EMPOWERING AWARENESS OF MUSLIM CONSUMER RIGHTS IN EDUCATION AND ENFORCEMENT: AN ANALYSIS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF SHARIAH PRINCIPLES AND THE LAW

In the past few years, global advancement in technology has fuelled tremendous growth in economic and financial markets. While these changes have improved society stability and competitiveness, they have also resulted in more complex consumer difficulties. The open market system practised in today’s globalised world exposes consumers to manipulation and discrimination, often leading to various forms of loss. This study seeks to suggest a systematic method for strengthening education and legal enforcement as essential methods to elevate Muslim consumers understanding of their rights. To attain this goal, a qualitative methodology was used, with data evaluated using literature-based findings, which included classical and modern scholarly discourse as well as legal texts such as the Consumer Protection Act of 1999. This was done to analyse Muslim consumer rights from both a Shariah and legal perspective. The findings show that Islamic concepts and standards must be used in conjunction with government-enacted laws and regulations to generate Muslim consumers who are not just intelligent but also legally literate. There is an urgent need for proactive actions from various viewpoints and dimensions to handle the increasingly dynamic consumer market in a comprehensive manner. As a result, this study suggests various strategic initiatives for developing alternatives, including a more comprehensive Muslim consumer education framework and improvements to enforcement mechanisms, to ensure the continuous protection of consumer rights. This synergy between teaching and enforcement, based on both Shariah and legal frameworks, is critical for boosting awareness and improving the efficiency of consumer rights protection, particularly among Malaysia's Muslim community.