159-677: Al-Arqam , also known as Darul Arqam , is a Malaysian -based Islamic movement founded by Ashaari Muhammad . Named after Al-Arqam ibn Abi al-Arqam , a companion of the Prophet Muhammad , the movement was officially banned by the Malaysian federal government on 21 October 1994. Following the ban, over five members, including Ashaari Muhammad, were arrested in Thailand under the Internal Security Act (ISA) and deported to Malaysia. Despite
318-535: A dormant claim to the eastern part of Sabah. Singapore's land reclamation has caused tensions, and minor maritime and land border disputes exist with Indonesia. The Malaysian Armed Forces have three branches: the Malaysian Army , Royal Malaysian Navy and the Royal Malaysian Air Force . There is no conscription, and the required age for voluntary military service is 18. The military uses 1.5% of
477-760: A newly industrialised market economy , which is relatively open and state-oriented. The country is a founding member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the East Asia Summit (EAS), and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and a member of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the Commonwealth , and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). The name Malaysia
636-540: A Mahdi claimant enabled unity among tribes and/or a region, often enabled them to forcibly seize power, but the lifespan of such a force was usually limited, as their Mahdi had to conform to hadith prophesies—winning their battles and bringing peace and justice to the world before Judgement Day—which (so far) none have. The Mahdi figure in Islam can be likened to the Maitreya figure of Buddhism . Both are prophesied saviors sharing
795-538: A bid to gain time, al-Mahdi also sought to shift the messianic expectations on his son, al-Qa'im : by renaming himself as Abdallah Abu Muhammad, and his son as Abu'l-Qasim Muhammad rather than his original name, Abd al-Rahman, the latter would bear the name Abu'l-Qasim Muhammad ibn Abdallah. This was the name of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and it had been prophesied that the Mahdi would also bear it. The Fatimids eventually dropped
954-401: A distinct concept of the Mahdi developed, with select Isma'ili Imams representing the Mahdi or al-Qa'im at various times. When the sixth Shia imam Ja'far al-Sadiq died, some of his followers held his already dead son Isma'il ibn Ja'far to be the imam asserting that he was alive and will return as the Mahdi. Another group accepted his death and acknowledged his son Muhammad ibn Isma'il as
1113-578: A few days before his death in 941. With the death of the fourth agent, thus began the Major Occultation ( الغيبة الكبرى , ghayba al-kubra ), in which the communication between the Mahdi and the faithful was severed. The leadership vacuum in the Twelver community was gradually filled by jurists. During the Major Occultation, the Mahdi roams the earth and is sustained by God. He is the lord of
1272-426: A high priority to the security and stability of Southeast Asia, and seeks to further develop relations with other countries in the region. Historically the government has tried to portray Malaysia as a progressive Islamic nation while strengthening relations with other Islamic states. A strong tenet of Malaysia's policy is national sovereignty and the right of a country to control its domestic affairs. Malaysia signed
1431-491: A land and maritime border with Thailand and maritime borders with Singapore , Vietnam , and Indonesia . East Malaysia shares land borders with Brunei and Indonesia, as well as a maritime border with the Philippines and Vietnam. Kuala Lumpur is the national capital, the country's largest city, and the seat of the legislative branch of the federal government . Putrajaya is the administrative centre, which represents
1590-631: A land named 'Malayadvipa' which was identified by certain scholars as the modern Malay Peninsula . Other notable accounts are by the 2nd-century Ptolemy's Geographia that used the name Malayu Kulon for the west coast of Golden Chersonese , and the 7th-century Yijing 's account of Malayu . At some point, the Melayu Kingdom took its name from the Sungai Melayu . Melayu then became associated with Srivijaya , and remained associated with various parts of Sumatra, especially Palembang, where
1749-490: A large influence in the country's economy, although Malaysia's economic structure has been moving away from it. Malaysia remains one of the world's largest producers of palm oil. Tourism is the third-largest contributor to Malaysia's GDP, after the manufacturing and commodities sectors. In 2019, the sector contributed about 15.9 per cent to the total GDP. According to the World Tourism Organization , Malaysia
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#17328735987611908-529: A largely similar landscape in that both Peninsular and East Malaysia feature coastal plains rising to hills and mountains. Peninsular Malaysia, containing 40 per cent of Malaysia's land area, extends 740 km (460 mi) from north to south, and its maximum width is 322 km (200 mi). It is divided between its east and west coasts by the Titiwangsa Mountains , rising to a peak elevation of 2,183 metres (7,162 ft) at Mount Korbu , part of
2067-537: A messianic-like quality, and both are predicted to hold a position of world rulership. The prophesied savior duo of the Mahdi and the Messiah in Islam can be likened to the prophesied pair of the two Jewish savior figures, Mashiach ben Yosef and Mashiach ben David, respectively, in the sense that the Islamic Messiah and Masiach ben David take a central eschatological role, while the Mahdi and Mashiach ben Yosef take
2226-454: A new message. In 931, the then Qarmati leader Abu Tahir al-Jannabi declared a Persian prisoner named Abu'l-Fadl al-Isfahani as the awaited Mahdi. The Mahdi went on to denounce Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad as liars, abolished Islam, and instituted the cult of fire . Abu Tahir had to depose him as imposter and had him executed. Meanwhile, in Syria, Sa'id ibn al-Husayn's partisans took control of
2385-552: A peaceful mujaddid (renewer of religion), who spreads Islam with "heavenly signs and arguments". Throughout history, various individuals have claimed to be or were proclaimed to be the Mahdi. Claimants have included Muhammad Jaunpuri , the founder of the Mahdavia sect; Ali Muhammad Shirazi , the founder of Bábism ; Muhammad Ahmad , who established the Mahdist State in Sudan in
2544-480: A permanent base in Kampung Sungai Penchala , 20 kilometers northeast of downtown Kuala Lumpur . This new base, referred to as the "Arqam Village," became both the group's main headquarters and a model of an ideal Islamic community. The village housed a mosque , school, dormitories, offices, and shops, serving as the central hub for Al-Arqam's expanding missionary and economic activities. Al-Arqam attracted
2703-513: A rebranding of the movement's business ventures, active since the 2010s. Like its predecessors, GISBH oversees business operations in Malaysia and in over 20 countries, primarily under the Ikhwan brand. The company employs over 5,000 individuals. In September 2024, a child sex abuse scandal emerged involving orphanages operated by GISBH in the states of Selangor and Negeri Sembilan . Police raids led to
2862-516: A relatively isolated, self-sustaining community practising strict adherence to Islamic principles and developing a home-based economy. Founded in 1968 by Ashaari Muhammad, a former government religious teacher, the movement's early days were marked by a halaqah (study circle) in Kampung Datuk Keramat , a Malay suburb of Kuala Lumpur . In 1975, the movement expanded its focus to include Islamic education by establishing its first school under
3021-401: A series of mountain ranges running down the centre of the peninsula. These mountains are heavily forested, and mainly composed of granite and other igneous rocks. Much of it has been eroded, creating a karst landscape. The range is the origin of some of Peninsular Malaysia's river systems. The coastal plains surrounding the peninsula reach a maximum width of 50 kilometres (31 mi), and
3180-484: A significant following, particularly from urban Malays and educated professionals. Its organizational structure was hierarchical, with Ashaari Muhammad at the helm, supported by deputies and close family members in key leadership roles. The group's membership did not require formal registration or fees; participation in the movement’s activities and adherence to its rules were sufficient for inclusion. With its hierarchical structure and strong community organization, Al-Arqam
