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

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

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

national agenda to enhance public well-being and uphold core madani values, particularly in the aspect of

community welfare.

The issue of transgender individuals in Malaysia is an increasingly complex social problem that requires the

attention of all segments of society. Statistics and research findings indicate that transgender individuals in

2021). This creates a conflict between social reality and national as well as religious policies.

This phenomenon not only touches upon aspects of gender identity and self-expression but also has profound

implications for psychosocial dimensions, mental well-being, family relationships, community involvement,

and the interaction of transgender individuals with religious and state institutions. In the context of Muslim

society, the issue of transgender individuals becomes more sensitive because it is closely related to the

framework of Sharia law, behavioural boundaries set by religion, and moral values that shape the social

structure of the majority of society (Aziz et al., 2023).

Although the discourse on transgender individuals is often presented from medical, psychological, or human

rights perspectives, studies specifically evaluating the psychosocial well-being of Muslim transgender

individuals based on an Islamic epistemological framework have not yet been systematically developed. The

organizations often face challenges due to the lack of standard measures that can holistically and religiously

describe the psychosocial status of Muslim transgender individuals. This void not only complicates the

assessment of individual functioning but also hinders the development of more effective policies, guidelines,

and rehabilitation modules oriented towards maqasid al-shariah. Therefore, the construction of an Islam-based

psychosocial index is greatly needed to provide a more suitable, fair, and religiously grounded assessment

framework recognized by the Muslim community.

This study employs a qualitative research approach using a library-based research design through systematic

document analysis. The qualitative design is appropriate as the study is conceptual and analytical in nature,

aiming to examine institutional practices, normative frameworks, and scholarly discourses rather than to

interpretively synthesised using an Islamic epistemological framework to assess the adequacy of current

institutional responses and to justify the need for developing an Islam-Based Psychosocial Index. As a library-

based qualitative study, the findings are conceptual and design-oriented, intended to inform framework

development rather than empirical generalisation, while ensuring analytical rigor through source triangulation,

thematic saturation, and coherent theoretical interpretation.

Fundamentally, Islamic institutions in Malaysia, especially the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia,

have strived to provide guidelines, counselling, spiritual guidance modules, and social interventions to Muslim

with modern social sciences, rehabilitation efforts often fail to yield consistent and sustainable results.

not addressed scientifically and structurally (Darmansjah et al., 2019). Da ‘wah modules tend to emphasize

rehabilitation alone without understanding the underlying factors contributing to transgender identity.

Consequently, transgender individuals often find it difficult to connect religious rulings with their experiences.

This results in rehabilitation not addressing the root causes of transgender issues. This gap in approach also

leads to negative effects such as rejection, extreme guilt, or withdrawal from mosque communities and

religious institutions.

Furthermore, there is an absence of specific assessment instruments for Muslim transgender individuals

developed based on the framework of maqasid al-shariah, Islamic psychology and psychosocial constructs

within Malaysian Muslim society. Western measurement tools such as Gender Dysphoria Scales, Quality of

Life Indexes, or various psychological well-being inventories do not consider elements of ‘aqidah, relationship

with ibadah, motivation for tawbah, adab values, or the meaning of self as a servant of Allah. This

a suitable psychosocial index, rehabilitation programs become difficult to evaluate in terms of long-term

outcomes and cannot be developed as a national policy model.

The intervention approaches of Islamic institutions are also found to be inconsistent. These approaches depend

Furthermore, the implemented interventions still lack the application of an Islamic social ecological

perspective. Many programs focus solely on individual change, whereas social transition and long-term

rehabilitation heavily depend on family support, peer groups, mosque communities, and emotional support

networks. Family-based Islamic counselling approaches have not yet been systematically developed in the

transgender context, nor have community-based interventions to reduce social stigma. Without inclusive

ecosystem support, transgender individuals who have undergone rehabilitation modules often experience

relapse due to social pressure, family rejection, or economic difficulties.

Next, there is an epistemological divergence between legal and psychological approaches that has yet to be

reconciled. Some religious institutions insufficiently involve Islamic psychiatrists, Muslim therapists, and

psychological researchers in formulating rehabilitation modules. Conversely, some mental health professionals

rehabilitation programs focus solely on spiritual aspects, without providing a comprehensive empowerment

effort to provide systematic, comprehensive, and integrated measurements to help religious institutions

formulate more effective and holistic interventions.

The need to develop an Islam-based psychosocial index for Muslim transgender individuals arises from the

awareness that the issue of transgender individuals today cannot be understood through a single approach, let

alone solely through normative approaches. Muslim transgender individuals face complex psychosocial

pressures encompassing identity conflict, experiences of stigma, emotional tension, and the overlap between

religious demands and personal struggles. This reality demands an assessment framework that not only

captures psychological dynamics but also integrates spiritual values, family relationships, social position, and

worship orientation that shape the well-being of a Muslim. Existing instruments are not constructed within the

context of Muslim society and therefore fail to assess critical aspects closely related to Islamic spiritual life

and ethics.

At the institutional practice level, various rehabilitation programs established by JAKIM, State Islamic

effectiveness of interventions to be objectively measured. The absence of a specific index hinders efforts to

measurements, rehabilitation efforts tend to be reactive, relying solely on field experience, and risk producing

inconsistent or superficial interventions.

motivation for tawbah, and spiritual readiness to manage identity conflicts more maturely and submit to divine

decree.

for the mapping of stigma within the context of Muslim community relationships, thereby facilitating the

development of more empathetic and humane support strategies.

motivation for self-change. This integration further strengthens evidence-based policies that align with the

Finally, the development of an Islam-based psychosocial index for Muslim transgender individuals is a

strategic necessity that not only fills academic gaps but also contributes to the effectiveness of Islamic

institutions, the social well-being of the nation, and the empowerment of Muslim transgender individuals to

return to a more balanced, dignified life in accordance with Sharia. This index has the potential to become a

primary reference in research, program planning, rehabilitation module development, and national policy

Overall, the development of an Islam-based psychosocial index for Muslim transgender individuals is not

merely to fulfil academic requirements but constitutes an important contribution in formulating rehabilitation

approaches that are more humane, effective, and aligned with maqasid al shariah. It opens avenues for shaping

4. Bernama (2018) ernama (2018), Jumlah Golongan Homoseksual, Transgender Meningkat Setiap

Tahun-JAKIM.Astroawani.com. Diakses pada 20 Julai 2025.

influence of Culture and Religion on Their Identity. dlm. TheInternational Journal of Transgenderism.