Between Reform, Authority, and Radicalism: A Systematic Review of Salafism in Contemporary Malaysia and Its Implications for Islamic Education

Abstract

Salafism has become an increasingly visible component of contemporary Islamic discourse in Malaysia, influencing religious thought, institutional authority, political engagement, and debates surrounding radicalism and security. Despite growing scholarly attention, existing studies remain dispersed across historical, theological, socio-political, and security-oriented fields, resulting in limited systematic understanding of how Salafism has developed and operated within the Malaysian context. This study therefore systematically reviews the existing literature to map major scholarly trends, synthesise key findings, and identify the principal dimensions through which contemporary Salafism in Malaysia has been examined. The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol, with publications retrieved from the Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) databases through an advanced search strategy using the keywords “Salafi” and “Malaysia.” Following identification, screening, duplicate removal, and eligibility assessment, 20 primary studies (n = 20) were retained for qualitative synthesis. An integrative thematic analysis identified three major themes: (1) Historical Trajectories, Ideological Transformation, and Transnational Networks; (2) Religious Authority, State Regulation, and Political Contestation; and (3) Radical Salafism, Jihadism, and Security Challenges. The findings indicate that Salafism in Malaysia is neither historically linear nor ideologically homogeneous, but has evolved through interactions among local reform traditions, transnational religious networks, state institutions, and changing socio-political conditions. The literature further reveals that Salafi actors occupy contested positions within structures of religious authority and political competition, while a substantial strand of scholarship concentrates on Salafi-jihadist ideology, militant mobilisation, and security threats. The review concludes that contemporary Malaysian Salafism should be understood as a diverse and context-dependent phenomenon rather than a singular religious movement. Future research should more clearly differentiate non-violent reformist Salafi currents from Salafi-jihadist formations and further examine underexplored variations in local institutions, intellectual networks, and everyday religious practices across Malaysia.