Abstract

This study examines Daya Cipta as a core pillar of Islamic innovation within the Malaysia Madani framework and its implications for reimagining human rights from an Islamic perspective. Grounded in the Qur’an, Sunnah and the intellectual tradition of ijtihad and maqasid syariah, Daya Cipta is conceptualised as a value-driven form of creativity that integrates ethical responsibility, spiritual consciousness and societal well-being. Using a qualitative approach based on textual analysis of policy documents, classical Islamic sources, and contemporary human rights literature, the findings reveal three key insights. First, Daya Cipta is not a novel policy construct but an extension of Islamic epistemology that positions creativity and innovation as moral obligations tied to human dignity and stewardship (khilafah). Second, the Malaysia Madani framework reframes human rights by embedding them within a relational model that balances individual entitlements with communal responsibility, ethical accountability and spiritual values. Third, comparative analysis of selected development and governance indicators suggests that innovation guided by Islamic values can support sustainable human development without detaching rights from morality. Overall, the study demonstrates that Islamic innovation through Daya Cipta offers a new analytical lens for human rights discourse, one that moves beyond secular universalism toward a more holistic, humane and contextually grounded model of governance. This research contributes to the growing scholarship on Islam and human rights by illustrating how creativity, when anchored in Islamic principles, can function as a transformative force for ethical governance and sustainable societal progress in Malaysia Madani.

References

Abdelgalil, Reda Ibrahim Ibrahim Elsayed, ‘The Philosophy of Creativity, Innovation, and Technology from an Islāmic Perspective’, Journal of Islamic Thought and Civilization, 13 (2023) <https://doi.org/10.32350/jitc.131.16>

Abdulsatar Shaker Salman, ‘Mass Surveillance and the Maqasid Al-Shari‘ah: Balancing Security and Human Rights in Contemporary Islamic Discourse’, International Journal of Sharia and Law, 1 (2025), 65–80 <https://doi.org/10.65211/pxw09065>

Adil, Mohamed Azam Mohamed, ‘Human Dignity: An Islamic and Malaysian Perspective’, in New Perspectives on Human Dignity in Asia (Routledge, 2026), pp. 204–14

Almahfali, Mohammed and Helen Avery, ‘Human Rights from an Islamic Perspective: A Critical Review of Arabic Peer-Reviewed Articles’, Social Sciences, 12 (2023), 106 <https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12020106>

Arifin, Zarul and Abdurrahman Raden Aji Haqqi, ‘Islamic Law: Between Revelation and Human Thoughts’, Jurnal Akidah & Pemikiran Islam, 26 (2024), 277–306 <https://doi.org/10.22452/afkar.vol26no1.9>

Arifinsyah, Maulana Andinata Dalimunthe and Faisal Riza, ‘Islamic Theological Perspectives on Human Rights: Bridging the Gap between Faith and Universal Principles’, Pharos Journal of Theology, 2025 <https://doi.org/10.46222/pharosjot.106.207>

Ashafa, Saheed Afolabi and Lukman Raimi, ‘Exploring the Impact of Islam’s Social Well-Being and Economic Justice on Peaceful Coexistence in Nigeria: Implications for Conventional Welfare Policy’, Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy, 14 (2025), 230–50 <https://doi.org/10.1108/JEPP-11-2023-0116>

AZIZ, NADIAH and Rossilawati Rusli, ‘A Look at the Transformational Leadership and Strategic Communication towards Madani Ummah’, Al-i’lam - Journal of Contemporary Islamic Communication and Media, 4 (2024) <https://doi.org/10.33102/jcicom.vol4no2.118>

Bhat, Ali Muhammad and Afroz Ahmad Bisati, ‘Rationality in the Qur’an: Integrating Reason and Revelation for Contemporary Islamic Education’, Dirasah International Journal of Islamic Studies, 3 (2025), 1–17 <https://doi.org/10.59373/drs.v3i1.40>