3339-824: A special court to hear cases brought by or against royalty. Race is a significant force in politics. Affirmative actions such as the New Economic Policy and the National Development Policy which superseded it, were implemented to advance the standing of the bumiputera , consisting of Malays and the indigenous tribes who are considered the original inhabitants of Malaysia, over non- bumiputera such as Malaysian Chinese and Malaysian Indians . These policies provide preferential treatment to bumiputera in employment, education, scholarships, business, and access to cheaper housing and assisted savings. However, it has generated greater interethnic resentment. There
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#17328735987613498-572: A title for Jesus when he returns. Others, like the historian and the Qur'an commentator Ibn Kathir ( d. 1373 ), elaborated a whole apocalyptic scenario which includes prophecies about the Mahdi, Jesus, and the Dajjal (the antichrist) during the end times . The common opinion among the Sunnis is that the Mahdi is an expected ruler to be sent by God before the end times to re-establish righteousness. He
3657-504: A transition in Twelver arguments from a traditionist to a rationalist approach in order to vindicate the occultation of the twelfth Imam. The Twelver authors also aim to establish that the description of Mahdi in Sunni sources applies to the twelfth Imam. Their efforts gained momentum in the seventh (thirteenth) century when some notable Sunni scholars endorsed the Shia view of the Mahdi, including
3816-507: Is multiethnic and multicultural , which has a significant effect on its politics. About half the population is ethnically Malay , with minorities of Chinese , Indians , and indigenous peoples . The official language is Malaysian Malay , a standard form of the Malay language . English remains an active second language. While recognising Islam as the official religion , the constitution grants freedom of religion to non-Muslims. The government
3975-654: Is 334,671 km (129,217 sq mi) and 1.5 times larger than its land area. It is mainly in the South China Sea . Some of its waters are in the Coral Triangle , a biodiversity hotspot. The waters around Sipadan island are the most biodiverse in the world. Bordering East Malaysia, the Sulu Sea is a biodiversity hotspot, with around 600 coral species and 1200 fish species. The unique biodiversity of Malaysian Caves always attracts lovers of ecotourism from all over
4134-627: Is a combination of the word Malays and the Latin-Greek suffix -ia / -ία which can be translated as 'land of the Malays'. Similar-sounding variants have also appeared in accounts older than the 11th century, as toponyms for areas in Sumatra or referring to a larger region around the Strait of Malacca. The Sanskrit text Vayu Purana , thought to have been in existence since the first millennium CE, mentioned
4293-600: Is a figure in Islamic eschatology who is believed to appear at the End of Times to rid the world of evil and injustice. He is said to be a descendant of Muhammad , who will appear shortly before Jesus . The Mahdi is mentioned in several canonical compilations of hadith , but is absent from the Quran and the two most-revered Sunni hadith collections, Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim . Thus, some Sunni theologians have questioned
4452-561: Is also detrimentally affected by uncontrolled tourism. The Malaysian government aims to balance economic growth with environmental protection, but has been accused of favouring big business over the environment. Some state governments are now trying to counter the environmental impact and pollution created by deforestation; and the federal government is trying to cut logging by 10 per cent each year. A total of 28 national parks have been established, 23 in East Malaysia and five in
4611-651: Is chosen from members of both houses of Parliament. The Prime Minister is both the head of cabinet and the head of government . As a result of the 2018 general election Malaysia was governed by the Pakatan Harapan (PH) political alliance , although Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad resigned amid a political crisis in 2020. In March 2020, the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition formed under Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin , before Muhyiddin lost majority support and
4770-451: Is elected to a five-year term by and from among the nine hereditary rulers of the Malay states . The other four states, which have titular Governors , do not participate in the selection. By informal agreement the position is rotated among the nine, and has been held by Ibrahim Iskandar of Johor since 31 January 2024. The King's role has been largely ceremonial since changes to the constitution in 1994 , picking ministers and members of
4929-501: Is found inside reserves and national parks. Habitat destruction has proved a threat for marine life. Illegal fishing is another major threat, with fishing methods such as dynamite fishing and poisoning depleting marine ecosystems. Leatherback turtle numbers have dropped 98 per cent since the 1950s. Hunting has also been an issue for some animals, with overconsumption and the use of animal parts for profit endangering many animals, from marine life to tigers. Marine life
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5088-620: Is held to be from among the descendants of Muhammad through his daughter Fatima and her husband Ali , and his physical characteristics including a broad forehead and curved nose. He will eradicate injustice and evil from the world. He will be from the Hasanid branch of Muhammad's descendants, as opposed to the Shia belief that he is of the Husaynid line. The Mahdi's name would be Muhammad and his father's name would be Abd Allah. Abu Dawud quotes Muhammad as saying: "The Mahdi will be from my family, from
5247-635: Is linked to Singapore by a narrow causeway and a bridge . The country also has maritime boundaries with Vietnam and the Philippines. The land borders are defined in large part by geological features such as the Perlis River , the Golok River and the Pagalayan Canal, whilst some of the maritime boundaries are the subject of ongoing contention. Brunei forms what is almost an enclave in Malaysia, with
5406-469: Is modelled on the Westminster parliamentary system , and the legal system is based on common law . The head of state is an elected monarch , chosen from among the nine state sultans every five years. The head of government is the prime minister . The country's economy has traditionally been driven by its natural resources but is expanding into commerce, tourism, and medical tourism . The country has
5565-489: Is ongoing debate over whether the laws and society of Malaysia should reflect Islamism or secularism . Islamic criminal laws passed by the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party with the support of UMNO state assemblymen in the state legislative assembly of Kelantan have been blocked by the federal government on the basis that criminal laws are the responsibility of the federal government. After UMNO lost power at
5724-479: Is the now-extinct Husaynites in Yemen , who denied the death of al-Husayn ibn al-Qasim al-Iyani and awaited his return. In Sunni Islam , the Mahdi doctrine is not theologically important and remains as a popular belief instead. Of the six canonical Sunni hadith compilations, three— Abi Dawud , Ibn Maja , and al-Tirmidhi —contain traditions on the Mahdi; the compilations of al-Bukhari and Muslim —considered
5883-608: Is the southernmost point of continental Eurasia . The country has its origins in the Malay kingdoms , which, from the 18th century on, became subject to the British Empire , along with the British Straits Settlements protectorate. During World War Two , British Malaya , along with other nearby British and American colonies, was occupied by the Empire of Japan . Following three years of occupation, Peninsular Malaysia
6042-510: The 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal . Malaysia is a federation of 13 states and three federal territories. These are divided between two regions, with 11 states and two federal territories on Peninsular Malaysia and the other two states and one federal territory in East Malaysia . Each state is divided into districts , which are then divided into mukim . In Sabah and Sarawak districts are grouped into divisions. Governance of
6201-532: The 2018 Malaysian general election , Malaysia's ranking increased by 9 places in the 2019 Democracy Index to 43rd compared to the previous year and is classified as a 'flawed democracy'. Malaysia's ranking in the 2020 Press Freedom Index increased by 22 places to 101st compared to the previous year, making it one of two countries in Southeast Asia without a 'Difficult situation' or 'Very Serious situation' with regards to press freedom. However, it fell 18 places
6360-429: The 31st-largest by PPP . In 2017, the large service sector contributed to 53.6% of total GDP , the industrial sector 37.6%, and the small agricultural sector roughly 8.8%. Malaysia has a low official unemployment rate of 3.9%. Its foreign exchange reserves are the world's 24th-largest . It has a labour force of about 15 million, which is the world's 34th-largest . Malaysia's large automotive industry ranks as
