The Role of JAKIM and Islamic Education Curriculum in Shaping the Discourse of Wasatiyyah in Malaysian Secondary Schools
Abstract
This article explores the role of Malaysia’s Department of Islamic Development (JAKIM) and the national Islamic education curriculum in promoting the discourse of wasatiyyah, or Islamic moderation, among secondary school students. Employing content analysis and semi-structured interviews with curriculum developers and teachers, the study investigates how concepts of balance, tolerance, and ethical coexistence are embedded within teaching materials and classroom practices. Findings show that JAKIM’s policy direction strongly influences curricular emphasis on moderation, countering extremism, and strengthening national unity. However, variations in teacher interpretation and pedagogical approaches affect the consistency of implementation. The paper argues that achieving meaningful internalization of wasatiyyah requires enhancing teacher training, integrating real-life case studies, and fostering dialogical learning environments. This research contributes to broader discussions on state-led religious discourse and curriculum-based strategies for promoting social harmony in multicultural societies.
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Mujani, W. K., & Mazuki, A. A. M. (2018). Wasatiyyah virtues in Islam. International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology, 9(3), 542–548.
Mujani, W. K., Rozali, E. A., & Zakaria, N. J. (2015). The wasatiyyah (moderation) concept: Its implementation in Malaysia. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 6(4S2), 66–72. https://doi.org/10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n4s2p66
Norasid, M. A., Abdullah, M., & Amir, S. (2022). Abdul Hadi Awang’s Moderation of Thought (Wasatiyyah) on Nationhood Discourse through the Interpretation of the Quran. AlBayan, 20(2), 267–290. https://doi.org/10.1163/22321969-12340116
Osman, R. B. A. H. (2017). The efforts of Malaysian Muslim NGOs in spreading the message of peace in Malaysia: Activities and challenges. Asiatic, 11(2), 92–101.
Othman, M. R., & Sulaiman, M. (2014). Inculcating the essence of “wasatiyyah” in muslim society: The state promotion and muslim intelligentsia responses in Malaysia. Al-Shajarah, 19(2), 173–213.
Sahad, M. N., & Asni, F. (2018). Free-riderism among academicians: An ethical of Islamic perspective. Journal of Legal, Ethical and Regulatory Issues, 21(4).
Yaakub, M. B. (2016). A Textual Analysis for the Term ‘Wasatiyyah’’ (Islamic Moderation) in Selected Quranic Verses and Prophetic Tradition.’ Journal of Education and Social Sciences, 5(October).
Yusuf, F., Murdani, T., Fairus, F., Rasyidah, R., Jarnawi, J., Zuhdi, A., & Syamsuddin, A. B. (2025). Wasatiyyah Da’wah and Religious Freedom in Malaysia: A Constitutional Perspective. Jurnal Ilmiah Peuradeun, 13(2), 1527–1548. https://doi.org/10.26811/peuradeun.v13i2.1452
Al-Qudsy, S. H., Azmi, I., Syed Kadir Al-Haddad, S. L., Basir, S. A., & Nayan, I. (2017). The potential of al-Wasatiyyah value concept for human sustainability (HS) in civil service. Humanomics, 33(2), 150–162. https://doi.org/10.1108/H-08-2016-0067
Azmi, I., Al-Qudsy, S. H., Basir, S. A., Norman Anir, A. A. B., & Yusof, R. J. B. R. (2015). Application of wasatiyyah concept in public administration performance appraisal system in Malaysia. Advanced Science Letters, 21(5), 1307–1310. https://doi.org/10.1166/asl.2015.6011
Ebrahimi, M., & Yusoff, K. (2020). Socio-political islam & revivalism in Malaysia. Journal for the Study of Religions and Ideologies, 19(57), 239–254.
Ebrahimi, M., Yusoff, K., & Ismail, R. (2021). Middle East and African Student (MEAS) perceptions of Islam and Islamic moderation: A case study. Indonesian Journal of Islam and Muslim Societies, 11(1), 55–80. https://doi.org/10.18326/IJIMS.V11I1.55-80
Ebrahimi, M., Yusoff, K., & Rosman, A. S. B. (2022). Moderation in Islam: A Comparative Case Study on Perceptions of International Students in Malaysia. Journal of Islamic Thought and Civilization, 12(1), 253–269. https://doi.org/10.32350/jitc.121.15
Hasbulah, M. H., Noor, A. M., Yaacob, K. M. S. K., & Ahmad, K. A. (2019). Wasatiyyah approach to engage the issues of violence in Malaysia. In Terrorist Rehabilitation and Community Engagement in Malaysia and Southeast Asia (hal. 83–95). Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY : Routledge, 2020. | Series: Routledge studies in the politics of disorder and instability: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780367817466-5
Husain, W. R. W., Ramlee, R., Syed Mohd Zain, S. R. S. M., & Jan, M. T. (2021). The impact of wasatiyyah/moderation on student’s financial decisions. Malaysian Journal of Consumer and Family Economics, 26, 230–250.
