Shi as of Malaysia

Islam has always been a key element in the cultural identity of Malaysia; it has created the everlasting and most influential ethnic characteristic. There are two views (old and new) on emergence of Shiism in Malaysia: some believe that with coming of Islam into the southeast Asia – brought by Iranian, Arab, and Indian Muslim merchants in the early years of 15th century – Malaca province started its activity as the Islamic center in this region. Some others hold that the background of Shiism in Malaysia goes back to the activities of a Pakistanian Sayyid who implanted the Shiism in Malaysia with his books and pamphlets. The victory of Islamic revolution of Iran attracted the attention of many elites to Shiism, after which much attention would be paid to Shiims in Malaysia. The present article focuses its attention to investigating the society of Shi’as in Malaysia from the political, cultural, and economic viewpoints.