6519-646: The Basidiomycota are only partly surveyed: bracket fungi , and mushrooms and toadstools have been studied, but Malaysian rust and smut fungi remain very poorly known. Without doubt, many more fungal species in Malaysia are yet to be recorded, and it is likely that many of those, when found, will be new to science. About two thirds of Malaysia was covered in forest as of 2007, with some forests believed to be 130 million years old. The forests are dominated by dipterocarps . Lowland forest covers areas below 760 m (2,490 ft), and formerly East Malaysia
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6678-601: The Dajjal , as well as secular reports about long-lived men. Along these lines, Tabatabai emphasizes the miraculous qualities of al-Mahdi, adding that his long life, while unlikely, is not impossible. He is viewed as the sole legitimate ruler of the Muslim world and the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran recognizes him as the head of the state. Before his reappearance ( Arabic : ظهور , romanized : ṭuhūr ),
6837-582: The Federated Malay States , had British residents appointed to advise the Malay rulers, to whom the rulers were bound to defer by treaty. The remaining five states on the peninsula, known as the Unfederated Malay States , while not directly under British rule, also accepted British advisers around the turn of the 20th century. Development on the peninsula and Borneo were generally separate until
6996-692: The Federation of Malaya , which restored the autonomy of the rulers of the Malay states under British protection. During this time, the mostly ethnically Chinese rebels under the leadership of the Malayan Communist Party launched guerrilla operations designed to force the British out of Malaya. The Malayan Emergency (1948–1960) involved a long anti-insurgency campaign by Commonwealth troops in Malaya. On 31 August 1957, Malaya became an independent member of
7155-520: The Gunung Mulu National Park which is also a World Heritage Site. The largest river in Malaysia is the Rajang . Around these two halves of Malaysia are numerous islands , the largest of which is Banggi . The local climate is equatorial and characterised by the annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons . The temperature is moderated by the presence of
7314-572: The Himyarite Kingdom . They also believed that he would eventually conquer Constantinople . It has also been suggested that the concept of the Mahdi may have been derived from earlier messianic Jewish and Christian beliefs. Accordingly, traditions were introduced to support certain political interests, especially anti-Abbasid sentiments. These traditions about the Mahdi appeared only at later times in hadith books such as Sunan Abi Dawud and Sunan al-Tirmidhi , but are absent from
7473-629: The Journal of the Indian Archipelago and Eastern Asia , proposed naming the islands of Southeast Asia as "Melayunesia" or "Indunesia", favouring the former. The name Malaysia gained some use to label what is now the Malay Archipelago. In modern terminology, Malay remains the name of an ethnoreligious group of Austronesian people predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula and portions of
7632-660: The Mahdi , led the authorities to classify the movement as deviant. Following the ban, leaders of the movement were arrested, and its properties were seized. Despite this, the movement’s educational and economic activities persisted under different names, notably Rufaqa' Corporation and later GISBH. Governmental and media reports suggested that former members were attempting to revive the movement through Rufaqa' Corporation. Founded by Ashaari in Bandar Country Homes in Rawang, Selangor ,
7791-619: The North–South Expressway , the Multimedia Super Corridor , and the new federal administrative capital of Putrajaya . In the late 1990s, the Asian financial crisis impacted the country, nearly causing their currency, stock, and property markets to crash; however, they later recovered. The 1MDB scandal was a major global corruption scandal that implicated then-Prime Minister Najib Razak in 2015. The scandal contributed to
7950-526: The Sarawak Communist Insurgency and Second Malayan Emergency together with several other issues such as the cross-border attacks into Sabah by Moro pirates from the southern islands of the Philippines, Singapore being expelled from the Federation in 1965, and racial strife. This strife culminated in the 13 May race riots in 1969. After the riots, the controversial New Economic Policy
8109-525: The Second Muslim Civil War (680–692), after the death of Mu'awiya I ( r. 661–680 ), the term acquired a new meaning of a ruler who would restore Islam to its perfect form and restore justice after oppression. Abd Allah ibn al-Zubayr , who laid claim to the caliphate against the Umayyads and found temporary success during the civil war, presented himself in this role. Although the title Mahdi
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#17328735987618268-704: The Shafi'i traditionist Muhammad ibn Yusuf al-Gandji. Since then, Amir-Moezzi writes, there is Sunni support from time to time for the Twelvers' view of Mahdi. There has also been some support for the mahdiship of the twelfth Imam in Sufi circles, for instance, by the Egyptian Sufi al-Sha'rani . Before the rise of the Fatimid Caliphate , as a major Isma'ili Sh'a dynasty, the terms Mahdi and Qa'im were used interchangeably for
8427-556: The Waqifites to argue that Musa al-Kazim , the seventh Imam, had not died but was in occultation. In parallel, traditions predicting the occultation of a future imam also persisted in the writings of the mainstream Shia, who later formed the Twelvers. Based on this material, the Twelver doctrine of occultation crystallized in the first half of the fourth (tenth) century, in the works of Ibrahim al-Qummi ( d. 919 ), Ya'qub al-Kulayni ( d. 941 ), and Ibn Babawayh ( d. 991 ), among others. This period also saw
8586-431: The White Rajahs over an independent kingdom until 1946, when it became a crown colony . In the Second World War , the Japanese Army invaded and occupied Malaya , North Borneo, Sarawak , and Singapore for over three years. During this time, ethnic tensions were raised and nationalism grew. Popular support for independence increased after Malaya was reconquered by Allied forces. Post-war British plans to unite
8745-410: The 11 Peninsular states, known as the Malay states , retain their royal families. The King is elected by and from the nine rulers to serve a five-year term. This King appoints governors serving a four-year term for the states without monarchies, after consultations with the chief minister of that state. Each state has its own written constitution. Sabah and Sarawak have considerably more autonomy than
8904-427: The 13 state assemblies, and the remaining 44 are appointed by the King upon the Prime Minister's recommendation. The parliament follows a multi-party system and the government is elected through a first-past-the-post system. Parliamentary elections are held at least once every five years. Before 2018, only registered voters aged 21 and above could vote for the members of the House of Representatives and, in most of
9063-401: The 15th century. Between the 7th and 13th centuries, much of the southern Malay Peninsula was part of the maritime Srivijayan empire. By the 13th and the 14th century, the Majapahit empire had successfully wrested control over most of the peninsula and the Malay Archipelago from Srivijaya. In the early 15th century, Parameswara , a runaway king of the former Kingdom of Singapura linked to
9222-430: The 19th century. Under British rule the immigration of Chinese and Indians to serve as labourers was encouraged. The area that is now Sabah came under British control as North Borneo when both the Sultan of Brunei and the Sultan of Sulu transferred their respective territorial rights of ownership, between 1877 and 1878. In 1842, Sarawak was ceded by the Sultan of Brunei to James Brooke , whose successors ruled as
9381-405: The Abbasids and establish his righteous caliphate . The propaganda of the Mahdi's return had a special appeal to peasants, Bedouins, and many of the later-to-be Twelver Shias, who were in a state of confusion ( hayra ) in the aftermath of the death of their 11th imam Hasan al-Askari, and resulted in many conversions. In 899, the leader of the movement, Sa'id ibn al-Husayn , declared himself
9540-417: The Commonwealth of Nations. Subsequently, a comprehensive plan was devised to unite Malaya with the crown colonies of North Borneo (known as Sabah upon joining), Sarawak , and Singapore . The envisioned federation was originally intended to take place on 31 August 1963, to coincide with the commemoration of Malayan independence. However, due to the necessity of conducting a survey on the level of support for
