Featured OpinionMalay Ethical Constitutionalism, Raja Ali Haji, Tabayyun, Gurindam Dua Belas, Constitutional Ethics, Islamic Constitutionalism, Maqasid al-Shariah, Malay Political Thought, Ethical Governance, Constitutional Theory23 July 2026
Malay Ethical Constitutionalism: Tabayyun as the Foundation of Constitutional Ethics in the Thought of Raja Ali Haji
This article introduces Malay Ethical Constitutionalism (MEC) as a constitutional framework rooted in the intellectual tradition of Raja Ali Haji. It argues that tabayyun (verification), as taught in the Qur'an and reflected in Gurindam Dua Belas, is not merely an ethical principle of communication but an epistemological and constitutional foundation for ethical governance. By integrating Qur'anic teachings, maqāṣid al-sharī'ah, and Malay political thought, the article proposes that constitutional legitimacy depends not only on the rule of law but also on the rule of ethics, offering a distinctive contribution of the Malay world to global constitutional theory.
Read featured opinion
