Multi-Ethnic Malaysia Grapples With ‘Islamization’

After July, Malaysians will grow old gracefully. Or, in any case, those who follow Malaysian Islamic law. The country's National Fatwa Council (Jawatankuasa Fatwa) closed its three-day meeting on July 27, deciding to forbid the country's Muslims from using botox, among other prohibitions.

To settle questions of what is halal (allowed) and haram (forbidden) for Malaysia's Muslims, the Fatwa Council meets regularly to mull over international Islamic scholarship. They pronounce on issues as modern as donating zakat funds via text-message (halal) and as serious as euthanasia (decision forthcoming).

But Malaysia is no Iran.

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