Lived Realities of Malay/Muslim Entrepreneurs

We started our conversation at the very beginning of their entrepreneurial journey. Interestingly, both began their ventures unexpectedly, without necessarily having sought them out in the first place.

Zakiah said,

“I started Soof when I was teaching. I would just be wearing my own tudung (headscarf) and people at my workplace asked me, what tudung is that? So it grew that way.”

Syaf similarly recalled,

“My mother would sew shawls for me, and I wore them for myself, and then my friends asked me where I got them from. I didn’t even see it as a venture. I just thought, oh, there are people who want to buy this. […] Even though there were people selling clothes, most of them were not wide pants or wider tunics. So, I saw a gap in the market.”

Additionally, Zakiah shared that growing up in a family of entrepreneurs helped to provide the foundation for her decision to proceed with her entrepreneurial endeavours.

“I guess it does run in the family. My dad had started Andalus Corporation and now mentors me from time to time. My mom used to run a business on Facebook and I learned from the language she used and the way she related to customers. So I have the mindset that I can just drop my job and trust that freelancing works for me […] A few of my siblings have their own ventures too.”

These early stories highlight several interesting themes in the self-reflection of these entrepreneurs. First, many do not set out with a clear plan. Instead, they often stumble onto the entrepreneurial path through unexpected demands or inspiration, and this is not inherently negative – rather, embracing flexibility can lead to unexpected opportunities. Second, a certain level of risk tolerance is essential – even if a market gap becomes evident, entrepreneurs must be willing to take the risk of spending time, money, and effort into their product or service that may or may not succeed. Lastly, having role models to reflect the realities of any job is important, and entrepreneurship is no exception. Those who have walked the path before would not only be able to empathise and support individuals through the challenges of the job, but also guide them strategically with lessons learnt from their own experiences. In many cases, parents serve as an especially powerful example.

As they decided to move forward with their ventures, however, not everyone in their circles was supportive.

Syaf said,

“My relatives would say there’s no CPF, you won’t be doing something related to your field of study, they found it a waste of my degree, and there was a risk of financial instability […] Even some of my close family didn’t agree.”

Zakiah agreed with the sentiment, saying,

“I have a close relative who was against it at first too, but she was well-meaning and came from a place of concern. They don’t want me to suffer.”

Ironically, once their businesses actually took off and became more successful, comments flipped to the other end of the spectrum.

Syaf elaborated,

“Now people think that […] I easily get money and all. But it’s actually a lot of work behind the scenes. I struggle with personal relationships, balancing work and social life.”

Zakiah agreed, saying,

“Now, a lot of people think it’s easy because you get to do it from home but there’s also no signing out. You can’t really stop doing it when you want to stop doing it because it’s your own bread and butter. […] A relative once said, Zakiah duduk rumah je, goyang kaki (Zakiah just sits at home and doesn’t do much).”

Within these anecdotes lie a few problematic perceptions towards our entrepreneurs. There is the plain sowing of doubt and scepticism in response to a pursuit of the unconventional; the judgment that comes from unfounded assumptions; and the misconception of the trade, in underestimating the demands of entrepreneurship while overestimating its benefits. Such misconceptions, especially when voiced directly, can be harmful to budding entrepreneurs as it can discourage others from pursuing similar paths. Syaf admitted, “What people say definitely affects me. I always question, am I doing the right thing?”

Zakiah offered some nuance into the issue, attributing these attitudes to a generational gap and calling it a “boomer mindset.” Any untoward comments tend to come from individuals in older age groups or individuals with more traditional mindsets and a penchant for more stable and comfortable routes. While concern is a form of care, there is no single path to success, and snide comments with no constructive value comes across as a lack of understanding. For the most part though, she acknowledged that “I got a lot of support from my family, friends, and community, so that’s what I chose to focus on.” Both women observed that younger Malay/Muslims tend to be more open, supportive, and appreciative of small businesses and the stories behind them, which is an encouraging trend.

Central to their perseverance is the bond they’ve formed with their customers.

Syaf elaborated,

“What keeps me going is my customers. They tell me that because of Deepduzt’s clothes, they now feel like they can pray outside, they’ve found their sense of identity… I’ve forged so many friendships. If I gave up now, how will they find their clothes?”

