Proposal For the Development of an Islam-Based Psychosocial Index for Muslim Transgender Individuals in Malaysia

The issue of transgender individuals in Malaysia is increasingly concerning today because the majority of transgender individuals in Malaysia are Muslims. The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM), as the authoritative body in Islamic affairs, with the assistance of various Islamic NGOs, has implemented various initiatives to address this issue. However, statistics show a significant gap between the number of existing transgender individuals and those participating in rehabilitation programs. This raises questions about the suitability of existing approaches. The absence of a mechanism capable of assessing the level of an individual's involvement as a transgender person, particularly from a psychosocial and Islamic values perspective, renders rehabilitation approaches too general and not personalized. Therefore, this study finds a need to develop an Islam-Based Psychosocial Index for Muslim Transgender Individuals that functions as a determinant of an individual's involvement as a transgender person. Furthermore, this index also serves as a basis for more targeted rehabilitation approaches. Islam was chosen as the core because history has proven the effectiveness of Islamic approaches in addressing social problems, such as the widespread social issues in the Arabian Peninsula during the advent of Islam. This study has two objectives. First, to identify the gaps in the approaches implemented by selected Islamic institutions in Malaysia in addressing the issue of Muslim transgender individuals. Second, to analyse the necessity of developing an Islam-Based Psychosocial Index for Muslim Transgender Individuals. This study employs a qualitative approach, focusing on document analysis as the primary method. Through this analysis, various sources such as fatwas, guidelines from Islamic institutions, rehabilitation program reports, academic articles, and policy documents related to Muslim transgender issues are examined to identify themes, principles, and existing gaps in current approaches. This method allows the study to elaborate on the discourse development, conceptual framework, and the suitability of Islamic institutions' approaches in addressing transgender issues based on Sharia and psychosocial perspectives. This approach also provides a comprehensive overview of institutional response patterns, thereby supporting the proposal for the development of an Islam-Based Psychosocial Index for Muslim Transgender Individuals. The findings of this study indicate that one of the gaps in addressing transgender issues in Malaysia is the absence of a psychosocial index for Muslim transgender individuals. This index is crucial for planning and implementing holistic approaches, especially rehabilitation programs, in the future. Furthermore, it is expected that the development of this index can assist JAKIM, particularly in determining appropriate da ‘wah approaches based on the level of transgender involvement. This study is significant as it aligns with the national agenda to enhance public well-being and uphold core madani values, particularly in the aspect of community welfare.

Proposal, Development, index

1. Audrey Dermawan (2018) Bilangan Gay, Transgender Semakin Meningkat-JAKIM. https://www.bharian.com.my/amp/berita/nasional/2018/10/491972/bilangan-gay- transgendersemakin meningkat-jakim. Diakses pada 20 Februari 2025. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Aziz, A., Asghar, H., & Hameed, F. (2023). Transgender Discourse in Islam Review of Human Gender and Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2018. الھدایۃ. https://doi.org/10.52700/alhidayah.v5i2.66 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Bakar, K. A., Hassan, S. A., Hanafi, N., Hayat, B., & Badrasawi, K. J. I. (2025). Rasch Model: A Systematic Review of Islamic Instruments. Global Journal Al-Thaqafah, 15(1), 61–78. https://doi.org/10.7187/gjat072025-5 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Bernama (2018) ernama (2018), Jumlah Golongan Homoseksual, Transgender Meningkat Setiap Tahun-JAKIM.Astroawani.com. Diakses pada 20 Julai 2025. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Darmansjah, D., Kalra, G., & Ventriglio, A. (2019). Religion, Psychiatry, and Alternate Sexuality. East Asian Archives of Psychiatry, 29(1), 26–29. https://doi.org/10.12809/EAAP1735 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Faridah, F., Amir, R., & Nurjannah, N. (2023). Dakwah Dan Isu Lesbian, Gay, Biseksual Dan Transgender (LGBT). Jurnal Khabar, 5(1), 15–28. https://doi.org/10.37092/khabar.v5i1.475 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Siti Amirah Akilah Abd Rahim (2019). Transgender di Malaysia. International Journal of Islamic and Civilizational Studies. 6(3-2). DOI:10.11113/umran2020.6n3-2.422.67-77 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Teh Yik Koon (2001) Teh, Yik Koon. (2001). Mak Nyahs (Male Transexuals) in Malaysia: The influence of Culture and Religion on Their Identity. dlm. TheInternational Journal of Transgenderism. 5(3) July—Sept [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Data Integration in Malaysian Syariah Courts: A Study of Challenges and Solutions
• The Concept of Family Well-Being from the Perspectives of Islam, Western Thought and Malaysia Madani
• Leveraging AI Tools for Islamic Scholarship: Podcast and eBook Innovations in Teaching the Sunni Intellectual Tradition
• Cryptocurrency and Shariah: Analyzing the Implications of Islamic Jurisprudence on Bitcoin and its Ethical Framework
• Islamic Credit Card and its Value-Based Proposition: A Perspective from Maqasid Al-Shariah