Bonang, Dahlia, Muh Baihaqi, Syukriati, Naili Rahmaawati and Nani Suhartini, ‘Islamic Worldview and the Green Economy: A Philosophical Nexus for Sustainability and Equity’, International Journal of Ethics and Systems, 2026, 1–25 <https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOES-01-2025-0047>

Gupta, Joyeeta and Courtney Vegelin, ‘Inclusive Development, Leaving No One behind, Justice and the Sustainable Development Goals’, International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, 23 (2023), 115–21 <https://doi.org/10.1007/s10784-023-09612-y>

Hussain, Gozde, ‘Islamic Intellectual Tradition’, in Islamic Doctrines and Political Liberalism. The Modern Muslim World (Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, 2024), pp. 105–38 <https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-72267-7_5>

Karwadi, Abd Razak Bin Zakaria, Adhi Setiyawan and Moh Ferdi Hasan, ‘Integration of Critical Pedagogy in Islamic Education: A Case Study of Pre-Service Teacher Training’, British Journal of Religious Education, 2025, 1–22 <https://doi.org/10.1080/01416200.2025.2560905>

Khoo, Ying Hooi, ‘Religion, Human Rights, and Educational Paradigms in Southeast Asia: Insights from the Malaysian Context’, British Journal of Religious Education, 2025, 1–14 <https://doi.org/10.1080/01416200.2025.2567280>

Kleindienst, Petra, ‘The Role of Education on Human Dignity: Fostering Peace and Diminishing Violence’, Religions, 15 (2024), 66 <https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15010066>

McNeilly, Kathryn, ‘Human Rights through the Kaleidoscope: The UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review’, The International Journal of Human Rights, 2025, 1–21 <https://doi.org/10.1080/13642987.2025.2588188>

Mohd Radzi, Shamsul Azri and Faridah Jaafar, ‘Anwar Ibrahim as Malaysia’s Reformist Leader: Reshaping Political Leadership and Nationhood in Post-Reformasi Malaysia’, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, IX (2025), 6667–80 <https://doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.90400484>

Mohiuddin, Asif, ‘Malaysia’s Minority Mosaic: Struggles and Triumphs in a Diverse Nation’, in Human Rights Law in Egypt and Malaysia: Minorities and Gender Equality (Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, 2024), pp. 113–72 <https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-63867-1_3>

Munirah Lateh, Nor Hazwani, ‘Malaysia Madani in the Light of Islamic Values: Understanding and Acceptance of Malaysians’, Islamiyyat, 46 (2024), 157–66 <https://doi.org/10.17576/islamiyyat-2024-4602-15>

Ruhullah, Mohammad Eisa and Thameem Ushama, ‘Time and Society in the Qur’an: Al-Ghazali’s Integration of Ancient Wisdom into Islamic Epistemology’, Islam Realitas: Journal of Islamic and Social Studies, 10 (2024), 62–80 <https://doi.org/10.30983/islam_realitas.v10i1.8583>

Shaukat, Muhammad Awais, Umbreen Samra, Javaria Hassan, Chafika Saadi and Imran Hayat, ‘Morality from Classical Civilizations to Post-Modern Era: A Historical Account Through Islamic Lens’, Journal of Islamic Thought and Civilization, 14 (2024), 321–35 <https://doi.org/10.32350/jitc.142.19>

van Steenberghe, Raphaël, ‘The Interplay between International Humanitarian Law and International Environmental Law’, Journal of International Criminal Justice, 20 (2023), 1123–54 <https://doi.org/10.1093/jicj/mqac062>

Suriyankietkaew, Suparak, Krittawit Krittayaruangroj, Sukanda Thinthan and Syamol Lumlongrut, ‘Creative Tourism as a Driver for Sustainable Development: A Model for Advancing SDGs through Community-Based Tourism and Environmental Stewardship’, Environmental and Sustainability Indicators, 27 (2025), 100828 <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indic.2025.100828>