9699-479: The East. The forests of East Malaysia are estimated to be the habitat of around 2,000 tree species, and are one of the most biodiverse areas in the world, with 240 different species of trees every hectare. These forests host many members of the Rafflesia genus, the largest flowers in the world, with a maximum diameter of 1 m (3 ft 3 in). Logging , along with cultivation practices, has devastated tree cover, causing severe environmental degradation in
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#17328735987619858-416: The Iraqi garrison town of Kufa in the name of Ali's son Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyya , whom he proclaimed as the Mahdi in the messianic sense. The association of the name Muhammad with the Mahdi seems to have originated with Ibn al-Hanafiyya, who also shared the epithet Abu al-Qasim with Muhammad, the Islamic prophet. Among the Umayyads, the caliph Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik ( r. 715–717 ) encouraged
10017-402: The Mahdi is a messianic figure and if signs and predictions of his time had been satisfied. In Medina, among the conservative religious circles, the belief in Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz being the Mahdi was widespread. Said ibn al-Musayyib ( d. 715 ) is said to identify Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz as the Mahdi long before his reign. The Basran, Abu Qilabah, supported the view that Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz
10176-420: The Mahdi recognized as ruler by the people. The Dajjal would appear and will spread corruption in the world. With an army bearing black banners, which would come to his aid from the east, the Mahdi would fight the Dajjal, and will be able to defeat him. Dressed in saffron robes with his head anointed, Jesus would descend at the point of a white minaret of the Umayyad Mosque in eastern Damascus (believed to be
10335-407: The Mahdi, the earth would be filled with anarchy and chaos. Divisions and civil wars, moral degradation, and worldliness would be prevalent among the Muslims. Injustice and oppression would be rampant in the world. In the aftermath of the death of a king, the people would quarrel among themselves, and the as yet unrecognized Mahdi would flee from Medina to Mecca to take refuge in the Ka'ba. He would be
10494-423: The Mahdi. This brought about schism in the unified Isma'ili community as not all adherents of the movement accepted his Mahdist claims. Those in Iraq and Arabia, known as Qarmatians after their leader Hamdan Qarmat , still held that Muhammad ibn Isma'il was the awaited Mahdi and denounced the Salamiyya-based Mahdism. In the Qarmati doctrine, the Mahdi was to abrogate the Islamic law (the Sharia ) and bring forth
10653-408: The Mahdi. Although the concept of a Mahdi is not an essential doctrine in Islam, it is popular among Muslims. Over centuries, there have been a vast number of Mahdi claimants . The Mahdi features in both Shia and Sunni branches of Islam , though they differ extensively on his attributes and status. Among Twelver Shias , the Mahdi is believed to be Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi , twelfth Imam, son of
10812-419: The Malaccan Sultan. The initial Portuguese use of Malayos reflected this, referring only to the ruling people of Malacca. The prominence of traders from Malacca led Melayu to be associated with Muslim traders, and from there became associated with the wider cultural and linguistic group. Malacca and later Johor claimed they were the centre of Malay culture, a position supported by the British which led to
10971-442: The Malay Peninsula in the first millennium CE. Nonetheless, the name Malaysia was adopted in 1963 when the existing states of the Federation of Malaya, plus Singapore, North Borneo and Sarawak formed a new federation. One theory posits the name was chosen so that si represented the inclusion of Singapore, North Borneo, and Sarawak to Malaya in 1963. Politicians in the Philippines contemplated renaming their state Malaysia before
11130-400: The Minaret of Jesus) and join the Mahdi. Jesus would pray behind the Mahdi and then kill the Dajjal. The Gog and Magog would also appear wreaking havoc before their final defeat by the forces of Jesus. Although not as significant as the Dajjal and the Gog and Magog, the Sufyani , another representative of the forces of dark, also features in the Sunni traditions. He will rise in Syria before
11289-536: The Muslim areas of the southern Philippines and southern Thailand would spill over into Malaysia. Because of this, Malaysia began to increase its border security. Homosexuality is illegal in Malaysia , and authorities have imposed punishments such as caning and imprisonment. Human trafficking and sex trafficking in Malaysia are significant problems. There have also been cases of vigilante executions and beatings against LGBT individuals in Malaysia. The illegality of homosexuality in Malaysia has also been
11448-519: The Rio Convention on Biological Diversity on 12 June 1993, and became a party to the convention on 24 June 1994. It has subsequently produced a National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan , which was received by the convention on 16 April 1998. The country is megadiverse with a high number of species and high levels of endemism . It is estimated to contain 20 per cent of the world's animal species. High levels of endemism are found on
11607-466: The Southeast Asian market sharing common family and cultural ties. International trade, facilitated by the shipping route in adjacent Strait of Malacca , and manufacturing are the key sectors. Malaysia is an exporter of natural and agricultural resources, and petroleum is a major export. Malaysia has once been the largest producer of tin , rubber and palm oil in the world. Manufacturing has
11766-720: The Sultan of Kedah leased Penang Island to the British East India Company . The British obtained the town of Singapore in 1819, and in 1824 took control of Malacca following the Anglo-Dutch Treaty . By 1826, the British directly controlled Penang, Malacca, Singapore, and the island of Labuan , which they established as the crown colony of the Straits Settlements . By the 20th century, the states of Pahang , Selangor , Perak , and Negeri Sembilan , known together as
11925-474: The Sunni belief, although in some Twelver traditions it is the Mahdi who would kill the Dajjal. Those who hold enmity towards Ali ( Arabic : نَواصِب , romanized : nawāṣib , lit. 'haters') will be subject to jizya (poll tax) or killed if they do not accept Shia Islam. The Mahdi is also viewed as the restorer of true Islam, and the restorer of other monotheistic religions after their distortion and abandonment. He establishes
12084-762: The U.N. treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons . The Spratly Islands are disputed by many states in the area, and a large portion of the South China Sea is claimed by China . Unlike its neighbours of Vietnam and the Philippines , Malaysia historically avoided conflicts with China. However, after the encroachment of Chinese ships in Malaysian territorial waters, and breach of airspace by their military aircraft, Malaysia has become active in condemning China. Brunei and Malaysia in 2009 announced an end to claims of each other's land, and committed to resolve issues related to their maritime borders. The Philippines has
12243-528: The United Kingdom. Joint exercises and war games have also been held with Brunei, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, and the United States. Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam have agreed to host joint security force exercises to secure their maritime border and tackle issues such as illegal immigration, piracy , and smuggling . Previously there were fears that extremist militant activities in
12402-744: The Yayasan Al-Arqam (Al-Arqam Foundation). As the movement continued to attract followers and expand its influence, Al-Arqam established a permanent base in Kampung Sungai Penchala. By 1993, Darul Arqam operated 257 educational institutions in Malaysia and abroad, with 9,541 students and nearly 700 self-trained teachers. These schools, free from the Ministry of Education’s control, provided an Islamic education that balanced religious and vocational knowledge, preparing students for both spiritual and worldly responsibilities. In 1975, Al-Arqam established
12561-638: The Zaydi imamate doctrine lacks eschatological characteristics and there is no end-times redeemer in Zaydism. The title of mahdi has been applied to several Zaydi imams as an honorific over the centuries. In the Ahmadiyya belief, the prophesied eschatological figures of Christianity and Islam, the Messiah and Mahdi, actually refer to the same person. These prophecies were fulfilled in Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835–1908),
