Browsing by Author "Nur Suriya Mohd Nor, Ph.D"

Among the active and widely spread New Religious Movement (NRM) that are receiving attention all around the globe is Happy Science Religious Organization. Having its origin in Japan, Ryuho Okawa, the founder of Happy Science, plays an influential role in order to spread the teaching of happiness to the people all over the world. Malaysia, without exception also have been exposed by the teaching of this new religious movement. Thus, this research seeks to explore the background of this religious organization and its founder. In the meantime, it explores the concept of happiness that has been the main teaching in this organization and the concept of happiness in Islam based on the two Islamic philosophers which is Al-Ghazali and Ibn Miskawayh. Hence, the main gist discussed in this research is the analysis about Okawa’s concept of happiness from Islamic perspectives. This research is theoretical and descriptive in nature; therefore, it is qualitative and depends much on the textual analysis. The resources of this research include printed and online materials. To analyze the data, the researcher has used analytical and comparative methods. The findings show that there are a few syncretic elements that existed in Okawa’s teaching and there is a difference between Okawa’s concept of happiness and the concept of happiness discussed by Al-Ghazali and Ibn Miskawayh. The concept of happiness by Okawa is simple yet organized in structure whereas, the concept of happiness by Al-Ghazali and Ibn Miskawayh are more systematic and comprehensive. In addition, the way of understanding about the definition of happiness also different among Okawa and these two Islamic philosophers. Apart from this, much has been written on the background of this organization but there is little research done on the fundamental teaching of this organization. This research, therefore, fill this gap.

This study seeks to highlight two important points. Firstly, it intends to ascertain the ideological formulation of atheism and atheists. Precisely, this research aims to understand what atheism is and who is an atheist. The elaboration includes primary and secondary definitions of atheism and atheists as well as the alternative ideologies to atheism. A comprehensive discussion on the typologies, psychological and sociological conditions of an atheist are also included in the study. Next, the research examines the structure of the Islamic constitutional system, clarifying the position and the jurisdiction of the Islamic organisations in Malaysia. The three selected organisations are the ʻAqidah Consultation Unit of Mufti of Federal Territories, the Advisory Service Unit of Selangor Mufti Department and the Modern Daie Society Malaysia. Secondly, the study seeks to analyse the daʻwah methods used by the organisations in dealing with the cases of atheism. The study indicates that the daʻwah methods used by the selected organisations are in accordance with the main principles highlighted by the Qur’an. The research also gathers response of the selected organisations in observing the phenomenon of atheism in Malaysia. This is a qualitative study in nature. It adopts textual analysis in gaining the works of literature related to the atheism and atheists. Meanwhile, data analysis was applied in doing a comparison on the daʻwah modules used by the selected organisations. A series of interviews were also conducted to obtain the data and the responses from the officers in-charge at the organisations.

Various religions emphasise the importance of both inner peace and global peace. Inner peace and world peace are interconnected ideals in religious beliefs. Inner peace is intrinsically linked to spirituality, encompassing processes of spiritual purification. Despite Buddhism and Islam being recognised as religions that advocate global peace, contemporary portrayals sometimes depict encounters between Buddhists and Muslims as confrontational. In light of the modern human's prevailing lack of inner tranquillity and spiritual fulfilment, it becomes evident that establishing a robust foundation for mutual engagement, rooted in the exploration of spiritual foundations and shared attributes between Buddhism and Islam, could profoundly contribute to fostering mutual comprehension amidst adherents of both religions. Thus, this thesis focuses on the meticulous analysis and comparison of spiritual purification practices: Buddhist Visuddhi from Buddhagosa's "Visuddhimagga" and Islamic S?f? thought of Tazkiyyah from al-Ghazali's "I?y?? ?Ul?m al-d?n." The primary objective of this study is to illuminate the converging aspects of Visuddhi and Tazkiyyah within the realm of spirituality. Employing qualitative and library-based and analytical methodology, the spiritual dimensions of both religions are scrutinized using primary and secondary sources, encompassing languages such as Pali, Arabic, English, Sinhala, and Tamil. The presentation of the teachings and practices of Visuddhi and Tazkiyyah leverages descriptive and comparative methods. Furthermore, the historical approach is employed to delve into the historical evolution of Buddhagosa’s "Visuddhimagga" and al-Ghazali’s "I?y?? ?Ul?m al-d?n." The outcomes of this study underscore that the purification in Buddhism is based on mind while soul in Islam yet the pertinence of adopting Visuddhi and Tazkiyyah as shared themes in interreligious endeavors between Buddhists and Muslims. Conclusively, despite the apparent distinctions, noteworthy congruence emerges in the practices of Visuddhi and Tazkiyyah, serving as a basis for fostering enhanced interreligious understanding and collaboration between the two communities