The Ahlus Sunnah (or Salafist) Movement in Perlis: What is Madani’s Stand?

The Ahlus Sunnah (or Salafist) ideology, as practised in Perlis and distinct from the approach of other Malaysian states, was introduced in 1927 by Sheikh Hassan Ahmad. Sheikh Hassan Ahmad was widely referred to as a scholar of the Wahhabi school. Local scholars such as Wan Ahmad Wan Daud later embraced the Ahlus Sunnah movement and it was given alternative names, including Islah Perlis (Perlis Reform Movement) and Aliran Sunnah (Sunnah Approach). Over time, the approach gained influence within the Perlis monarchy and became deeply rooted among religious figures in the state. Today, the possible penetration of the ideology into the Madani administration does not bode well for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s vision for Islam.

The key difference between the general precepts of Sunni Islam and the Ahlus Sunnah ideology in Perlis is that the latter does not require adherence to a particular school of Islamic jurisprudence. Adherents emphasise combatting practices deemed as bid’ah (religious innovation) and shirk (associating partners with God). Thus, the movement’s early days witnessed the destruction by its followers of sacred sites of figures regarded as saints, as this was deemed as saint-worship. Proponents of the Ahlus Sunnah also claim to follow the practices of the earliest generation of Muslims, known as the salafus-salih (pious predecessors).

Its proponents have implemented strategies and programmes to propagate the Ahlus Sunnah Perlis ideology, including the annual Sunnah Convention. This was first organised in 2015 as “Perkampungan Sunnah” (Sunnah Village). From 24-26 January 2025, Perlis will host the tenth edition, now rebranded as the Perlis International Sunnah Convention (PISC) 2025. Themed “Al-Quran: The Divine Guidance” and held in Kangar, Perlis, this year, the convention will feature 18 international speakers from various countries.

The Perlis State Mufti Department in collaboration with multiple da’wah organisations and institutions jointly organised the convention, with funds from the Perlis Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIPs). It is framed as an effort to “promote authentic Islamic teachings based on the Quran and Sunnah” and was even listed as a ‘tourism product’ in the Visit Perlis 2024–2025 initiative.

Continuing with tradition, the 2025 convention will prominently feature scholars associated with the Wahhabi movement, notably from Western countries. These scholars employ strategies such as self-identifying as Salafi rather than Wahhabi despite their Wahhabi orientation or ascribing themselves to Ahlus Sunnah, while categorising other Islamic groups as outside the fold of Islam. The term “Salafi”, perceived as more palatable than “Wahhabi”, is used to defuse the controversy surrounding Wahhabism. Wahhabism is often associated with violence and takfiri ideologies: that is, to declare as non-Muslim those Muslims who do not conform to Wahhabi ideology.

Continuing with tradition, the 2025 convention will prominently feature scholars associated with the Wahhabi movement, notably from Western countries.

In this context, the Ahlus Sunnah framework propagated by Perlis diverges significantly from the mainstream Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah (or Sunni creed) widely accepted by most Malaysian Muslims. This distinction elucidates the promotional messaging of the convention, which emphasises “authentic” teachings, as if to imply that others are “inauthentic”.

The presence of hardline Wahhabi preachers at the convention will undoubtedly challenge the efforts of the Madani administration, which emphasises moderation, rejects discord in expressing differing opinions, and celebrates Islam through Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah. This stands in contradiction to Anwar’s stated commitment to strengthening the principles of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah.

Among the Western figures invited is Omar Suleiman, described by one writer as a “flexible Salafi” due to his prior extremist views and his ability to integrate into the American establishment. A founder of the Yaqeen Institute, Suleiman actively comments on contemporary issues such as gun control and refugee policies in the US. He is seen as a prominent example of “Americanised Salafism”, representing an integration of Wahhabi-Salafi ideologies with Western perspectives. Other notable speakers will include Abdul Raheem Green from the United Kingdom, still under scrutiny there for prior “extremist pronouncements” and Yusuf Estes from the US, who was previously banned from entering Singapore due to his divisive views on multicultural societies. Shady al Suleiman from Sydney, Australia, also linked to “extremist rhetoric”, is another key speaker.

Other invited speakers like Hussein Yee from Malaysia, Zakir Naik from India, and Abdul Raheem Green are connected to the Wahhabi-linked organisation Islam Net in Norway, while Bilal Phillips has been accused of leveraging charitable organisations to disseminate extremist ideologies. Scholars frequently classify these personalities as proponents of non-violent extremism, which includes interpreting shariah law in ways that necessitate contravening existing constitutional or legal frameworks (viewed as products of secularism or Western colonialism).

In 2024, as part of the ninth Sunnah Convention, selected speakers were permitted to deliver Friday sermons in some mosques across Perlis, a move interpreted as a subtle method of disseminating Ahlus Sunnah doctrine. Notably, Anwar Ibrahim attended that convention, and his presence was broadcast live on the government’s official news channel, RTM.

This development has elicited concerns among religious authorities in other states, who fear the spread of the Ahlus Sunnah Perlis movement. Such apprehensions are evident in the enactment of Malaysia’s Mufti (Federal Territories) Bill 2024, which was backed by the Malay rulers and religious authorities from all states except Perlis.

All this raises questions about why the Madani administration appears to be overly accommodating of such controversial figures. Could Anwar’s presence at the 2024 convention indicate the penetration of Ahlus Sunnah Perlis elements into the Madani administration? Alternatively, does this suggest that Anwar is challenging mainstream Islam, or is he simply overly lenient toward this group?

2025/25