12720-411: The adjacent islands of Southeast Asia , including the east coast of Sumatra, the coast of Borneo , and smaller islands that lie between these areas. The state that gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1957 took the name the Federation of Malaya , chosen in preference to other potential names such as Malaysia and Langkasuka , after the historic kingdom located at the upper section of
12879-587: The administration of Malaya under a single crown colony called the Malayan Union met with strong opposition from the Malays , who opposed the weakening of the Malay rulers and the granting of citizenship to the ethnic Chinese . The Malayan Union, established in 1946, and consisting of all the British possessions in the Malay Peninsula with the exception of Singapore , was quickly dissolved and replaced on 1 February 1948 by
13038-450: The appearance of Mahdi. When the latter appears, the Sufyani, along with his army, will either be swallowed up en route to Mecca by the earth with God's command or defeated by the Mahdi. Jesus and the Mahdi will then conquer the world and establish caliphate. The Mahdi will die after 7 to 13 years, whereas Jesus after 40 years. Their deaths would be followed by reappearance of corruption before
13197-666: The assembly. In each of the states with a hereditary ruler, the Chief Minister is normally required to be a Malay , appointed by the ruler upon the recommendation of the Prime Minister. Except for state elections in Sarawak, by convention state elections are held concurrently with the federal election. Lower-level administration is carried out by local authorities, which include city councils, district councils, and municipal councils, although autonomous statutory bodies can be created by
13356-568: The ban, the movement’s influence persisted through several business ventures that became widely recognized, including the Rufaqa' Corporation, Global Ikhwan, and GISBH (Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings). These enterprises, particularly Global Ikhwan, attracted widespread media attention, notably for the Ikhwan Polygamy Club and Obedient Wives Club which were perceived as efforts to revive Al-Arqam. In addition to its business ventures,
13515-686: The belief that he was the Mahdi, and other Umayyad rulers, like Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz ( r. 717–720 ), have been addressed as such in the panegyrics of Jarir ( d. 728 ) and al-Farazdaq ( d. 728–730 ). Early discussions about the identity of the Mahdi by religious scholars can be traced back to the time after the Second Fitna . These discussions developed in different directions and were influenced by traditions ( hadith ) attributed to Muhammad. In Umayyad times, scholars and traditionists not only differed on which caliph or rebel leader should be designated as Mahdi but also on whether
13674-501: The book. The associated verb is hada , which means to guide. However, Mahdi can be read in active voice, where it means the one who guides, as well as passive voice, where it means the one who is guided. Some historians suggest that the term itself was probably introduced into Islam by southern Arabian tribes who had settled in Syria in the mid-7th century. They believed that the Mahdi would lead them back to their homeland and re-establish
13833-771: The central Syria in 903, and for a time the Friday sermon was read in the name of the "Successor, the rightly-guided Heir, the Lord of the Age, the Commander of the Faithful , the Mahdi". Eventually, the uprising was routed by the Abbasids. This forced Sa'id to flee from Syria to North Africa, where he founded the Fatimid Caliphate in Ifriqiya in 909. There he assumed the regnal name al-Mahdi Billah ; as
13992-647: The country participates in many international organisations such as the United Nations (U.N.), APEC, the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation , and NAM. It has chaired ASEAN, OIC, and NAM in the past. A former British colony, it is also a member of the Commonwealth . Kuala Lumpur was the site of the first EAS in 2005. Malaysia's foreign policy is officially based on the principle of neutrality and maintaining peaceful relations with all countries, regardless of their political system. The government attaches
14151-540: The country's GDP, and employs 1.23% of Malaysia's manpower. Malaysian peacekeeping forces have contributed to many U.N. peacekeeping missions, such as in Congo , Iran–Iraq , Namibia , Cambodia , Bosnia and Herzegovina , Somalia , Kosovo , East Timor and Lebanon . The Five Power Defence Arrangements is a regional security initiative which has been in place for almost 40 years. It involves joint military exercises held among Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and
14310-506: The country. Over 80 per cent of Sarawak's rainforest has been logged. Floods in East Malaysia have been worsened by the loss of trees, and over 60 per cent of the peninsula's forest have been cleared. With current rates of deforestation , mainly for the palm oil industry, the forests are predicted to be extinct by 2020. Deforestation is a major problem for animals, fungi and plants, having caused species such as Begonia eiromischa to go extinct. Most remaining forest
14469-419: The day of Ashura (the tenth of Muharram ), the day the third Imam Husayn ibn Ali was slain. He will be "a young man of medium stature with a handsome face," with black hair and beard. A divine cry will call the people of the world to his aid, after which the angels, jinns , and humans will flock to the Mahdi. This is often followed shortly by another supernatural cry from the earth that invites men to join
14628-461: The descendants of Fatimah". Another hadith states: Even if only one day remains [until the doomsday], God will lengthen this day until He calls forth a man from me, or from the family of my house, his name matching mine and his father's name matching that of my father. He will fill the Earth with equity and justice just as it had previously been filled with injustice and oppression. Before the arrival of
14787-524: The desert between Mecca and Medina. When the people see this, the righteous men ... of Syria and ... Iraq will come to him and pledge allegiance to him. Thereafter a man of the Quraysh will arise whose maternal uncles are of Kalb. He will send an expedition against them, but they will defeat them ... He will then divide the wealth and act among them according to the Sunna of their Prophet. Islam will settle down firmly on
14946-623: The discretion of the court. In July 2023, The 1975 lead singer Matty Healy slammed the country's anti-LGBTQ laws by kissing bandmate Ross MacDonald on stage at a music festival in Kuala Lumpur causing the Ministry of Communications and Digital to cancel the 3 day event. Malaysia is the 66th largest country by total land area , with a total area of 330,803 km (127,724 sq mi). It has land borders with Thailand in West Malaysia, and Indonesia and Brunei in East Malaysia. It
15105-695: The diverse forests of Borneo's mountains, as species are isolated from each other by lowland forest. There are about 210 mammal species in the country. Over 620 species of birds have been recorded in Peninsular Malaysia, with many endemic to the mountains there. A high number of endemic bird species are also found in Malaysian Borneo. 250 reptile species have been recorded in the country, with about 150 species of snakes and 80 species of lizards. There are about 150 species of frogs, and thousands of insect species. The Exclusive economic zone of Malaysia
15264-472: The early 1990s, Al-Arqam had grown into a conglomerate known as the Arqam Group of Companies, which engaged in a variety of industries ranging from agriculture to advanced technology. The economic success and growing influence of Al-Arqam's ventures raised concerns among the Malaysian government, ultimately leading to its crackdown in 1994. In 1994, the Malaysian government banned Al-Arqam, citing concerns about
15423-414: The early works of Muhammad al-Bukhari and Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj . The term al-Mahdi was employed from the beginning of Islam, but only as an honorific epithet ("the guide") and without any messianic significance. As an honorific, it was used in some instances to describe Muhammad (by Hassan ibn Thabit ), Abraham , al-Husayn, and various Umayyad caliphs ( هداة مهديون , hudat mahdiyyun ). During
15582-525: The eleventh Imam, Hasan al-Askari ( d. 874 ), who is said to be in occultation ( ghayba ) by divine will. This is rejected by Sunnis, who assert that the Mahdi has not been born yet. The term Mahdi is derived from the Arabic root h-d-y ( ه-د-ي ), commonly used to mean "divine guidance". Although the root appears in the Qur'an at multiple places and in various contexts, the word Mahdi never occurs in
