Abstract

This article presents a comparative analysis of models of Islamic tolerance in Turkey, Malaysia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The objective of this study is to ascertain the distinguishing characteristics of each model and the factors that influence religious tolerance in these countries. The research is grounded in discourses pertaining to Islam, secularism, political modernization, and religious diversity. The methodology employed in this study is anchored in a multifaceted approach, encompassing comparative historical analysis, discursive analysis, and content analysis. The primary sources utilized for this research are analytical articles, which serve as the foundation for the study's empirical underpinnings.
To illustrate the concept of diversity, three examples are examined. Turkey, as a secular state; Malaysia, as a multiethnic democracy; and the UAE, as a monarchy in the Persian Gulf region. This selection facilitates an examination of disparate political systems.
The primary conclusions that emerged from this study are as follows: Turkish secularism guaranteed the separation of Islam from political authority; however, it did not result in the establishment of complete religious egalitarianism. The rise of religiosity in recent decades has been accompanied by a decline in social tolerance. Malaysian institutional pluralism has achieved relative harmony among ethno-confessional communities through the ideology of "unity in diversity" and the practice of "passive tolerance". However, interreligious dialogue remains superficial. The Emirati approach to "moderate Islam" endeavors to promote tolerance values through state institutions and positive rhetoric. This approach establishes a correlation between religious tolerance and national identity, as well as the image of a modernizing state on the global stage.
Despite the evident disparities in the relationship between religion and the state, tolerance functions as a mechanism that serves to fortify national unity and legitimize political authority, while being firmly rooted in fundamental Islamic values.