HAMKA’s Interpretation on Interfaith Marriage: Its Relevance in Malaysia

Abstract

The paper seeks to examine the relevance of HAMKA’s discourse on interfaith marriage in the context of present Malaysia. Interfaith marriage is one of the contributing factors to the increment of apostasy rate in Malaysia. HAMKA or Haji Abdul Malik Karim Amrullah (1908-1981) based his views on the issue of interfaith marriage on the Quranic source of law, the opinions of four major schools of jurisprudence and his personal experiences. In general, HAMKA stands on the view that prohibits interfaith marriage which he emphasizes on the strength of faith. The significance of this study lies in exhibiting the implications of interfaith marriage deliberated by HAMKA in his Tafsīr al-Azhar – apostasy and unclear religious belief. From his interpretation, it could be used to generate insights among Muslims towards the implications of interfaith marriage. In this sense, he highlighted the negative effects of such marriage on the problem of faith. HAMKA’s explicit rejection of such marriages is grounded in faith, particularly regarding the religious status of the child following the parents’ divorce and the implications for child custody. In deriving such discussions, the study embarks on qualitative research that utilizes primary and secondary sources. Descriptive and critical analysis are the main methods for analyzing the data collected and implemented across the study.