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From Islamic revivalism to halalization: Islamisation and the institutionalisation of halal in Malaysia

Sulaiman Shakib, Halimah and Jamaludin, Mohammad Aizat and Mohamad Nasir, Mohamad Nasrin and Zulkarnain, Siti Norhafizah (2026) From Islamic revivalism to halalization: Islamisation and the institutionalisation of halal in Malaysia. Journal of Islamic, Social, Economics and Development, 11 (87). pp. 286-301. E-ISSN 0128-1755

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Abstract

Islamic revivalism in Malaysia reshaped not only religious education, politics and public institutions, but also the way halal was understood and institutionalised. Although existing studies have increasingly discussed halal from the perspectives of certification, regulation, political economy and market growth, the ideological roots of halalization in Islamic revivalism remain less explored. This article examines the relationship between Islamic revivalism and the development of halalization in Malaysia, with particular attention to how state-led Islamisation shaped halal practices into a formal system. Using qualitative document analysis of historical records, policy texts, halal standards and scholarly literature, together with selected Qur'anic and Prophetic sources, the study traces the development of halalization from the Islamic revival movements of the 1970s to the establishment of a more structured halal ecosystem under state institutions. The findings show that halalization in Malaysia did not emerge as a standalone regulatory or economic initiative, but as an outcome of revivalist-driven Islamisation, functioning both as a mechanism of Islamic identity consolidation and as an economic strategy positioning the country within the global halal market. This study contributes to the literature by conceptualising halalization as an institutional outcome of Islamic revivalism and a manifestation of state-led Islamisation, thereby complementing political economy and regulatory explanations with an Islamic conceptual understanding of halal development in Malaysia. Future research should test this interpretation through archival work, stakeholder interviews and comparative studies across Muslim-majority societies.

Item Type: Article (Journal)
Uncontrolled Keywords: Halalization, Islamic Revivalism, Islamisation, Halal Institutionalisation, Malaysia
Subjects: BPG Islamic geography > BPG87 Islamic tourism. Halal issues
BPH Islamic Economics > BPH111.4 Halal issues. Fatawa
BPH Islamic Economics > BPH114 Consumption. Halal issues
BPH Islamic Economics > BPH117 Consumption. Halal issues. Standards. Certification. Halal status
BPH Islamic Economics > BPH117.5 Halal Education, Halal Training
BPH Islamic Economics > BPH122 Consumption. Halal issues. Specific products. Food and drink
H Social Sciences > HF Commerce > HF5475.I74 Halal business, entrepreneur, marketing, management, and administration
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button): International Institute for Halal Research and Training (INHART)
Depositing User: Dr. Mohammad Aizat Jamaludin
Date Deposited: 04 Nov 2026 14:51
Last Update: 04 Nov 2026 14:51
Queue Number: 2026-10-Q5983
URI: http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/132432
Indexed In: Google Scholar, MyCite

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