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Religion is too important a subject to be left to a handful of scholars and clergies, and its effect too far-reaching to be categorised as 'esoteric'. For many Malaysians, the persistent linkage between religion and politics over the millennia, is cause for concern at least, if not alarm.

"So little historical research goes into the discussion of Islam," said Dr Farish A Noor, a political scientist and writer.

In a recent talk titled 'Political Islam as a phenomenon', he called for the separation of power between religion and the government. Quoting the Ottoman Empire as a good example of this system, Farish said the Islamic empire's model worked well enough to allow its prosperous reign to last seven centuries.

The Moghul Empire and the Muslim Caliphate (Al-Andalusia) in Spain are yet other examples of the historical precedence of successful Islamic states. There was pragmatic division of state powers in the Moghul Empire, so as to maintain the inter-religious relationship of multi-religious India.

Studying these success stories add to our understanding of Islam, and how a workable solution can be found for the world today.

According to Farish, there was a clear division between state and religion in the glory days of the Ottoman Empire. The sultan was undoubtedly the head of the empire. But, he was served by a wazir or prime minister who dealt with the daily running of the state, and a shaiful Islam who was head of the Muslim version of the church.

Collective amnesia

Farish, who is also a malaysiakini columnist, said an example of collective amnesia would be the masses and the ruling elite choosing to use the religion to suit their own ends instead of using the understanding of political Islam for the good of all.

He stressed that there is a need to differentiate between state and religion, a need to differentiate between the practical and lived reality of Islam, and abstract Islam. This lack of differentiation had led to neglect and distortion of Islam, in turn creating an oppressive society and culture, bringing on an oppressive experience of Islam.

"It is this tendency to practise oppressive Islam that is alarming (in Malaysia)," said another speaker, Zainah Anwar, who is executive director of Sisters in Islam.

The current debate within Islam and among Muslims is: Whose version of Islam should be practised?

Zainah said that Islam is a religion of justice, freedom and equality, but today it is governed by oppressiveness. Islam has been used in this country to make laws that are pro-men, for example, by condoning polygamy, and by allowing men to divorce their wives more easily.

If men have the right the interpret Islam, then women do, too, she said.

"Why the treatment of women as third-class citizens in this country?"

She said that on the one hand, the government is promoting the upliftment of womankind, on the other (through the religious arm), it is practising double standards by being gender biased. The interpretation of Syariah in the Quran is man-made, and it was made under specific circumstances.

Islamic jurists (who interpret Syariah law) have made their word (through their interpretation of the Quran) as the word of God, claims Zainah. Women are reluctant to voice dissent, for fear of being accused of apostasy.

More open Islamic society

There is a need to develop a more open Islamic society, Farish said.

"But the mood of Islam in Malaysia today is such that any attempt towards deeper Islamisation will only complicate matters. We are becoming more reactionary."

He attributes this squarely to the entry of religion into politics. PAS and Umno are trying to outdo each other, on which of the two was more Islamic. However, the Islamisation of a country has to come with the forming of a civil society, he said.

Malaysia as a nation is vulnerable to the influences and goings-on in Western countries, as well as those from the Islamic hub of West Asia. The former influences perhaps the non-Muslims and the more secular among the Muslims, while the latter influences the rightist Muslims.

An increase in religiosity on one part of the community, the Muslims for example, will have reciprocal effect on the other, non-Muslim communities, said Farish. A pro-active approach is needed to counter this possibility - cultural mediation through inter-religious dialogue may be an answer.

Another side of Islam, which is the hybrid and localised Islam, should be given room to grow and prevail.

Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi, a law professor at Universiti Teknologi Mara, says in Islam, there are 99 names for God, and this symbolises that the understanding of God is multiple. There is, no prototype of an Islamic state.

But he believes that Malaysia can and should be the model to follow "if we do not fall into the battle of semantics, in searching for the meaning of an Islamic state".

'Priestly aristocracy'

For 44 years, Malaysia has avoided this debate. "We have taken the middle path, which has worked well for the country," said Shad. And today, the more Umno tries (to project itself as Islamic), the more PAS will move to the right, creating a sort of "priestly aristocracy".

Shad said that the Islam here (in Malaysia) is 'Islam a la Malaysia' which is coloured by culture.

"Islamisation is an attempt at 'Malaynisation'," said Shad, revealing a sentiment that many may have felt, but were reluctant to say.

"These interpretations of religious law are based on ethnic and racist interpretations," said Shad, in a tone that betrayed little of the seriousness of this statement.

More importantly, Shad explained that the feature of the Malaysian Constitution and the legal system is not that of an Islamic state.

The Constitution is the supreme law of the land, and any other law that is inconsistent with it is void. The Constitution takes into consideration written law, common law, customs and usage within the country. It, however, does not include religious laws.

PRASANA CHANDRAN is a researcher of Strategic Analysis Malaysia (SAM). She is a journalism graduate from Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand. SAM''s subscription-based website has more information, facts and figures, dossiers and analyses of women in Malaysian politics.