15741-516: The eleventh imam, Hasan al-Askari . According to the Twelvers, the Mahdi was born in Samarra around 868, though his birth was kept hidden from the public. He lived under his father's care until 874 when the latter was killed by the Abbasids . When his father died in 874, possibly poisoned by the Abbasids, the Mahdi went into occultation by the divine command and was hidden from public view for his life
15900-401: The eleventh imam. Through him the Mahdi would answer the demands and questions of the Shia. He was later succeeded by his son Muhammad ibn Uthman al-Amri , who held the office for some fifty years and died in 917. His successor Husayn ibn Rawh al-Nawbakhti was in the office until his death in 938. The next deputy, Ali ibn Muhammad al-Simari , abolished the office on the orders of the imam just
16059-462: The enemies of the Mahdi, and would appeal to disbelievers and hypocrites. The Mahdi will then go to Kufa , which will become his capital, and send troops to kill the Sufyani in Damascus. Husayn and his slain partisans are expected to resurrect to avenge their deaths, known as the doctrine of raj'a ( lit. ' return ' ). The episode of Jesus' return in the Twelver doctrine is similar to
16218-403: The expectations of his propagandists and followers who expected him to do wonders. Al-Mahdi attempted to downplay messianism and asserted that the propaganda of Muhammad ibn Isma'il's return as the Mahdi had only been a ruse to avoid Abbasid persecution and protect the real imam predecessors of his. The Mahdi was actually a collective title of the true imams from the progeny of Ja'far al-Sadiq. In
16377-603: The expedition of French navigator Jules Dumont d'Urville to Oceania in 1826, he later proposed the terms of Malaysia , Micronesia and Melanesia to the Société de Géographie in 1831, distinguishing these Pacific cultures and island groups from the existing term Polynesia . Dumont d'Urville described Malaysia as "an area commonly known as the East Indies". In 1850, the English ethnologist George Samuel Windsor Earl , writing in
16536-486: The federal and state governments to deal with certain tasks. The federal constitution puts local authorities outside of the federal territories under the exclusive jurisdictions of the state government, although in practice the federal government has intervened in the affairs of state local governments. There are 154 local authorities, consisting of 14 city councils, 38 municipal councils and 97 district councils. The 13 states are based on historical Malay kingdoms, and 9 of
16695-650: The federation in Sabah and Sarawak by the United Nations , as requested by opponents of the federation such as Indonesia 's Sukarno and the Sarawak United Peoples' Party , the date of the federation was postponed until 16 September 1963. The federation brought heightened tensions including a conflict with Indonesia as well as continual conflicts against the Communists in Borneo and the Malay Peninsula, which escalated to
16854-534: The final end of the world. In Twelver Shi'ism , the largest Shia branch, the belief in the messianic imam is not merely a part of creed, but the pivot. For the Twelver Shia, the Mahdi was born but disappeared, and would remain hidden from humanity until he reappears to bring justice to the world in the end of time, a doctrine known as the Occultation . This imam in occultation is the twelfth imam, Muhammad , son of
17013-526: The first change in the ruling political party since independence in the 2018 general election . In the 2020s, the country was gripped by a political crisis that coincided with health and economic crises caused by the COVID-19 pandemic . This was then followed by an earlier general election in November 2022, which resulted in the first hung parliament in the nation's history. On 24 November 2022, Anwar Ibrahim
17172-568: The following year due to the policies of the PN government. Malaysia is marked at 48th and 62nd place according to the 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index , indicating above average levels of corruption . Freedom House noted Malaysia as "partly free" in its 2018 survey. A lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice alleged that at least $ 3.5 billion involving former prime minister Najib Razak had been stolen from Malaysia's 1MDB state-owned fund, known as
17331-659: The forefront of Anwar Ibrahim 's sodomy trials , which Anwar has called politically motivated, a characterization supported by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention , along with Amnesty International and the Human Rights Watch . The death penalty is in use for serious crimes such as murder , terrorism , drug trafficking , and kidnapping , but in June 2022, Malaysian law minister Wan Junaidi pledged to abolish capital punishment and replace it with other punishments at
17490-513: The founder of the Malacca Sultanate is thought to have come from. It is only thought to have developed into an ethnonym as Malacca became a regional power in the 15th century. Islamisation established an ethnoreligious identity in Malacca, with the term Melayu beginning to appear as interchangeable with Melakans . It may have specifically referred to local Malays speakers thought loyal to
17649-406: The founder of the movement; he is held to be the Mahdi and the manifestation of Jesus . However, the historical Jesus in their view, although escaped crucifixion, nevertheless died and will not be coming back. Instead, God made Mirza Ghulam Ahmad the exact alike of Jesus in character and qualities. Similarly, the Mahdi is not an apocalyptic figure to launch global jihad and conquer the world, but
17808-522: The ground ... He will stay seven years and then die, and the Muslims will pray over him. Refusing to recognize the new caliph, Yazid I ( r. 680–683 ), after Mu'awiya's death in 680, Ibn al-Zubayr had fled to the Meccan sanctuary. From there he launched anti-Umayyad propaganda, calling for a shura of the Quraysh to elect a new caliph. Those opposed to the Umayyads were paying him homage and asking for
17967-456: The hadith's prediction was successful in removing Ibn al-Zubayr. The hadith lost relevance soon afterward, but resurfaced in the Basran hadith circles a generation later, this time removed from its original context and understood as referring to a future restorer. Around the time when Ibn al-Zubayr was trying to expand his dominion, the pro-Alid revolutionary al-Mukhtar al-Thaqafi took control of
18126-482: The historian Heinz Halm comments, the singular, semi-divine figure of the Mahdi was thus reduced to an adjective in a caliphal title, 'the Imam rightly guided by God' ( al-imam al-mahdi bi'llah ): instead of the promised messiah, al-Mahdi presented himself merely as one in a long sequence of imams descending from Ali and Fatima. Messianic expectations associated with the Mahdi nevertheless did not materialize, contrary to
18285-517: The imam instead. When he died, his followers too denied his death and believed that he was the last imam and the Mahdi. By the mid-9th century, Isma'ili groups of different persuasions had coalesced into a unified movement centered in Salamiyya in central Syria, and a network of activists was working to collect funds and amass weapons for the return of the Mahdi Muhammad ibn Isma'il, who would overthrow
18444-487: The kingdom of God on earth and Islamizes the whole world. In their true form, it is believed, all monotheistic religions are essentially identical to Islam as "submission to God." It is in this sense, according to Mohammad Ali Amir Moezzi , that one should understand the claims that al-Mahdi will impose Islam on everyone. His rule will be paradise on earth, which will last for seventy years until his death, though other traditions state 7, 19, or 309 years. In Isma'ilism
18603-495: The late 19th century. The Iranian dissident Massoud Rajavi , the leader of the MEK , also claimed to be a 'representative' of the Mahdi. The adherents of the Nation of Islam hold Wallace Fard Muhammad , the founder of the movement, to be the Messiah and the Mahdi. Adnan Oktar , a Turkish cult leader, is considered by his followers as the Mahdi. Ibn Khaldun noted a pattern where embracing
18762-535: The leadership in exchange for spiritual rewards. In November 2006, Malaysian authorities raided the upper floor of a bakery and arrested over 100 individuals suspected of attempting to re-establish Al-Arqam. The group was officially banned in December 2006, with Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi stating that legal action would be taken against any efforts to revive the movement. Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISBH), founded by Ashaari's widow, represents
18921-518: The location of the 4,095 m (13,435 ft) high Mount Kinabalu , the tallest mountain in Malaysia. Mount Kinabalu is located in the Kinabalu National Park , which is protected as one of the four UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Malaysia . The highest mountain ranges form the border between Malaysia and Indonesia. Sarawak contains the Mulu Caves, the largest cave system in the world, in
