Malay

3 Pages 654 Words

Beliefs and practices
Islam
Most of the Malays nowadays believe in Islam. Islam has long since set foot in the Malay society, since the Malay Melaka Empire. That’s why Islam is a religion many Malays belief in.
Even though the Malay society is rich with traditions and culture, it is still strong from the influence of Islam. Although most of the traditions originated before they belief in Islam, they shall not do anything that Islam forbids. That’s why some of the culture that is strong on animism fades slowly as Islam takes over.
Majority of the Malays nowadays belief in Islam and the government has form a governing Islamic body so that some people would not be a lost and follow the wrong Islamic teachings.
The teaching of Islam contains pillars and goals that are needed to be fulfilled in life. That is why the Malaysian government is endorsing Islam as it is seen as a proper and the correct way of life. With that Islam enables the Malay society to be one.
Animism
Animism is a Latin word that means the belief in spirits in an inanimate object. These spirits has the ability to scare off people. The Malays believe in animism before the introduction of Islam.
This belief occurred when the Malay society a long time ago, lived in areas where nature greatly affected their lives. With that, they believed that something is controlling them and had to contribute sacrifices to make sure the beings would not disturb them.
They belief that these beings can make people sick and make them die. The beings most feared by the Malay society at that time is called the hantu which also means ghosts. The hantu originates from the spirit of the dead who is punished because of its evil deeds during its life. The spirit finally becomes hantu when it is brought back to life on earth.
Although animism is still practiced by only a few Malays, this belief is being destroyed. It is because teachings of animism is against Islamic rules and is forbidden...