Zakiah similarly shared,

“Sometimes I feel like I cannot do it anymore, but then people tell me they love to wear Soof, or they are non-Muslims who buy Soof hoping that they might wear it one day – they could be my jihad (religious effort and striving) in this world you know? It’s more than just a job. There’s really meaning to it. […] I feel the need to serve the community in that way.”

By aligning their work with the bigger purpose of serving the community, the women navigate “the central dilemma of Malay entrepreneurship”³: the extent to which it is morally acceptable to place high profit margins in commercial transactions, given that Malay/Muslims tend to hold kinship and interpersonal relationships at such high value. When the purpose behind the business transcends the usual career and money-making goals, it provides extra internal motivation required for the entrepreneurs to keep going.

Zakiah especially emphasised the creativity aspect that makes her job fulfilling. She shared,

“Actually there are a few of my own customers starting their own brands. They will tell me I was inspired by Soof. […] They are very open and excited, and I like the creative energy. It gives Soof more meaning and purpose.”

A study by Maysami and Ziemnowicz (2007) corroborates this – they reported that the Malay entrepreneurs in their sample scored higher in creativity and locus of control compared to other ethnic groups, but lower in need for achievement.⁴ In Malay cultural ethos, relentless ambition, especially the pursuit of wealth for its own sake, holds low social value. Like Zakiah went on to say, “Don’t do it for the world. Always have akhirah (the afterlife) in mind.”

As Muslim women merchandising products related to Islam especially, religiosity plays a big role in their businesses. It is not merely an important value to be considered but a core anchor and priority. Both shared that placing God and religion at the top of their priorities is what helps their businesses sustain. “The one carrying your business is not you, its God. If you are God-conscious and you have service in mind, and your priority is to make life for others easier, it will help so much,” Zakiah advised, “Even if you are so tired, when sales are low, at the back of mind you are doing it out of service, and you know God is the one giving you rezeki (blessings).” Syaf concurred, saying, “Rezeki is from Allah. I believe Allah will get me through it. […] Even if I’m scared to go out and network and do new things, especially as an introvert, rezeki has already been written for us insyaAllah (God willing) so I don’t need to be so scared.”

With a little more understanding about their background, motivations, and challenges, I asked the interviewees to close with three words that summarise their entrepreneurship experience.

Syaf shared,

“Thrilling – it’s literally ups and downs, and the risk of putting out something new is quite exciting. It’s humbling – sometimes you think things are going to work out and they don’t. Lucky for us Muslims, we have that tawakkal (complete trust and reliance on God) so we know that whatever it is, we are never alone, and we have Him to set our affairs right. Lastly, it’s fulfilling – it gives me a sense of purpose. Beyond the selling and buying, I’m serving the community at large.”

Zakiah said,

“Jihad – It’s my little jihad that I do in hopes that it can bring something for my and others’ akhirah. Creative – every Soof hijab has its own narrative, and it holds more meaning than just a fashion item. And it’s 24/7 – it’s a lot of work.”

These voices offer a timely and authentic lens into the lived realities behind Malay/Muslim entrepreneurship. Despite growing attention to entrepreneurship in the public discourse, academic research on Malay/Muslim entrepreneurship remains sparse. As Muhammad Yusuf Bin Osman noted in his 2021 master’s thesis on the matter,⁵ most studies on the subject were published in the 1990s, with a notable gap in literature from 2000 to 2020. There is an urgent need for updated scholarship that reflects the modern realities of entrepreneurship in our community.

Former Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli also wrote this year, “Our goal is to nurture the next generation of Malay/Muslim professionals and entrepreneurs who will take on leadership roles across the private, public and people sectors.”⁶ In accordance with this goal, if we are serious about fostering entrepreneurship as a driver of economic and social transformation, we need to begin by treating it with the legitimacy and respect afforded to other career paths. Beyond initiatives, programs, and policies, we must work to grow the ‘heartware’ behind the hardware.

Sabrina is a Senior Research Analyst at the Centre for Research on Islamic and Malay Affairs (RIMA). She holds a master's degree in Southeast Asian Studies and is interested in state-society relations and Islamic and Malay history.