19080-601: The messianic imam anticipated in Shia traditions. With the rise of the Fatimids in the tenth century CE, however, al-Qadi al-Nu'man argued that some of these predictions had materialized by the first Fatimid caliph, Abd Allah al-Mahdi Billah , while the rest would be fulfilled by his successors. Henceforth, their literature referred to the awaited eschatological imam only as Qa'im (instead of Mahdi). In Zaydi view, imams are not endowed with superhuman qualities, and expectations for their mahdiship are thus often marginal. One exception
19239-560: The millenarian rhetoric. The Tayyibi Musta'li Isma'ili Shia believe that their Occulted Imam and Mahdi is Abu'l-Qasim al-Tayyib , son of the Fatimid Caliph Al-Amir bi-Ahkam Allah . In Zaydism , the concept of imamate is different from the Isma'ili and Twelver branches; a Zaydi Imam is any respectable person from the descendants of Ali and Fatima who lays claim to political leadership and struggles for its acquisition. As such,
19398-480: The modern country took the name. Evidence of modern human habitation in Malaysia dates back 40,000 years. In the Malay Peninsula, the first inhabitants are thought to be Negritos . Areas of Malaysia participated in the Maritime Jade Road between 2000 BC to 1000 AD. Traders and settlers from India and China arrived as early as the first century AD, establishing trading ports and coastal towns in
19557-403: The most authoritative by the Sunnis and the earliest of the six—do not, nor does al-Nasa'i . Some Sunnis, including the philosopher and historian Ibn Khaldun ( d. 1406 ), and reportedly also Hasan al-Basri, an influential early theologian and exegete, deny the Mahdi being a separate figure, holding that Jesus will fulfill this role and judge over mankind; Mahdi is thus considered
19716-411: The movement continued to face scrutiny for its religious teachings. Two books authored by Khadijah Aam, Ashaari’s wife, were banned on religious grounds for claims that Ashaari had been empowered by God with supernatural abilities. These claims further fueled concerns among religious authorities about Al-Arqam’s deviance from orthodox Islamic teachings. The movement began as a small group that established
19875-413: The movement’s deviation from Islamic orthodoxy and its potential political threat. Religious authorities condemned Al-Arqam’s teachings, particularly the belief that Ashaari Muhammad was the prophesied Putera Bani Tamim , a figure said to assist the Mahdi in establishing a just Islamic order. This eschatological claim, combined with the belief in the reappearance of Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah Al-Suhaimi as
20034-592: The now-extinct sects of Nawusites and Waqifites . For instance, these traditions were cited by the now-extinct Kaysanites , who denied the death of Ibn al-Hanafiyya, and held that he was in hiding in the Razwa mountains near Medina . This likely originated with two groups of his supporters, namely, southern Arabian settlers and local recent converts in Iraq , who seem to have spread the notions now known as occultation and raj'a . Later on, these traditions were also employed by
20193-461: The old Srivijayan court, founded the Malacca Sultanate . The spread of Islam increased following Parameswara's conversion to that religion. Malacca was an important commercial centre during this time, attracting trade from around the region. In 1511, Malacca was conquered by Portugal , after which it was taken by the Dutch in 1641. In 1786, the British Empire established a presence in Malaya, when
20352-660: The only political coalition not in the coalition government became the Opposition. Malaysia's legal system is based on common law . Although the judiciary is theoretically independent, its independence has been called into question and the appointment of judges lacks accountability and transparency. The highest court in the judicial system is the Federal Court , followed by the Court of Appeal and two high courts , one for Peninsular Malaysia and one for East Malaysia. Malaysia also has
20511-531: The organization operated 80 businesses in Malaysia, including mini markets, cafeterias, herbal products, tourism, advertising, furniture, clinics, electronics, multimedia, childcare centres, and publishing. Sheikh Hussein Sheikh Omar, a former member, claimed that many of these businesses were not financially sustainable and primarily served to recruit new members to revive Al-Arqam. He also alleged that employees were not paid wages but instead directed their earnings to
20670-412: The orthodoxy of the Mahdi. The doctrine of the Mahdi seems to have gained traction during the confusion and unrest of the religious and political upheavals of the first and second centuries of Islam. Some of the first references to the Mahdi appear in the late 7th century, when the revolutionary Mukhtar al-Thaqafi declared Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyya , a son of Caliph Ali ( r. 656–661 ), to be
20829-550: The other states, most notably having separate immigration policies and controls, and a unique residency status. Federal intervention in state affairs, lack of development, and disputes over oil royalties have occasionally led to statements about secession from leaders in several states such as Penang , Johor , Kelantan , Sabah and Sarawak, although these have not been followed up and no serious independence movements exist. A list of thirteen states and each state capital (in parentheses): A founding member of ASEAN and OIC,
20988-401: The peninsula's coastline is nearly 1,931 km (1,200 mi) long, although harbours are only available on the western side. East Malaysia, on the island of Borneo , has a coastline of 2,607 km (1,620 mi). It is divided between coastal regions, hills and valleys, and a mountainous interior. The Crocker Range extends northwards from Sarawak, dividing the state of Sabah. It is
21147-410: The peninsula. Tourism has been limited in biodiverse areas such as Sipadan island. Wildlife trafficking is a large issue, and the Malaysian government has held talks with the governments of Brunei and Indonesia to standardise anti-trafficking laws. Malaysia is a relatively open state-oriented and newly industrialised market economy . It has the world's 36th-largest economy by nominal GDP and
21306-643: The public proclamation of his caliphate, forcing Yazid to send an army to dislodge him in 683. After defeating rebels in the nearby Medina , the army besieged Mecca but was forced to withdraw as a result of Yazid's sudden death shortly afterward. Ibn al-Zubayr was recognized caliph in Arabia, Iraq, and parts of Syria, where Yazid's son and successor Mu'awiya II ( r. 683–684 ) held power in Damascus and adjoining areas. The hadith hoped to enlist support against an expected Umayyad campaign from Syria. The Umayyads did indeed send another army to Mecca in 692, but contrary to
21465-631: The rescue of over 400 children, with nearly 200 additional children rescued in other regions. Malaysia – in Asia (dark gray & white) – in ASEAN (dark gray) Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia . A federal constitutional monarchy , it consists of 13 states and three federal territories , separated by the South China Sea into two regions: Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo 's East Malaysia . Peninsular Malaysia shares
21624-426: The return to life of (some) Shia Imams, particularly Husayn ibn Ali , to exact their revenge on their oppressors. Traditions that predicted the occultation and rise of a future imam were already in circulation for a century before the death of the eleventh Imam in 260 (874 CE), and possibly as early as the seventh-century CE. These traditions were appropriated by various Shia sects in different periods, including
21783-451: The seat of both the executive branch (the Cabinet , federal ministries, and federal agencies ) and the judicial branch of the federal government. With a population of over 34 million, the country is the world's 43rd-most populous country . Malaysia is tropical and is one of 17 megadiverse countries ; it is home to numerous endemic species . Tanjung Piai in the Malaysian state of Johor
21942-410: The second and third centuries. Their presence resulted in strong Indian and Chinese influences on the local cultures, and the people of the Malay Peninsula adopted the religions of Hinduism and Buddhism . Sanskrit inscriptions appear as early as the fourth or fifth century. The Kingdom of Langkasuka arose around the second century in the northern area of the Malay Peninsula, lasting until about
22101-463: The state of Sarawak dividing it into two parts. Malaysia is the only country with territory on both the Asian mainland and the Malay archipelago. The Strait of Malacca , lying between Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia, is one of the most important thoroughfares in global commerce, carrying 40 per cent of the world's trade. The two parts of Malaysia, separated from each other by the South China Sea , share