Islam, R., Ali, M. Y., & Osmani, N. M. (2021). Time management for better job performance: An analysis from Al-Wasatiyyah perspective. Asian Academy of Management Journal, 26(1), 171–196. https://doi.org/10.21315/aamj2021.26.1.7
Kamali, M. H., & Ramadan, T. (2015). The Middle Path of Moderation in Islam: The Qur’anic Principle of Wasatiyyah. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Karim, F., Muhsin, S. M., & Hadi, N. E. A. (2025). Mohd. Kamal Hassan’s Perspectives on Family Relationships: Strategies for Strengthening Malaysian Muslim Families. Intellectual Discourse, 33(3), 835–864. https://doi.org/10.31436/id.v33i3.2350
Milner, A. (2017). Malaysia in 2016: Sharpening political fault lines. Asian Survey, 57(1), 173–179. https://doi.org/10.1525/AS.2017.57.1.173
Mohamad, M. Z., Yusoff, K., Sulaiman, A. A., Ismail, D., Omar, L., Ismail, M. Z., … Bakar, M. A. (2014). Nursi’s unity model and its importance in the context of racial unity in Malaysia. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 5(29), 87–92. https://doi.org/10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n29p87
Mohd Hambali, K., Sintang, S., Awang, A., Karim, K. N., Abdul Rahman, N. F., Wan Ramli, W. A., … Md Noor, R. (2017). al-Wasatiyyah in the practice of religious tolerance among the families of new Muslims in sustaining a well-being society. Humanomics, 33(2), 211–220. https://doi.org/10.1108/H-02-2017-0025
Mohd Zain, N. R. B., Hassan, R., & Mustaffha, N. (2018). Waqf institutions in Malaysia: Appreciation of Wasatiyyah approach in internal control as a part of good governance. Intellectual Discourse, 26(2), 749–764.
Mokhtar, A. (2018). The television advertising framework in malaysia and the salience of ideals for malay muslims and malaysians: A framing perspective for nation building. Jurnal Komunikasi: Malaysian Journal of Communication, 34(3), 150–176. https://doi.org/10.17576/JKMJC-2018-3403-09
Muchtar, N., Hamada, B. I., Hanitzsch, T., Galal, A., & Ullah, M. S. (2017). Journalism and the Islamic Worldview: Journalistic roles in Muslim-majority countries. Journalism Studies, 18(5), 555–575. https://doi.org/10.1080/1461670X.2017.1279029
Muhammad, M. K., & Rahim, A. A. (2017). The Principle of Wasatiyyah as a Higher Objective of the Shari’ah: A Historical Survey. Intellectual Discourse, 25(2), 341–355. Diambil dari https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/principle-wasa-iyyah-as-higher-objective-shar-ah/docview/1985574121/se-2?accountid=13771
Mujani, W. K., & Mazuki, A. A. M. (2018). Wasatiyyah virtues in Islam. International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology, 9(3), 542–548.
Mujani, W. K., Rozali, E. A., & Zakaria, N. J. (2015). The wasatiyyah (moderation) concept: Its implementation in Malaysia. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 6(4S2), 66–72. https://doi.org/10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n4s2p66
Norasid, M. A., Abdullah, M., & Amir, S. (2022). Abdul Hadi Awang’s Moderation of Thought (Wasatiyyah) on Nationhood Discourse through the Interpretation of the Quran. AlBayan, 20(2), 267–290. https://doi.org/10.1163/22321969-12340116
Osman, R. B. A. H. (2017). The efforts of Malaysian Muslim NGOs in spreading the message of peace in Malaysia: Activities and challenges. Asiatic, 11(2), 92–101.
Othman, M. R., & Sulaiman, M. (2014). Inculcating the essence of “wasatiyyah” in muslim society: The state promotion and muslim intelligentsia responses in Malaysia. Al-Shajarah, 19(2), 173–213.
Sahad, M. N., & Asni, F. (2018). Free-riderism among academicians: An ethical of Islamic perspective. Journal of Legal, Ethical and Regulatory Issues, 21(4).
Yaakub, M. B. (2016). A Textual Analysis for the Term ‘Wasatiyyah’’ (Islamic Moderation) in Selected Quranic Verses and Prophetic Tradition.’ Journal of Education and Social Sciences, 5(October).
Yusuf, F., Murdani, T., Fairus, F., Rasyidah, R., Jarnawi, J., Zuhdi, A., & Syamsuddin, A. B. (2025). Wasatiyyah Da’wah and Religious Freedom in Malaysia: A Constitutional Perspective. Jurnal Ilmiah Peuradeun, 13(2), 1527–1548. https://doi.org/10.26811/peuradeun.v13i2.1452
Published
2026-01-13
How to Cite
DAUD, Mohd Razali bin; ISMAIL, Ahmad Fauzi bin.
The Role of JAKIM and Islamic Education Curriculum in Shaping the Discourse of Wasatiyyah in Malaysian Secondary Schools.
Bestari, [S.l.], v. 22, n. 2, p. 106-130, jan. 2026.
ISSN 2807-6532.
Available at: <https://riset-iaid.net/index.php/bestari/article/view/1703>. Date accessed: 09 feb. 2026.
doi: https://doi.org/10.36667/bestari.v22i2.1703.
Section
Articles
