Islam in Malaysia: history and Muslim population data

History of Islam in Malaysia

It has an area of 330,803 sq km, consisting of thirteen states and threefederal territories. Eleven states are located in the West or PeninsularMalaysia with two federal territories, and two other states, Sabah (73,631sq km) and Sarawak (124,450 sq km), in the East, on the north of theIsland of Borneo and the Federal Territory of the Labuan Island (91 sqkm). The western states are Johor (19,210 sq km), Kedah (9,500 sq km),Kelantan (15,099 sq km), Melaka (1,664 sq km), Negeri Sembilan (6,686 sqkm), Pahang (36,137 sq km), Perak (21,035 sq km), Perlis (821 sq km),Penang (1,048 sq km), Selangor (8,153 sq km), Terengganu (13,035 sqkm), and the two federal territories of Kuala Lumpur (243 sq km) whichis the largest city and Putrajaya (49 sq km) which is the capital oradministrative center.

Melaka or Malacca was occupied by the Portuguese in 1511, who lostit to the Dutch in 1641, who in turn lost it to the British in 1824. TheBritish also took Penang from the Kedah Sultanate in 1786. Then Labuanin 1826, Sarawak in 1841, taken from the Brunei Sultanate, NegeriSembilan in 1873, Selangor in 1874, Perak in 1876, and Sabah in 1882,taken from the Sulu Sultanate, Pahang in 1887, Kedah, Kelantan, Perlisand Terengganu in 1909, and Johor in 1914. Malaysia gained itsindependence from the UK in 1957 (West) and 1963 (East).

In 1136, the ninth Hindu Rajah of Kedah Kingdom, Phra OngMahawangsa renounced Hinduism and converted to Islam, which wasintroduced by Muslims from neighboring Aceh, Sumatra. He alsochanged his name to Sultan Mudzafar Shah, and thereby starting theKedah Sultanate which still exists as part of the Malay Federation. Heruled the northern region of Malay Peninsula from 1136 to 1179. In thethirteenth century, the Sultanate of Brunei was established in the island of Borneo. Other Muslim sultanates were established in the landsoccupied by current Malaysia, all accelerated the spread of Islam.

In Sabah, the first census was conducted in 1911, then every ten yearstill 1951, then in 1960 and every ten years then after. Religious data wascollected starting in 1951. Thus, the estimate on the size of the Muslimpopulation in Sabah before 1951 is based on the results of the 1951census.

In Sarawak, the first census was conducted in 1939, then in 1947, then1960, then every ten years then after. Religious data was collectedstarting in 1947. Thus, the estimate on the size of the Muslim populationin Sarawak before 1947 is based on the results of the 1947 census.

The first census covering all Peninsular Malaysia was conducted in1911, then in 1921, 1931, 1947, 1957, 1970, then every ten years then after.Religious data was collected starting in 1970. Previous censuses includedethnic data, from which we can deduce religious data with theassumption that Malays are Muslim. The data for Peninsula Malaysia issummarized in Table 2.4.5c, where the number of Muslims from 1911 to1957 is the recorded number of ethnic Malay. After independence, the constitution of Malaysia restricted Malay ethnic affiliation to Muslims. Anew ethnic term was introduced since 1970, dividing the citizenpopulation to indigenous people or Bumiputera which includes Malay,and others. In Peninsular Malaysia, the 2010 census showed that

• 100% of the 13,409,409 Malay population are Muslim
• 25.35% of other Bumiputera are Muslim, or 82,743 out of 326,343;
• 0.51% of Chinese are Muslim, or 27,898 out of 5,509,302;
• 3.88% of Indians are Muslim, or 73,451out of 1,892,322
• 44.89% of the other citizens are Muslim, or 58,450 out of 130,205
• 58.80% of non-citizens are Muslim, or 765,386 out of 1,301,764.

By Malaysian law, a non-Muslim cannot be Malay.Thus, by aggregating the above data, we can deduce the change inthe size of the Muslim population in Malaysia as summarized in Table2.4.5d. Accordingly, the Muslim population increased in number butdecreased in percentage from 0.78 million or 54.1% in 1891, to 1.5 millionor 50.7% in 1911, to 1.7 million or 48.4% in 1921, to 2.1 million or 45.5% in1931. The Muslim population continued to increase since then both innumber and percentage to 2.7 million or 46.3% in 1947, to 3.5 million or46.4% in 1960, to 5.2 million or 50.0% in 1970, to 6.9 million or 52.9% in1980, to 10.3 million or 58.7% in 1991, to 14.0 million or 60.6% in 2000, to17.4 million or 61.9% in 2010 and 20.6 million or 64.1% in 2020.

Thus, assuming that the Muslim population continues to increase bytwo percentage points per decade; then the Muslim population isexpected to reach 29 million or 70% by 2050 and 32 million or 80% by2100.

Historical Muslim population dataset for Malaysia

The figures below are from the CoMPS historical dataset. Population values are expressed in thousands; 2100 is a modelled projection, not a present-day count.

For the full time series and visualisation, use the interactive map above.