22260-466: The states is divided between the federal and the state governments, with different powers reserved for each, and the Federal government has direct administration of the federal territories. Each state has a unicameral State Legislative Assembly whose members are elected from single-member constituencies. State governments are led by Chief Ministers , who are state assembly members from the majority party in
22419-559: The states, for the state legislative chamber. Voting is not mandatory. In July 2019, a bill to lower the voting age to 18 years old was officially passed. Executive power is vested in the Cabinet , led by the Prime Minister . The prime minister must be a member of the House of Representatives, who in the opinion of His Majesty the King, commands the support of a majority of members. The Cabinet
22578-515: The surrounding oceans. Humidity is usually high, and the average annual rainfall is 250 cm (98 in). The climates of the Peninsula and the East differ, as the climate on the peninsula is directly affected by wind from the mainland, as opposed to the more maritime weather of the East. Local climates can be divided into three regions, highland, lowland, and coastal. Climate change will cause sea level rise and increased rainfall, increasing flood risks and leading to droughts. Malaysia signed
22737-408: The term Malay becoming more usually linked to the Malay peninsula rather than Sumatra. Before the onset of European colonisation, the Malay Peninsula was known natively as Tanah Melayu ('Malay Land'). Under a racial classification created by a German scholar Johann Friedrich Blumenbach , the natives of maritime Southeast Asia were grouped into a single category, the Malay race . Following
22896-427: The time ( صاحب الزمان sahib az-zamān ) and does not age. Although his whereabouts and the exact date of his return are unknown, the Mahdi is nevertheless believed to contact some of his Shia if he wishes. The accounts of these encounters are numerous and widespread in the Twelver community. Shia scholars have argued that the longevity of the Mahdi is not unreasonable given the long lives of Khidr , Jesus , and
23055-402: The upper house. Legislative power is divided between federal and state legislatures. The bicameral federal parliament consists of the lower house , the House of Representatives and the upper house , the Senate . The 222-member House of Representatives is elected for a maximum term of five years from single-member constituencies. All 70 senators sit for three-year terms; 26 are elected by
23214-454: The world will plunge into chaos, where immorality and ignorance will be commonplace, the Qur'an will be forgotten, and religion will be abandoned. There will be plagues, earthquakes, floods, wars and death. The Sufyani will rise and lead people astray. The Mahdi will then reappear in Mecca, with the sword of Ali ( ḏū l-fiqār ) in his hand, between the corner of the Ka'ba and the station of Abraham . By some accounts, he will reappear on
23373-438: The world's 22nd-largest by production . Malaysia is the world's 23rd-largest exporter and 25th-largest importer . However, economic inequalities exist between different ethnic groups. The Chinese make up about one-quarter of the population, but account for 70 per cent of the country's market capitalisation. Chinese businesses in Malaysia are part of the larger bamboo network , a network of overseas Chinese businesses in
23532-512: The world. Nearly 4,000 species of fungi, including lichen-forming species have been recorded from Malaysia. Of the two fungal groups with the largest number of species in Malaysia, the Ascomycota and their asexual states have been surveyed in some habitats (decaying wood, marine and freshwater ecosystems, as parasites of some plants, and as agents of biodegradation), but have not been or have been only poorly surveyed in other habitats (as endobionts, in soils, on dung, as human and animal pathogens);
23691-440: Was able to implement a distinctive economic model known as "Arqamomics," which integrated Islamic principles into every aspect of economic life. This approach emphasized the production of halal goods and services while operating self-sustaining businesses that did not prioritize profit maximization. In the 1970s, the movement began establishing businesses that included food production, retail, agriculture, and industrial services. By
23850-447: Was briefly unified as the Malayan Union in 1946 until 1948 when it was restructured as the Federation of Malaya . The country achieved independence on 31 August 1957. On 16 September 1963 , independent Malaya united with the then British crown colonies of North Borneo , Sarawak , and Singapore to become Malaysia. In August 1965, Singapore was expelled from the federation and became a separate, independent country . The country
24009-404: Was commonly given the epithet al-Qa'im ( القائم ), which can be translated as 'he who will rise,' signifying his rise against tyranny in the end of time. Distinctively Shia is the notion of temporary absence or occultation of the Mahdi, whose life has been prolonged by divine will. An intimately related Shia notion is that of raj'a ( lit. ' return ' ), which often means
24168-463: Was covered in such rainforest , which is supported by its hot wet climate. There are around 14,500 species of flowering plants and trees. Besides rainforests, there are over 1,425 km (550 sq mi) of mangroves in Malaysia, and a large amount of peat forest. At higher altitudes, oaks, chestnuts, and rhododendrons replace dipterocarps. There are an estimated 8,500 species of vascular plants in Peninsular Malaysia, with another 15,000 in
24327-420: Was in danger from the Abbasids. Only a few of the elite among the Shia, known as the deputies ( سفراء , sufara ; sing. سفير safir ) of the twelfth imam, were able to communicate with him; hence the occultation in this period is referred to as the Minor Occultation ( ghayba al-sughra ). The first of the deputies is held to have been Uthman ibn Sa'id al-Amri , a trusted companion and confidant of
24486-413: Was launched by Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak , trying to increase the share of the economy held by the bumiputera . Under Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad there was a period of rapid economic growth and urbanization beginning in the 1980s. The economy shifted from being agriculturally based to one based on manufacturing and industry. Numerous mega-projects were completed, such as the Petronas Towers ,
24645-516: Was not applied to him, his career as the anti-caliph significantly influenced the future development of the concept. A hadith was promulgated in which Muhammad prophesies the coming of a just ruler. There will arise a difference after the death of a caliph, and a man of the people of Medina will go forth fleeing to Mecca. Then some of the people of Mecca will come to him and will make him rise in revolt against his will ... An expedition will be sent against him from Syria but will be swallowed up ... in
24804-494: Was replaced by deputy Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob , a veteran politician from the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), in August 2021. As a result of the 2022 Malaysian general election , a hung parliament was elected. Anwar Ibrahim of the PH coalition was appointed as the new Prime Minister to lead the coalition government of PH, Barisan Nasional , Gabungan Parti Sarawak , Gabungan Rakyat Sabah and several other political parties and independents. Meanwhile, PN,
24963-424: Was sworn in as the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia , leading a grand coalition government. Malaysia is a federal constitutional elective monarchy ; the only federal country in Southeast Asia. The system of government is closely modelled on the Westminster parliamentary system, a legacy of British rule . The head of state is the King, whose official title is the Yang di-Pertuan Agong . The King
25122-419: Was the Mahdi. Hasan al-Basri ( d. 728 ) opposed the concept of a Muslim Messiah but believed that if there was the Mahdi, it was Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz. By the time of the Abbasid Revolution in 750, Mahdi was already a known concept. Evidence shows that the first Abbasid caliph al-Saffah ( r. 750–754 ) assumed the title of "the Mahdi" for himself. In Shia Islam, the eschatological Mahdi
25281-440: Was the fourteenth-most visited country in the world, and the fourth-most visited country in Asia in 2019, with over 26.1 million visits. Malaysia was ranked 38th in the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2019. Its international tourism receipts in 2019 amounted to $ 19.8 billion. Mahdi The Mahdi ( Arabic : ٱلْمَهْدِيّ , romanized : al-Mahdī , lit. 'the Guided'; Persian : مهدی )
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