happy environment and setting where they live.
Conclusions
There no doubt that religion plays a crucial role in humanity. Malaysia is a highly multiethnic and multicultural society with its population of 28 million people adhering to various religions practiced in the world. The country’s state religion is Islam to which about 60% of its population subscribes. According to this study, religion is the source of human understanding as it brings togetherness, peace, love, unity, integration, spiritual understanding and prestige. Research from previous studies show that more than 85% of people are happier in their life when they directly belief in God or are affiliated to a religion. This contrasts the 13% off people who feel happier when they do not belief in any religion. These and other studies about religion and happiness as applied in the social-economic and cultural context of Islam adherence in Malaysia shows that indeed religion has contributed to the happiness of many Malaysians. Religious teachings have promoted virtues such as hardwork, peace, love and unity among people. It is the promotion of these and other virtues by the Islamic religion that has brought about happiness among its adherents.
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